Total computer crash when searching

[Imager]

Hello,

I'm experiencing an unpleasant situation. When searching with "*.xxx" string my PC crashes. Screens suddenly turn black and there is nothing I can do.
Every other strings/search options are working OK. This happens in all drives, local and network.

Search option was working flawlessly for many years, so this problem is definitely only few weeks old.

My version is 7.03.

Thanks!

[karlchen]

Hello, Imager.

Total Commander is a user mode programme. This is true for your ancient v7.03 as well as for the current v7.56a and even for the current 8.0ß5. User mode programmes themselves cannot make a computer crash. Only faulty drivers or faulty hardware can.

This means that you should be able to reproduce the same problem (crash) if you search for "*.xxx" using the Windows search function (press F3 on the desktop e.g) instaed of Total Commander.

I would suggest you instruct your Windows to perform a chkdsk during the next reboot and check the results in the Windows eventlogs. Maybe your fileystem has been damaged or your disk is nearing the end of its lifecycle.

Kind regards,
Karl

[Imager]

Hello Karl,

Thank you, your answer certanly makes sense but I tried searching with Windows Search Function too. I used the same parameters and witnessed no troubles at all.

I tried running the chkdsk too. The problem is still here.

[ghisler(Author)]

Windows search may be using an index and not be doing a real search.

What path is shown in the footer of the search dialog just before it crashes?

Do you get any *.dmp file in the C:\Windows\Minidump\ directory?

[Imager]

The path depends on the search options, it could be local or network drive.
Minidump folder does not exist in my case - so there is no *.dmp files.

[ghisler(Author)]

Which Windows version do you use? The dmp files may be elsewhere depending on the Windows version.

[Imager]

XP SP3.

[Imager]

[siealex]

Check your cooler and power supply. It seems that your bios halts your system on overheating.

[Imager]

I find that hard to believe. Crashing happens only with the TC using search function. I doubt that searcing the disk would cause overheating and running programs all day long would not.

[ghisler(Author)]

It could be an error in the file system. I get a blue screen with a certain SD-Card from a music recorder (both in TC and Explorer). After doing a scandisk, the error is gone. To do this, right click on the drive and choose "Properties". On the "Tools" tab, there is a button to scan the disk for errors.

[Imager]

I upgraded to the latest version and the problem is still there. I'm now officially clueless.

[ghisler(Author)]

Try to find out in which directory it crashes - the current search directory is shown in the footer of the search dialog.

[Flint]

Imager
I think, you need to create the crash dump which could be analysed. At least, it would tell you which particular driver causes the problem. Instructions on how to make Windows create a dump are here.

[Imager]

Thanks for the replies.

It happens in all folders. Not always, just occasionally. More probably when I search with "*." string.

I followed the instructions and selected "Kernel memory dump" but no *.dmp files were created after the crash.

However, in my temporay folder there is a file called WGAErrLog.txt which fits the crash timing.

Its content is weird:

D446F964-596-80004005_D446F964-495-80004005_D446F964-596-80004005_D446F964-495-80004005_D446F964-596-80004005_D446F964-495-80004005_D446F964-596-80004005_D446F964-495-80004005_D446F964-596-80004005_D446F964-495-80004005_D446F964-596-80004005_D446F964-495-80004005_D446F964-596-80004005_D446F964-563-80004005_D446F964-596-80004005_D446F964-529-80004005_D446F964-596-80004005_D446F964-529-80004005_D446F964-596-80004005_D446F964-529-80004005_D446F964-596-80004005_D446F964-529-80004005