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User32.dll Initialization error

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by rynzeski

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I had this nagging problem with an NT4.0 SP6a server running as a PDC\Domino R5 with DHCP and WINS services.

Every 3 days (exactly) I get a user32.dll initialization error. I did search the problem in Microsoft's KB and the solutions (registry hacks) provided did not do the trick.

Strange thing about this problem is it appears without any obvious reason (not installed anything on the server hardware or software) and it got fixed when I uninstalled and re-installed ARCserve (why I did this is another story).

Anyway after a few months of bliss, the problem came back and as previously nothing was installed or changed on the server. Now I cannot get rid of it. Re-installing or upgrading the OS is out of the question.

Need help since re-booting the server every 2 days is not my idea of proper server maintenance.

13 replies

by curlergirl

What version of ArcServe are you using? There was a known problem with Arcserve versions prior to 6.61 that would cause this to happen. I believe it had something to do with screen savers as well - running Arcserve on a system with a screen saver (even the blank one). The CAI support website (support.cai.com) might have some info on this. The only true solution I found was upgrading to 6.61 (this was a free upgrade at the time, but I'm not sure it's still available). Hope this helps!

by rynzeski

Thanks for the answer, I remember seeing something about this before which is one reason why I un-installed ARCserve 6.5 and then install ARCserve 6.61. This actually fix the problem originally, but now it is back again.

I have applied SP2 for ARCserve but the problem is still there.

Do you still have anymore ideas, as I am totally out of one.

by maz1980

Try to reinstall the SP6a and additional hotfixes, most important is Security Rollup Package post SP6a that contains not just security fix. Maybe, it can help because of system files refeshing.

by curacao_dejavu

Do you have other programs that have a schedule to run everyday x amount of day (antivirus (scan or live update comes to mind). Can you stop those for a couple of days ?

Leopold

by rynzeski

Thanks for the suggestions, I did stop all scheduled scans and updates, but still got the error.

by timthetoolman

Hi,

Are these the registry hacks you were talking about?

http://www.jsiinc.com/SUBA/tip0000/rh0052.htm

(remove spaces in above URL)

Is there any information in the Event viewer at the time of the stop? I'm guessing not from other posts I've seen.

Have you done performance monitoring over the course of the two days and looked for increased pagefile usage (memory leaks) or any other anomaly at that time?

It would help to know what is actively running when the problem starts...
When you re-installed ARCserve did the database get re-initialised (read shrunk)?

I'm thinking that the User32.dll problems have started when something has grown to a certain size.

Possibly something to do with LN but more likely ARCserve. Maybe even a combination.

Let me know what you know so far...

Cheers,
Tim.

by rynzeski

Did all your suggestions previously except listing services and applications running on the server before the problem starts.

After listing the services I found a couple of services that was a bit out of place.

The services that cause my problem belongs to IBM Cluster Management Services. I do not use clustering on the server so I disabled these two services and sure enough my problem also disappeared. I do not know how these services got installed in the first place but I am just happythat the problem is gone.

Thanks to all that posted their suggestions they are much appreciated.

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