Access hangs, but only on some computers (1 Viewer)

[dfenton]

The point of my asking about the memo field is simply that a corrupt memo field pointer can cause symptoms similar to what you've described.

Another possible cause is a corrupted index.

 

[Guus2005]

What is the name of the table and the fields? When you have managed to use a reserved name for it, perhaps that's the problem?

This is me grasping at straws...

 

[gemma-the-husky]

can you create ANY access app on the dodgy computers?

seems unlikely but maybe the access installation is corrupt in some way.

 

[Skeletal]

Hello all.

Sorry for not updating for a while. We had to make alternative arrangements (i.e. find another computer that would work) to run the db (I’ve lost count of the number of computers that do work, I think its 7 or 8 now).

But my colleague and I still want to try to find the problem, so this very morning I collected one of the dodgy computers and have it next to me as I type.

I’m going to load it with all manner of diagnostics and devote my life to it for a while (or until my boss tells me I should be doing something else!), including the various suggestions posted here that I’ve not yet tried.

To answer recent ideas:

Good idea about a dodgy index/pointers; I'll add those to the list.
We’ve tried different table and field names (they weren’t reserved, but I tried anyway);
Yes, we can easily create Access apps including huge tables and they work perfectly, unless there is any hint that data came from the dodgy table.

Talking of straws, I have several bales here now, anyone got a hungry horse!

Thanks for staying interested.

Skeletal

 

[gemma-the-husky]

There is definitely something amiss with the rogue dbs, then, surely?

can you upload the dodgy one for us to look at?

 

[Skeletal]

Now I have it at home, typically, it is not behaving exactly as it was at work.

You may recall that I managed to get the dodgy table down to two fields and zero records and it would hang, for ever. Now it will only hang if I leave a few thousand records (although I can still get rid of all but two fields to maintain the hang), but now, it will eventually open after many minutes.

But, I accidentally discovered something else. IT WILL HANG IF I TRY TO RESIZE THE WINDOW in which Access resides. It works best if I make the window very tiny, just big enough to click on the dodgy table. After it eventually opens, if I now try to make the window bigger, it will hang and the window blanks (goes white internally). After a time, Access reappears with the dodgy table now open.

Also, during the hang, Access memory usage jumps to 350-500MB. On a working machine it is always around 20 – 30 MB. So, the hang uses over 300MB!

I have looked at the various event logs:

Application log: Red cross; Error – Hanging application MSACCESS.EXE.
Microsoft Office diagnostics: Yellow triangle; Warning - Office diagnostics has determined there is some evidence of repeated problems (made me laugh that one!).
Microsoft Office Sessions: Yellow triangle; Warning – Application etc etc, Access etc. This session ended with a hang.

I have been running Process Explorer (really useful if you don’t know about it http://download.cnet.com/Process-Explorer/3000-2094_4-10223605.html
)

Today, Access was using 50% processor (i.e. one core fully). (In our hangs with the tiny table, Access was showing 0% and idle was 99%. So this is another difference.
Although there are these differences, I am assuming that somehow they are all connected. I hope you are still with me, it is really confusing!).

But, Process Explorer showed lbghost dll as purple, this being the part of Office that I assume is the cause of the hang (remember this is not my code, it is Access’s code!). I have copied part of its log below:

Lbghost.dll Microsoft Office Program Recovery.

xpxxxx
=runtime error
TLOSS error
SING error
DOMAIN error
An application has made an attempt to load the C runtime library incorrectly.
Please contact the application's support team for more information.
- Attempt to use MSIL code from this assembly during native code initialization
This indicates a bug in your application. It is most likely the result of calling an MSIL-compiled (/clr) function from a native constructor or from DllMain.
- not enough space for locale information
- Attempt to initialize the CRT more than once.
This indicates a bug in your application.
- CRT not initialized
- unable to initialize heap
- not enough space for lowio initialization
- not enough space for stdio initialization
- pure virtual function call
- not enough space for _onexit/atexit table
- unable to open console device
- unexpected heap error
- unexpected multithread lock error
- not enough space for thread data
This application has requested the Runtime to terminate it in an unusual way.
Please contact the application's support team for more information.
- not enough space for environment
- not enough space for arguments
- floating point not loaded
Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime Library
<program name unknown>
Runtime Error!
Program:
InitializeCriticalSectionAndSpinCount
kernel32.dll

So, in conclusion, it looks like it is the Lbghost.dll Microsoft Office Program Recovery; it hangs when resizing a window as well as opening the table; it causes memory usage to jump enormously.

I’m still playing around, but if this new info jumps out to anyone please let me know!

I’ve yet to try the various ideas mentioned previously. And to prepare a db for posting (the real one is very confidential).

Thanks all again.

Skeletal

 

[DCrake]

Just a thought, and the background behind this.

A few years ago we took on board a new version of Accounting software that as supposed to be quicker and slicker, anyway on some machines it started to hang and we got ODBC errors. It turned out it was the refresh rate of the monitors. It was set too high. Something like 75mghz so we reduced it and it seemed to stem the error.

Because the processor was trying too hard to keep up with the speed of the program it got bottelnecked maybe you could look at this as a possible cause.

 

[Skeletal]

Oh! Another bizarre story…well worth a look; I’ll add it to the list, thanks.

Skeletal

 

[Skeletal]

Curses, I tried refresh rate, but it is set to 60Hz as per normal for most computers (there is nothing lower, as expected). I also tried turning off all hardware acceleration, but that didn’t work either.

I’ve got to do other things now, so can’t try anything else for a while.

Skeletal

 

[Guus2005]

It sounds like a corrupt database. After trying Compact and Repair (i am sure you have tried that) you could create a new empty database and copy all objects from the corrupted(?) database to the new one.

Perhaps you could recreate the corrupted table manually from scratch in the new database.

HTH

 

[Skeletal]

Again, sorry for not replying sooner…doing other things.

After a few more hours, you will be interested to know I’ve found the solution to the problem!

Unknown to me until yesterday, the HP machine comes complete with some software called “ProtectTools Security Manager”. I discovered that a service this generates (DPHost) stops the dodgy table from opening.

Stopping this service makes Access behave as you would expect.

I then did some Googling on this program and low and behold it seems others have had the same problem: http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Lockups-Freezes-Hangs/Access-2007-hangs-stops-responding/td-p/115657

Reading this thread shows some people to have had pretty much the same symptoms as me, which has actually resulted in HP releasing an update. I’m not yet sure whether to uninstall the program, or apply the update. (I’m not a great lover of all this “junk” that manufacturers put on machines).

It is clear from the thread that larger tables will not open, but it does not fully explain why my table failed to open once it had been shrunk. I need to confirm the HP software bug is the cause on all three machines, but I think it is extremely likely.

I hope this helps anyone in the future who may land on this forum.

And thanks to all those who helped and offered suggestions; a few of them set me on the path to finally getting the solution.

Skeletal

 

[Skeletal]

Quick update: this HP bug WAS the cause of the problems on all three machines (I opened up a completely different db I found on one of the machines and it exhibited the same symptoms). I decided to apply the patch, which cured all three machines.

Definitely one to remember if you have a newish HP computer!

Skeletal