Hi Jorge I have been using xtreme happily since last April but today it started to crash on loading.
NextStart is fine but it's the workshelf modules that load, work for a maybe 30 seconds (when I hover over the docks the icons balloon out is what I mean by working) and then the docks and the workshelf freezes completely.
I run "Process Lasoo" which shows workshelf.exe(32) running even when the workshelf and docks are frozen. It also show workshelf using 24% of the CPU and 1.9GB on Memory which is massive.

I can restart Workshelf.exe (32) with process lasso but exactly the same happens - it just freezes although everything else on the computer continues to work fine.

I have uninstalled and reinstalled Winstep Xtreme with the latest download several times and rebooted but still the same result. I am running Windows 7 (64bit).

Your help in resolving this would be most appreciated. The only new software I installed yesterday was SoundTaxi Media Suite and also from the same developer I installed RipTiger. Neither are running at the moment.

Thanks

Michael

Hi Michael!

1.94 GB is very close to the limit for 32 bit processes (2 GB). Something is leaking memory like there is no tomorrow. 24% CPU usage means WorkShelf is maxing out one of your CPU cores.

I would actually like to get to the bottom of this with your help.

You've been using Xtreme for almost a year without any problems, so my guess is that the memory leak is caused by something you installed recently - or that changed recently in your system - interfering with Winstep Xtreme.

Could be your AV software, for instance. Or anything else, for that matter.

Unfortunately this means that figuring out exactly what is behind this will be mostly based on trial-and-error and educated guesses. You will have to do some detective work too.

So, let's start:

1. When you uninstalled Xtreme, did you tell it to remove your old settings?

2. Can you please post a screenshot of your Desktop just before WorkShelf crashes? Might give me a clue.

3. Have you every used Process Monitor from SysInternals (now part of Microsoft)? Monitoring WorkShelf for file and Registry activity might gives a clue as to what is causing it to max out one of your CPU cores.

4. What is your AV software?

Hi Jorge,

I was working through the check list you provided above and first of all installed Process Monitor. It gives so much information I don't understand, I was going to suggest you look at my system using Teamviewer.

Anyway, I noted your comment asking if I had allowed the uninstall to remove my settings and I had not, so I thought I'd try that next. Voila !! Everything is now stable again having done a fresh install after having let my settings be removed also.

As well as everything being stable again, CPU & Memory usage are minimal.

You are a star !!

Thanks so much Jorge - much appreciated.


Michael

Sigh.

I'm happy for you, Michael, really, but you do realize that our chance of identifying and fixing a serious *unknown* issue for good has now gone down the drain, no?

Sorry Jorge, no I did not realize that I'd done something wrong.

I was working through your list and the first item asked if I had told Xtreme to remove my settings on uninstall and since it was top of your list I thought I better do so.

I did however take two screen shots of my desktop as you asked - one just before workshelf and the docks crashed and another just after they crashed.

I did not post them because the uninstall which included removing the settings worked but I am posting them now to see if they do help you identify the problem.

With regard to the AV programs I use, I have quite a lot installed and have never had them cause workshelf or the docks a problem before. As I mentioned in my first post, I installed SoundTaxi Media Suite and RipTiger yesterday, which are both AV programs so it may have been one or both that caused a problem, of course I don't know. They are both from the same vendor and you can find them easily on Google.

The only other thing you asked me, was if I used Process Monitor - I didn't but I did then install it although as I mentioned, I was not able to interpret the information it gives.

I hope that clarifies that I was doing my best to follow your checklist and that the attached desktop screenshots are of some help

Thanks,


Michael

I was unable to upload more than one file per post so this is the Screenshot of the desktop just prior to the Workshelf and docks crashing as they loaded.

The next post will show the screenshot taken just after they all crashed.

Jorge - there is something wrong - it is not uploading the file I am attaching to this post and I have two desktop screenshots to get to you - what shall I do? For now I will attach them to an e-mail and send them to you at "support"

Thanks

Michael

You didn't do anything wrong, Michael, it's just that for me this is frustrating because whatever was causing the problem is still there and I don't know what it is.

I mentioned removing the settings on uninstall because I wanted to know if this was happening on a clean install, which would clearly point to something outside of WorkShelf as the cause of the problem.

Now I know that it's somehow related to some weird combination of WorkShelf settings (and, possibly, something else too), but I have no idea what it is. Without knowing what it is, I can't fix it.

Unfortunately, just like you were bitten by this, chances are others will too.

The Process Monitor output would be very useful *after* the crash/freeze - it might tell me what WorkShelf was trying to do that sucked up one full core of your CPU (or it might tell me nothing, but it was worth a shot). Process Monitor also has a function to save a log file of all the activity, which I would teach you how to use and which you could then send to me.

Thanks for sending me the other screenshots to support.

Hi Jorge,

Well, everything is now stable after a completely "clean" install of Xtreme and I'd be happy for you to show me what I do with Process Monitor now I have that installed too, in the event of a crash happening again.

Thanks

Michael

Before I do that, I immediately noticed something strange in the 'before' screenshot you sent me:

The theme you were using is 'Windows 7 Xtreme', and the horizontal dock has a small 'handle' at the left. If you look at the handle in the screenshot, the handle is completely white! It shouldn't be.

Furthermore, on the dock you were mousing over, you can see the handle to the left of the Nexus control icons *as it should look like*. However, under the Nexus control icon you can also see the same white bar (i.e.; it didn't change position).

The NextSTART hotspot button in that screenshot also doesn't look as it should. It has the same opaque white background you find in the dock handle instead of being semi-transparent.

Now, under Vista and Windows 7, Winstep Xtreme blurs semi-transparent backgrounds by default (i.e.; like Windows 7 'glass' in windows titlebars). That's not happening with your dock backgrounds, and it should, unless you disabled the Glass Blur setting in Xtreme *or* Windows Aero is disabled.

Your screenshots do not show any open windows, so I don't know if Aero is disabled on your system, but my guess is that it's not. Did you disable the blur setting in Xtreme? Any idea what might be happening there?

Hi Jorge,

It is quite likely that I did disable blur but can't say with absolute certainty as it would have been quite some time ago. And yes, I do believe I disabled Windows Aero too because I just have a "basic" theme.

Thanks

Michael