This problem is occurring on two different Windows XP machines, one pro & one home. After an extended period of time ranging from about 20 hrs to 3 days it becomes impossible to launch applications and currently running apps cannot open a pop-up window. Typically I have about 20 windows open, but will have started and stopped dozens, possibly hundreds of mostly console apps. If I close some then it is possible to load apps, but the process repeats itself requiring even more windows to be closed. The only solution is to reboot and then all is well. Immediately following the reboot I can open all the apps present before the reboot and many more.
The most useful error message I have gotten is an Event Id 26, which is not very helpful since it seems to be a generic message used when any popup window fails. Both system & user apps are affected. I have lived with it on a Dell desktop for well over a year. Now Im having the same problem with a Thinkpad. The Dell is hyper-threaded and the Thinkpad dual-core. My other machines have been single. I have not tried turning the feature off yet, but I will.
It seems obvious to me that some system resource is being used up, but I cannot identify what it is. I have tried shutting down all apps and trying to bring the system back as close as I can to a post-boot status. There is plenty of both real & virtual memory available. There is no unusual number of processes running.
I have Googled the problem and found two similar error reports, but neither had any useful suggestions.
Any suggestions?
Frank
The most useful error message I have gotten is an Event Id 26, which is not very helpful since it seems to be a generic message used when any popup window fails. Both system & user apps are affected. I have lived with it on a Dell desktop for well over a year. Now Im having the same problem with a Thinkpad. The Dell is hyper-threaded and the Thinkpad dual-core. My other machines have been single. I have not tried turning the feature off yet, but I will.
It seems obvious to me that some system resource is being used up, but I cannot identify what it is. I have tried shutting down all apps and trying to bring the system back as close as I can to a post-boot status. There is plenty of both real & virtual memory available. There is no unusual number of processes running.
I have Googled the problem and found two similar error reports, but neither had any useful suggestions.
Any suggestions?
Frank