Referenced Memory error

[DrewWinters]

I did a fresh install of Vista using Vlite... Now I seemingly-random programs will either crash or fail to run at all, giving me an error like the one pictured below: "...instruction at xxxxxxxx referenced memory at xxxxxxx. The memory could not be written." I have searched here and elsewhere online, and it seems this error is often caused by a missing or corrupt DLL. I have included with the image of the error an example of an event log error that recurs every ten minutes - perhaps they are related? I can't figure out what I could have cut that would cause such a ruckus... but I did cut out a lot - I think my final ISO was only about 1.2gb. I will post again when I can get a shot of exactly what is left on the install disk...

I used vlite 1.0b.

Examples of programs affected:

SP2004 Orthos (will not run)

Supreme Commander (will not install)

Half-Life 2: Episode One (crashes when it loads a new level; I haven't tried HL2 yet)

Intel Thermal Analysis Tool (splash screen loads, then crashes)

I would really like to avoid reinstalling Windows - at the very least, I'd like to avoid having to install a full-size install of Vista just to avoid this. I did not encounter this problem when I had a full-install, but now that I think about it, I'm not sure I ran any of those particular programs.

Please help me, I would really like to get up and running! I'm certainly not a professional IT guy, but I'm fairly proficient at troubleshooting, but I've never encountered this error before and I'm not sure how to track it down or fix it. Let me know if there is any more helpful information I can give. TIA

[DrewWinters]

Oh, I didn't realize vlite included an .ini file on the install disk with the relevant information... here it is, both in text and as the file itself.

; vLite preset file

[information]

Version = 1.0 beta on 2.0.50727.312 Microsoft Windows NT 6.0.6000.0

Target = Windows Vista ULTIMATE 32bit 6.0.6000.16386

[Components]

Compatibility1 = 1

;# Drivers #

Display adapters

Modems

Printers-Apollo

Printers-Brother

Printers-Canon

Printers-Citizen

Printers-Dell

Printers-Diconix

Printers-Epson

Printers-Fuji Xerox

Printers-Fujitsu

Printers-Generic

Printers-Gestetner

Printers-HP

Printers-IBM

Printers-Infotec

Printers-Konica

Printers-Konica Minolta

Printers-Kyocera Mita

Printers-Lanier

Printers-Lexmark

Printers-Minolta

Printers-Minolta-QMS

Printers-NEC

Printers-NRG

Printers-Oce

Printers-Oki

Printers-Okidata

Printers-Olivetti

Printers-Panasonic

Printers-QMS

Printers-Ricoh

Printers-Samsung

Printers-Savin

Printers-Seikosha

Printers-Sharp

Printers-Sony

Printers-Star

Printers-Tally

Printers-Tektronix

Printers-Wipro ePeripherals

Printers-Xerox

Scanners

;# Hardware Support #

Fax Support

Internet Small Computer System Interface (iSCSI)

Smartcards

;# Languages #

Japanese

Korean

Simplified Chinese

Traditional Chinese

;# Multimedia #

Media Center

Movie and DVD Maker

Shell event sounds

SideShow

Windows Calendar

Windows Media Samples

;# Network #

Connect to a Network Projector

Internet Information Services

Remote Desktop and Assistance

Remote Desktop Client

Windows Mail

;# Services #

Error Reporting

Microsoft DFS Replication

Offline Files

Remote Registry

Secondary Logon

Windows Remote Management

;# System #

BitLocker Drive Encryption

Natural Language

Parental Controls

ReadyBoost

Reliability and Performance Monitor

Security Center

Sync Center

System Restore

Windows Backup

Windows Defender

[Options]

DEP (Data Execution Prevention) = Enabled (AlwaysOn)

UAC (User Account Control) = Disabled

Power scheme = High performance

Hibernation = Off

Show hidden files and folders = Yes

Show extensions for known file types = Yes

[Protection]

[Drivers]

C:\lj1000hb\HPLJ1000.INF

C:\NVIDIA\WinVista\158.42\nv_disp.inf

[unattended]

Last_Session.ini

Edited May 31, 2007 by DrewWinters

[geo411m]

i've seen this problem too. i solved it by running the program as administrator. i think vlite changes something with users that some programs run like this unless run as administrator.

[DrewWinters]

Thanks, I just tried that - but it didn't work.

EDIT: I just tried "Run as Administrator" when right-clicking. The File Properties -> Compatibility -> Privilege Level -> Run this program as an administrator" is greyed out.

Edited May 31, 2007 by DrewWinters

[geo411m]

Thanks, I just tried that - but it didn't work.

EDIT: I just tried "Run as Administrator" when right-clicking. The File Properties -> Compatibility -> Privilege Level -> Run this program as an administrator" is greyed out.

see, i think there is a problem with programs needing admin priviledges. even the snipping tool wont run unless you run as admin.

[DrewWinters]

see, i think there is a problem with programs needing admin priviledges. even the snipping tool wont run unless you run as admin.

Well, my snipping tool works just fine - as evidenced by the image of the error in the first post.

I did remove "Secondary Logon" from the installation - the description of that entry in Vlite reads that Run As Administrator still works even if it is removed, but perhaps he is mistaken? Perhaps this is why the option is greyed out in the compatibility tab under file properties? I don't have a "normal" install of Vista handy to compare to. I don't recall ever using that option from the properties window - only from the right-click context menu.

Can you think of another test to verify that the context menu "Run As Admin" is actually working?

Then again, if my snipping tool works and yours didn't, perhaps we aren't having the same problem? The event log error I'm getting seems a likely candidate - but I haven't a clue how to fix that.

[geo411m]

see, i think there is a problem with programs needing admin priviledges. even the snipping tool wont run unless you run as admin.

Well, my snipping tool works just fine - as evidenced by the image of the error in the first post.

I did remove "Secondary Logon" from the installation - the description of that entry in Vlite reads that Run As Administrator still works even if it is removed, but perhaps he is mistaken? Perhaps this is why the option is greyed out in the compatibility tab under file properties? I don't have a "normal" install of Vista handy to compare to. I don't recall ever using that option from the properties window - only from the right-click context menu.

are you running as built in admin? my snip tools worked fine when i ran as that admin. also remove "Secondary Logon". i'll create a vlite cd later leaving in "Secondary Logon" and see if problems go away.

[DrewWinters]

I'm not using the "Administrator" user profile, but my only user profile is an Administrator. (Which has always been true for me, so I've often wondered why "Run As Administrator" is even there...?)

[nuhi]

Hm kinda too big error to not be found by many others. I suspect your hardware, memory or some Vista driver, nothing removed can cause random errors, they would be quite exact.

That event log error is "normal", don't worry about it.

How long did you use full Vista before vLite and did you use the same drivers (even versions) on it?

Also those error which are not random are more interesting, but first can someone confirm?

[DrewWinters]

I have checked my hardware, and it seems to be fine - but more importantly, I actually have two completely different systems - both with the same error. The installation is a little different on each one, but they are very similar. One is a brand-new desktop I just built, and the other is an 1.5 year old Lenovo/IBM X41T Thinkpad. On my Thinkpad, I've been using Vista RC1 since November and Beta2 since June (? whenever it went public) without this error. I never installed the full retail copy on my thinkpad, just vlite. I had the full retail copy on my new desktop for about a day - not very long. To my knowledge, all the same drivers were installed before and after on each system - except for the ones that no longer work. (The tablet button driver for the X41 and the onboard sound for the desktop are the only two that come to mind.)

I didn't mean to say that any of these errors were random, just that I don't know what the pattern is regarding which programs work and which do not - but every program that doesn't work crashes in the same way every time.

Edited May 31, 2007 by DrewWinters

[nuhi]

Ok.

First try to disable DEP, Always On can cause issues.

Then if that doesn't help try uninstalling Nvidia drivers and after reboot reinstall them with their setup.exe.

Keep me updated.

[DrewWinters]

Half Life 2: Episode One has started working, magically. Half Life 2 works just fine as well. Not sure why it crashed the first time, but I just played for a couple of hours without a crash. I'll try DEP, I thought of that at one point, but then forgot before I tried it...

[DrewWinters]

That was it! Nuhi, you're my hero. I switched off DEP and rebooted - everything seems to be working now! I love easy solutions....

[nuhi]

Great.

Now I'm thinking of removing that particular option, don't know why would someone use it intentionally...maybe for safe servers...hm.

[DrewWinters]

To be honest, I'm not sure why I turned it on... that is, I'm not sure how I expected it to help me. I'm not particularly concerned with security. I am a tinkerer though, I can't leave things be... maybe I changed it just because it was something to change. <smacks himself in the forehead>

Oh well, you live and you learn. If you do leave it in, a little warning label would be helpful to alert fools like me. Thanks again! Now that everything is working, I'm really enjoying the extra space vlite has freed up for me - especially on my Thinkpad, as it only has a 60gb HDD!