TechNote

Troubleshoot system errors and freezes (RoboHelp 8 on Windows Vista)

What's covered

Beginning troubleshooting
Intermediate troubleshooting
Advanced troubleshooting

This document can help you to resolve system errors that occur while you use Adobe RoboHelp 8 on Windows Vista. System errors can manifest in many different ways, including (but not limited to) the following:

A blank or flickering dialog box
A frozen cursor or screen
A blue screen
An unexpected restart
An error such as one of the following:
"This program has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down. If the problem persists, contact the program vendor."
"General Protection Fault in module [filename]."
"Invalid Page Fault in module [filename]."
"Application Error."
"Unhandled exception detected. Application will be terminated."
"Illegal Instruction."
"Segment load failure in [filename]."
"Application has encountered a problem and needs to close."
"Fatal System Error."
A STOP error

Many different factors can cause system errors, including conflicts among device drivers, applications, operating system settings, hardware, and corrupt elements in specific files. Although a system error may occur only when you work with RoboHelp, RoboHelp may not necessarily be the cause--it may be the only application that uses enough memory or processor cycles to expose the problem.

To benefit most from this document, perform the tasks in order. Keep track of the tasks that you perform and the results of each, including errors and other problems. Adobe Technical Support can use this information to better assist you if you need to call.

You must be logged on as an administrator to perform some of the procedures in this document.

Important: Some of the procedures in this document may initiate a User Access Control dialog that asks for your permission to continue. Read the details in the dialog to determine if you want to continue. If you choose to cancel the dialog, then you will not be able to continue with that troubleshooting step.

Note: The procedures in this document are based on the default interface of Windows Vista. If the interface is customized, then some procedures may vary. For example, a commonly encountered difference is the navigation to Control Panel from the Start menu: You may navigate Start > Settings > Control Panel instead of Start > Control Panel.

The steps in this document that refer to the Control Panel are in reference to the Classic view.

To switch to Classic View:

Choose Start > Control Panel.
Choose Classic View in the left pane.

Beginning troubleshooting

The tasks in this section can help you resolve the most common system errors. Before performing any of these tasks, back up all personal files (for example, RoboHelp 8 files you created). Always restart the computer after a system error occurs to refresh its memory. Continuing to work without restarting the computer may compound the problem.

Note: Some of these procedures require you to locate hidden files and hidden folders. Some procedures require you to locate files by their full file names, which include extensions (for example, example_filename.ini). By default, Windows Explorer doesn't show hidden files, hidden folders, and file name extensions that it recognizes.

To show hidden files, hidden folders, and all filename extensions in Windows Explorer, see "Show hidden files, hidden folders, and all file name extensions in Windows Explorer" (TechNote kb404880) for details.

1. Search our online knowledgebase.

Some errors or failures may already be known by Adobe. Try searching our online knowledgebase for the exact error or issue you are exhibiting.

2. Make sure that the system meets the minimum requirements for Adobe RoboHelp 8.

RoboHelp may not run correctly on a system that doesn't meet the following requirements:

1GHz or faster processor
Microsoft Windows XP with Service Pack 2 (Service Pack 3 recommended) or Windows Vista with Service Pack 1 (certified for 32-bit editions)
512MB of RAM (1GB recommended)
850MB of available hard-disk space for installation; additional free space required during installation (cannot install on flash based storage devices)
1,024x768 display (1,280x800 recommended) with 16-bit video card
DVD-ROM drive

3. Install the latest version of RoboHelp 8.

The latest version of RoboHelp 8 may be more compatible with the operating system and drivers. Before you install an update or upgrade, make sure that the system meets the requirements.

Updates are available from the Adobe website at www.adobe.com/support/downloads. An upgrade, however, may solve a wider range of problems. (You may prefer to try the tasks in the rest of this document before upgrading.) You can purchase upgrades from Adobe Authorized Resellers and from Adobe directly:

To locate an Authorized Reseller, visit the Adobe website at http://partners.adobe.com/resellerfinder/na/findreseller.jsp and choose your country or region from the menu at the top of the page.
To purchase an upgrade from Adobe, visit the Adobe Store at http://store.adobe.com/store and choose your country or region from the menu at the top of the page.
To contact Adobe Customer Service in your region for assistance, visit the Adobe website at www.adobe.com, select your region from the top right corner of the page, and then click Contact.

4. Install current Windows service packs and other updates.

See "Install current Windows service packs and other updates" (TechNote kb404859) for details.

5. Run RoboHelp 8 while no other applications are running.

Some applications or services may cause system errors or freezes when running concurrently with RoboHelp 8. Before starting RoboHelp 8, disable other applications, including startup items and services (items that start automatically with Windows).

To start Windows in a modified mode:

See "Restart Windows in a modified mode (Windows Vista)" (TechNote kb404913) for details.

Intermediate troubleshooting

If the tasks in the previous section don't solve the problem, then try the following intermediate troubleshooting tasks.

6. Reinstall RoboHelp 8 in Low resolution mode.

Note: You must install RoboHelp 8 in Low resolution mode, as the installer isn't compatible with Safe mode.

Device drivers and software that loads automatically with Windows (for example, screen savers and virus protection utilities) can conflict with the RoboHelp 8 installer and cause problems in RoboHelp 8. To prevent conflict, reinstall RoboHelp 8 while Windows is in Low resolution mode. In Low resolution mode, nonstandard device drivers and startup software are disabled.

If reinstalling in Low resolution mode doesn't resolve the issue, then try installing and running RoboHelp 8 on a different computer, or on a different hard drive.

To reinstall RoboHelp 8 in Low resolution mode:

Move any personal files out of the RoboHelp 8 folder and it's subfolders
Uninstall RoboHelp 8.
Choose Start, type msconfig in the Search text box, and press Enter.
Write down all unselected items under the Startup and Services tabs.
Click the General tab, and choose Diagnostic Startup.
Click Apply, and restart Windows for the changes to take effect.
Press the F8 key before Windows starts, when you see a message such as "For Advanced Startup Options.
Select Enable low-resolution video (640x480) from the list of startup options and press Enter.
Install RoboHelp 8 from the installation media.
Re-enable the disabled Startup items and services. To re-enable startup items and services:
- Choose Start, type msconfig in the Search text box, and press Enter.
- Click the General tab, and choose Normal Startup.
- Deselect any items that you wrote down in Step 3 of the previous section.
- Click Apply, and restart Windows for the changes to take effect.

7. Run RoboHelp 8 in a new user account.

Create a new user account that has the same permissions as the account that you use when the problem occurs. If the problem doesn't recur, then the original user account may be damaged. For instructions on creating a new user account, see "To add a new user to the computer" in Windows Help or contact your system administrator.

8. Disable UAC (User Access Control).

See "Disable User Account Control" (TechNote kb404888) for details.

9. Update the video card driver.

Many video card manufacturers frequently update their software drivers. If you haven't recently updated the video card driver, contact the video card manufacturer for an updated driver, or download one from the manufacturer's website. (To determine the manufacturer of a video card, view the card's properties in Device Manager.)

10. Disable Windows Aero.

See "Disable Windows Aero" (TechNote kb404886) for details.

11. Verify that other device drivers are compatible with Windows Vista.

If updating the video card driver doesn't resolve the problem, then verify that all other device drivers are compatible with Windows Vista. Device drivers are software files that allow Windows to communicate with devices such as scanners, mouse devices, and keyboards. Contact the device manufacturer to make sure that you are using the latest driver for it.

To check for device driver problems, see "Verify that device drivers are compatible with Windows Vista" (TechNote kb404887) for details.

12. Optimize handling of temporary files by Windows Vista.

Windows and applications store working data in temporary (.tmp) files that they create on the hard disk. Excessive or outdated temporary files can interfere with performance of Windows or applications.

See "Delete temporary files using the Disk Cleanup utility (Windows Vista)" (TechNote kb404917) for details.

13. Set the virtual memory paging file to the default size.

See "Set the virtual memory paging file to the default size" (kb404939) for details.

14. Repair and defragment hard disks.

See "Repair and defragment hard disks (Windows Vista)" (TechNote kb405610) for details.

15. Scan the system for viruses.

Use current antivirus software (for example, Symantec Norton Antivirus or McAfee Virus Scan) to check the system for viruses. Virus infections can damage software and cause system errors. For more information, see the documentation for the antivirus software.

16. Identify the file that causes the problem.

If an error indicates which file causes the problem, then reinstall the application to which that file belongs. If that file is damaged and causes problems in RoboHelp, then reinstalling the associated application can correct the problem.

If an error indicates a Windows file, then contact Microsoft for help replacing that file.

Advanced troubleshooting

If the tasks in the previous section don't resolve the problem, then you may be able to resolve the problem by reinstalling Windows Vista and RoboHelp 8, reformatting your hard disk and reinstalling Windows Vista and RoboHelp 8, or by determining if hardware is conflicting with RoboHelp 8.

Disclaimer: Adobe doesn't support hardware and provides these procedures as a courtesy only. For further assistance, contact the hardware manufacturer or an authorized reseller. If you troubleshoot hardware problems yourself, then you may void the warranty for your computer.

Note: Before you remove or rearrange hardware, turn off and disconnect power to the computer and any peripheral devices.

17. Log in using the built-in Administrator account.

See "Log in using the built-in Administrator account" (TechNote kb404922) for details.

18. Contact Adobe Technical Support.

If none of the above steps has resolved the error or freeze that you are experiencing with RoboHelp 8, then you need to contact Adobe Technical Support. You can find the support options at the Support Center.