Unexpected Shutdown

[Skippybox]

Does anyone know why IrfanView experiences unexpected shutdowns without even a warning message?

I can't come up with a recipe as the problem is intermittent. It seems to happen when I use the Save As dialog in RIOT or the Open dialog when loading a file list from a txt file in Thumbnails. I simply move my mouse over the dialogs and IrfanView completely closes down as if I issued a close command.

It seems to happen after doing a few tasks in IrfanView first. If I use those dialogs right after starting IrfanView it doesn't seem to happen. Has anyone experienced this or experimented with it?

[Skippybox]

I have determined some more information about this condition. It appears it will do it in any Open, Save, or Save As dialog. It is not an easy problem to reproduce, but I can get it to happen quite often. It seems it takes a certain number of times being in one of the dialogs to make it shutdown. Here is a procedure using my mouse that seems to bring it on (it is just one of many):

1. Open IrfanView
2. Open an image with the Open dialog
3. Repeat step 2 twice more
4. Click Save As and pause shortly with your cursor over the dialog before clicking Cancel
5. Repeat step 4 two or more times
6. One of those last times IrfanView should unexpectedly close on you.

Tell me if this works for you.

This problem is very annoying, especially because it is so easy to lose your work. It is hard to even save your work because that could actually bring it on.

[luciansabo]

Sorry, no error here.
I followed your instructions.

Did you tested on several computers ?
Did you tested with different file types ?

[Skippybox]

I've tried it with only PNG and JPG. I have only tried it on my laptop so far. I could try it on another computer and report back. My laptop is a:

Sony PCG-FXA36
Mobile AMD Athlon 1GHz processor
256MB RAM

[Mij]

Sorry, Skippybox, I cannot reproduce it either.

[Skippybox]

It is understandable that none of you could reproduce it. I failed to reproduce it on another computer running Windows 95, but that may be a clue.

I decided to run IrfanView bare-bones, with just the EXE, and no plugins or ini. That didn't change the condition from still occurring on my laptop, but does narrow it down.

In testing it further, I discovered that I had only been using files from my desktop to check it. So, I tried other folders, but couldn't reproduce it.

Then, I tried logging on as a different user. I could reproduce it if I only used files from that user's desktop. Intriguingly, opening files from my desktop, which had previously caused the error while running my XP user profile, did not cause the error when running a different user profile.

So, it appears the error only occurs when trying to open files from the desktop of the current XP user's profile. Knowing this, maybe now you can reproduce it. If not, perhaps it is unique to my setup somehow. I have no other computer to test it on. Thanks for bearing with me, as I'm sure you must wonder what I'm talking about.

[luciansabo]

So this happens only on your laptop and only on a specific profile.

Your problem suggest you should either create another user or change laptop
Just kidding !

I think your problem is related to a program you run or maybe you have a corrupted user profile.
If this does not happend on another computer it is not a bug.

[Skippybox]

So this happens only on your laptop and only on a specific profile.

No. So far I can only get the error on my laptop. However, my laptop is running XP, the other computer was running Windows 95. That may be the difference. The problem occurs on more than one profile, not just mine. Like I said, it only happens with opening files on the desktop of the profile you are running IrfanView from. Even if more than one profile is logged on simultaneously, opening files from another user's desktop doesn't make it happen. So, the key is that you have to be accessing the desktop of the profile you are logged into. Otherwise, another desktop is fine until you log back into that profile and run IrfanView. Again, it doesn't even matter if both profiles are running at the same time.

I think your problem is related to a program you run or maybe you have a corrupted user profile.

You could be right. The problem is all profiles will have most of the same programs, which may be why it happens on all profiles. Since this happens on more than one profile, all the profiles would have to be corrupted. The problem is so isolated and intermittent. What really could be wrong?

If this does not happend on another computer it is not a bug.

Not necessarily. I haven't tried it on another XP machine, which I don't have.

[Sjef]

Have tried it out from my Desktop. Of course your problem doesn't appear here, because it must be caused by your (Win95?)system. IrfanView is too stable to undergo such errors. Try Start»Run»msconfig»Startup to look for an application that may cause this problem. Maybe you have to uncheck some (or one at a time) to detect which program it could be. Or maybe there's something wrong with your mouse(driver). Don't you have a system image from the time before this behaviour that you can recover? Like Norton Ghost or TrueImage? Did you in/unstall some programs lately that may have resulted in corrupting DLL files?

The Desktop folder is a system folder that is of course linked to a specific user or administrator. But in fact Windows also uses it as a kind of root directory. This is shown when you hit \\ (twice the backslash, followed by an Enter) in Total Commander. It's nice to dubbleclick Shortcuts at it, but I never do anything from my (completely empty) Desktop to avoid strange attitudes.

Another thing: IrfanView 4.2 isn't specificly made for Win95. On such an old system I'd use a version of about the same periode (version 2.05 for instance).

[Skippybox]

Sjef,

No, the problem occurs on the laptop with Windows XP Home SP2. IrfanView ran fine on Windows 95. It even seemed faster to start!

I do a lot from the desktop, so it is especially annoying. The problem occurs for other users as well (default desktop location) even though my user profile uses an alternative location for the desktop (i.e. I moved it to another drive).

Don't you have a system image from the time before this behaviour that you can recover? Like Norton Ghost or TrueImage? Did you in/unstall some programs lately that may have resulted in corrupting DLL files?

No, I don't use image files. System Restore is about it, but I doubt it will have anything usable.

Did you in/unstall some programs lately that may have resulted in corrupting DLL files?

I install things all the time. No way to know what did it without stripping the system. I wouldn't go to that much trouble for something like this. Unless I knew for sure what caused it, I'm not going to guess. One time, I knew my web browser disabled XP's fast user switching, but this is up in the air. I've tried other copies of IrfanView 4.2, but it causes the error as well. That reminds me, I should try other versions.

Try Start»Run»msconfig»Startup to look for an application that may cause this problem. Maybe you have to uncheck some (or one at a time) to detect which program it could be. Or maybe there's something wrong with your mouse(driver).

It is good that you brought that up. Remember Sjef, that I had problems with my mouse (driver) before in IrfanView? Maybe this is the problem acting up in another area. I never figured out how to disable it though, as it is made up of several component drivers. If I'm curious enough, I might look into it more. Still, I am confused how the driver could cause such a peculiar problem, especially with the way it manifests itself. Thanks.

[Laurent]

Hi Skippybox,

1. Open IrfanView
2. Open an image with the Open dialog
3. Repeat step 2 twice more
4. Click Save As and pause shortly with your cursor over the dialog before clicking Cancel
5. Repeat step 4 two or more times
6. One of those last times IrfanView should unexpectedly close on you.

Yes, I get the "crash" at the second time I want to open a file. Seems to happen just when the info balloon would open. I also see just the Open file dialogs closing, but IrfanView still running.

Laurent

[Skippybox]

Yes, I get the "crash" at the second time I want to open a file. Seems to happen just when the info balloon would open. I also see just the Open file dialogs closing, but IrfanView still running.

It is good to know at least someone else can reproduce the problem to some extent. This happens sometimes to me as well, but every time the entire program closes down, not just the dialog. You're right, it does have something to do with hovering over a file before the info balloon opens. I've tried other older IrfanView versions and they are just as bad. I can't figure out why it doesn't affect more users.

Do you have any other observations, like does it happen only with the current user's desktop? So, what do you think causes it? Is it related to a Windows XP/Vista update? Would you agree this is an IrfanView bug?

[MItaly]

Bug confirmed on Windows XP Home SP3, AMD Athlon 64 3800+, 1 GB RAM.
A quick look with the debugger reveals this:

(398.f4c): Access violation - code c0000005 (first chance)
First chance exceptions are reported before any exception handling.
This exception may be expected and handled.
eax=01502ee8 ebx=00000000 ecx=00000000 edx=0126e934 esi=0126ebb4 edi=001cd6c8
eip=7ca61b73 esp=0126e8fc ebp=0126eb50 iopl=0         nv up ei pl zr na pe nc
cs=001b  ss=0023  ds=0023  es=0023  fs=003b  gs=0000             efl=00010246
SHELL32!CFSFolder::GetDetailsEx+0x44c:
7ca61b73 ff5114          call    dword ptr [ecx+14h]  ds:0023:00000014=????????
0:003> kb
ChildEBP RetAddr  Args to Child              
0126eb50 7cb413da 001701c0 0018c550 0126eba4 SHELL32!CFSFolder::GetDetailsEx+0x44c
0126f5bc 7cb4151e 0126f5ec 0126fdf4 7cb48719 SHELL32!CInfoTip::_GetInfoTipFromItem+0x169
0126f5c8 7cb48719 0018bc78 00000008 0126f5ec SHELL32!CInfoTip::GetInfoTip+0x1c
0126fdf4 7cb3ab92 0017f990 00000008 0126fe20 SHELL32!CFolderInfoTip::GetInfoTip+0x95
0126fe68 7ca047ed 001841e0 00184280 0017c500 SHELL32!CStatusBarAndInfoTipTask::RunInitRT+0xf5
0126fe84 75f31b9a 001841e0 75f31b18 75f30000 SHELL32!CRunnableTask::Run+0x54
0126fee0 77e99588 01830950 00168488 77e9956b browseui!CShellTaskScheduler_ThreadProc+0x111
0126fef8 7c937aa2 00168488 7c98b440 001c4fe0 SHLWAPI!ExecuteWorkItem+0x1d
0126ff40 7c937ae3 77e9956b 00168488 00000000 ntdll!RtlpWorkerCallout+0x70
0126ff60 7c937ba5 00000000 00168488 001c4fe0 ntdll!RtlpExecuteWorkerRequest+0x1a
0126ff74 7c937b7c 7c937ac9 00000000 00168488 ntdll!RtlpApcCallout+0x11
0126ffb4 7c80b713 00000000 0012b790 0012b790 ntdll!RtlpWorkerThread+0x87
0126ffec 00000000 7c920230 00000000 00000000 kernel32!BaseThreadStart+0x37

.

[Laurent]

Hi Skippybox,

I can't figure out why it doesn't affect more users.

I guess the reason is that most users don't have their images on the desktop.

Do you have any other observations, like does it happen only with the current user's desktop?

The problem seems systematic when I try to open a file on the desktop and happens only in this case.

So, what do you think causes it? Is it related to a Windows XP/Vista update? Would you agree this is an IrfanView bug?

As the Open dialog is either an original (Irfan) dialog or a modified version of the MFC class, I wonder if the problem could be there. In this case, it is a bug in my mind.

Laurent

[Skippybox]

Thanks Laurent and MItaly.

Could you explain MItaly, in layman's terms?