Welcome screen freezes, %SystemDrive% folder on desktop, cApp error messages

[[email protected]]

Hi there,

I've noticed the following during the past month or two:
- A %SystemDrive% folder appeared mysteriously in February 2007 - I
did nothing to it, but just wondered what it was - I've looked online
everywhere and it's been said that it's not a threat or anything,
hence why I left it alone
- Whenever I shut down (happens every two/three days), I always get
the cApp or SVCHost error messages; e.g., "The instruction at
"0x77f69ecd" referenced memory at "0x00000010". The memory could not
be read."
- Just today, my laptop froze at the Welcome screen (this is the first
time that it's happened since I got this laptop more than a year
ago). I held the power button to turn it off and turned it back on -
nothing happened after that.

What should I do to resolve these problems? Are they, by chance,
related to each other?

I want to reformat my laptop because the shut downs are starting to
annoy me. Please advise.

I'm using a HP Pavilion dv4330ca Notebook PC that has Windows XP SP2,
Norton Antivirus 2006 and your standard Windows XP programs.

A side note:
- I only have dial-up Internet, so it might be difficult for me to
download programs that might help with the problems listed above.

[Detlev Dreyer]

" wrote:

> - Whenever I shut down (happens every two/three days), I always get
> the cApp or SVCHost error messages; e.g., "The instruction at

IIRC, "cApp.exe" is part of Norton/Symantec software.

> I want to reformat my laptop because the shut downs are starting to
> annoy me. Please advise.

Go ahead. You can try to remove "Norton" instead, however, this does not
restore the system in most cases.

> I'm using a HP Pavilion dv4330ca Notebook PC that has Windows XP SP2,
> Norton Antivirus 2006 and your standard Windows XP programs.

Stay away from Norton/Symantec. There is free software around being
compatible with Windows in contrast to Norton.

--
d-d

[sezira]

"Detlev Dreyer" > wrote:

> IIRC, "cApp.exe" is part of Norton/Symantec software.

> Go ahead. You can try to remove "Norton" instead, however, this does not
> restore the system in most cases.

Has Norton been always having this problem? I had a copy of Norton AV
2005 and I never had this problem until I got a newer version of it.

What would restore the system instead of reformatting? I'm
considering alternatives, but I'd be willing to give a reformat a try
since I have already backed up my files/data. I could do a System
Restore, but my restore points only date back to March 2007. I've
already done a disk clean-up and I usually defrag every month.

Any ideas as to what caused the %SystemDrive% folder to suddenly
appear on my desktop?

Thank you so much for your help, Detlev Dreyer.

[Detlev Dreyer]

"sezira" > wrote:

> "Detlev Dreyer" > wrote:
>
>> IIRC, "cApp.exe" is part of Norton/Symantec software.
>
>> Go ahead. You can try to remove "Norton" instead, however, this does not
>> restore the system in most cases.
>
> Has Norton been always having this problem? I had a copy of Norton AV
> 2005 and I never had this problem until I got a newer version of it.

No idea since I do not install any Norton/Symantec software in general.


> What would restore the system instead of reformatting? I'm
> considering alternatives, but I'd be willing to give a reformat a try
> since I have already backed up my files/data. I could do a System
> Restore, but my restore points only date back to March 2007. I've
> already done a disk clean-up and I usually defrag every month.

Try to remove "Norton" via Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs. If there
are any problems: "Download and run the Norton Removal Tool"
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2005033108162039

> Any ideas as to what caused the %SystemDrive% folder to suddenly
> appear on my desktop?

This may or may not be caused by "Norton", notorious to open folders at
startup. See also
http://groups.google.com/groups/search?&q=norton+explorer+folder+pops+up

> Thank you so much for your help, Detlev Dreyer.

You're certainly welcome.

--
d-d

[Rock]

"sezira" > wrote
> "Detlev Dreyer" > wrote:
>
>> IIRC, "cApp.exe" is part of Norton/Symantec software.
>
>> Go ahead. You can try to remove "Norton" instead, however, this does not
>> restore the system in most cases.
>
> Has Norton been always having this problem? I had a copy of Norton AV
> 2005 and I never had this problem until I got a newer version of it.

Even when it runs without problems, Norton AV and other Norton home security
products are bloated and resource hogs. And sooner or later they seem to
give problems. There are better, less resource intensive alternatives for
AV and firewall, many of which are free.

For free AV there is Avast (which is what I use), Anti-Vir, and AVG. For
paid both Kaspersky and NOD32 are excellent.

I suggest you get rid of Norton first. After uninstalling it go to the
Symantec web site and get the removal tool for your specific version. That
will remove more of the remnants but it leaves a lot behind.

After that see what happens. You could also download Autoruns from MS to
see it that can pinpoint what is causing that folder to open.

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/utilities/Autoruns.mspx

--
Rock [MS-MVP User/Shell]