TSGL: Big trouble - blinking screen

[Tilman Brandl]

Thanks for your tips - the ICUU thing might actually help with FSX. In general though - there's something broken quite seriously: I've let the PC on over night in order to give it time running a full virus check. In the morning I couldn't make it work, screen blank, all I could do was restore the thing.

Meanwhile I've got still a different idea: Some time ago my PSU apparently failed because the already repaired fan stopped working again - overheating. I've got a new one meanwhile. During this, I've seen several reboots together with file-checking mainly on C: (system). Several files apparently got cut off or cleaned out during this process, I've found these Found.00x folders on C:. This may have hampered the system's overall health, I guess. 

Hopefully I'll find some time soon in order to check RAM and a few other things.

Thanks again
Tilman

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: H Davis 
  To: Tech Support Guy Mailing List 
  Sent: Monday, November 05, 2007 3:02 AM
  Subject: Re: TSGL: Big trouble - blinking screen




  Tilman Brandl wrote:
  > <snip>
  >
  > When I tried to remove the older JRE versions, I couldn't uninstall them, this was denied (I got errors all the time). Something may have been missing, perhaps a file that got deleted incidentally. 
  SSI will scan your whole machine for all copies of the Java routine (not 
  the registry entries but the actual executable) and tell you where they 
  are. Click the "+" beside the program name in the report.
  > So I HAVE already cleaned off every mention of Java using jv16 on my machine. Maybe I should have a closer look once again.
  >   
  Use the search function so you don't miss anything.
  > Meanwhile I suspect my machine to be thoroghly spoiled ... I've tried to install a program lately (MS's Flightsim X), which always ended with the program not working. Error was ""This application has failed to start because the application configuration is incorrect. Reinstalling the application may fix this problem." 
  >   
  The Flightsim installation probably uses the MS Installer (it's a MS 
  program) and therefore would be a good candidate for the MS Installer 
  Clean Up Utility to clean out the Installer registry entries for 
  Flightsim before reinstalling. This is exactly the kind of problem MS 
  ICUU was made for. However, as always, your mileage may vary. Good luck.
  > <snip>
  H Davis

  >
  >
  >   ----- Original Message ----- 
  >   From: H Davis 
  >   To: Tech Support Guy Mailing List 
  >   Sent: Saturday, November 03, 2007 10:16 PM
  >   Subject: Re: TSGL: Big trouble - blinking screen
  >
  >
  >   Tilman,
  >
  >   If your display works properly from boot up until you run TVB but gives 
  >   problems when running TVB and perhaps after you've exited TVB, I would 
  >   suspect your Java program. I think once Java is loaded by an application 
  >   needing it, it will stay loaded even after the program needing it has 
  >   been terminated. Is the Java icon present in your system tray even after 
  >   you kill TVB? If so, click on it and see if you can determine which 
  >   version is running then see the comments below.
  >
  >   I'd get your Java environment straightened out first. Running the 
  >   Windows Installer Clean Up Utility doesn't remove the offending program, 
  >   only the registry references to it used by the installer. Java can be 
  >   removed using Add/Remove Programs in the control panel. In addition, I'd 
  >   also run a registry cleaner and remove any references to the Java 
  >   program before reinstalling the latest version.
  >
  >   There is one caveat to the above. Sun suggests that some programs that 
  >   rely on Java will not run on new versions. Why, I don't know, but they 
  >   cite this as a justification for not uninstalling the old versions. 
  >   Leaving the old ones behind allows legacy software to be used. Not a 
  >   desirable state of affairs but there it is. Is it possible you have a 
  >   newer version of Java and your application requires an older version for 
  >   some peculiar reason???
  >
  >   Try running the the Secunia Software Inspector (SSI):
  >   http://secunia.com/software_inspector/?task=load
  >
  >   This is a little bit of a chicken and egg exercise because the SSI uses 
  >   Java to run the test. If you have a working version of Java the test 
  >   will run and give you a report about several of the more popular 
  >   programs found on your machine (including Java) and whether you have an 
  >   insecure version and should update. If it won't run because of a bad 
  >   Java install, SSI will complain and you'll have another clue.
  >
  >   As a byproduct, for Java and Flash, which are notorious for installing 
  >   new versions without removing old versions, SSI will show you where all 
  >   the copies of Java are on your machine. I think both(??) of these 
  >   companies have special uninstall programs on their web sites to get rid 
  >   of the old stuff. In any event you can just delete the files by hand 
  >   once you know the locations.
  >
  >   SSI provides this warning when it detects an old, insecure version of Java:
  >
  >       NOTE. Older versions of Sun Java are not removed from your system
  >       when downloading and installing new versions from Sun. Therefore, if
  >       you have the latest Sun Java version installed, then you should
  >       consider removing all older versions of Sun Java from your system.
  >       This can be done via "Add/Remove Programs" in the Microsoft Windows
  >       "Control Panel". If you are in doubt about removing older versions
  >       of Sun Java then please contact the vendor for assistance.
  >
  >   SSI will probably uncover several examples of inattention on your part 
  >   to updating your software :)
  >
  >   HTH
  >
  >   H Davis
  >
  >   Tilman Brandl wrote:
  >   > Hi,
  >   >
  >   > I'm having big trouble. My ssreen sometimes starts blinking between normal display and (mainly) being black only. The black periods tend to grow longer over time...
  >   >
  >   > It all started with a program I'm using since some time, TV Browser - TVB. Recently it began this blinking action and eventually froze my whole PC - only restore brought it to reboot and back to live. 
  >   >
  >   > When I asked people at the forum for TVB they said: check 1. graphic card drivers 2. Java, 3. RAM
  >   >
  >   > Meanwhile I've tried to uninstall older JRE versions,  which didn't work out correctly so I ended up removing 2 versions using MS Windows Installer Cleanup. Then I uninstalled the latest version and reinstalled it - jre 1.6.0_03.
  >   >
  >   > Since then things are quiet sofar, but start again as soon as I look at the Java settings under control panel - screen goes blank=black in about 5 seconds, so I always finish playing around that way. All is well as soon as the dialog is closed ... And of course - everything is in upheaval when I try to start TVB - which is a Java application AFAIK. Just tried it a last time, took a reset again ...
  >   >
  >   > Guess I'll try and test RAM tomorrow (but - shouldn't there be more indications if there were any problems? And I could reinstall the graphics drivers too.
  >   >
  >   > If none of these make things any better I'll perhaps try a system restore (or system repair?)
  >   >
  >   > Any other ideas anybody?
  >   >
  >   > TYVMIA
  >   > Tilman
  >   >
  >   > Win XP sp2 + most updates; AVG + ZA.