"Windows cannot access specified device path or file"

Gday fellas

My PC which is as a rule always left on, until I decide to reboot it, or an update comes in that requires a reboot, or I install or uninstall a programme. It has never given me any grief at being left on.

Over the past roughly three weeks, I am being forced to reboot, I keep getting "hiccups", for example I click on my desktop icon and nothing happens. Initially I thought it odd, but okay so I restarted the PC.

Now I am getting error messages "Windows cannot access specified device path or file".

My OS is installed on an SSD Vista Ultimate 32bit SP2.

As this problem started to become more frequent, I started to try and rule out causes.

I tested my RAM (nothing wrong)
I ran chkdsk (nothing wrong)
I went through my registry and deleted any old empty folders. The registry does not scare me, as I know when in doubt don't touch.
I ran MBAM followed Spybot, and then Superantispyware, all they found were basically cookies.
I use ESET Nod32 Smart Security 6.
I have also run Housecall's just to make sure Eset missed nothing, it didn't.

Now my PC cannot stay up and running for more than 24 - 36 hours before nothing responds and I am forced to restart it. Which I probably wouldn't so annoying, except for the fact I am buffering TV shows.

When does the referenced error message come up?

Are your power management settings consistant with leaving the system running continuously?

wither 3 said:

When does the referenced error message come up?

Are your power management settings consistant with leaving the system running continuously?

Click to expand...

Yes, everything is set to Never turn off.

And the error messages start (i.e things will not open etc.) between 24 - 36 hours, maximum time before I am forced to reboot 48 hours.

Do you have any kind of operations such as a backup or defrag operation set to run daily? It seems there's some kind of operation set to run on this type of schedule and the system can't access a drive. Do you have a secondary hard drive (s) that may have their own power management?

wither 3 said:

Do you have any kind of operations such as a backup or defrag operation set to run daily? It seems there's some kind of operation set to run on this type of schedule and the system can't access a drive. Do you have a secondary hard drive (s) that may have their own power management?

Click to expand...

No defrag, it is an SSD, backup monthly. externals with there own power supply, and a 1TB internal backup hard drive, with an 875W Thermaltake PSU.

This other than the SSD, which I put in, in March of this year, (is what I built) has never given me any major grief, specially not to the point of HAVING to do a restart.

I am at a loss, I have tried all of the obvious troubleshooting.

Go to Control Panel\Power Options. For whichever plan you have, click on Change Plan Settings. Then click on Change Advanced Power Settings. Click on the Hard Disk. Then click on Turn off Hard Disk after. What is it set for? Mine is 20 minutes by default. Might be something else there for you to check.

wither 3 said:

Go to Control Panel\Power Options. For whichever plan you have, click on Change Plan Settings. Then click on Change Advanced Power Settings. Click on the Hard Disk. Then click on Turn off Hard Disk after. What is it set for? Mine is 20 minutes by default. Might be something else there for you to check.

Click to expand...

I have three options with Vista Ultimate

1. Balanced
2. Power Saver
3. High Performance

I cannot see anywhere Advanced Power Settings

It was set on option 1.

I have changed to 3.

I think I may have found the culprit, my system locked up again with a rundll32 error, once again nothing would open.

I know I have the latest Windows Updates, also the latest GPU drivers, the one thing I had forgotten was my sound card, I had used the "update" within the software itself, it told me I had the latest drivers. But I headed off to the website anyway just to make sure, and low and behold there was a driver update for my sound card.

I am not saying this has fixed the problem, the next 36 - 48 hours will tell me if this is indeed the cause. However it is as a good a place to start.

I will either be back with the same problem, or I will mark the thread as solved.

Thank you for your help wither3, and keep your fingers crossed for me

I don't know what the driver has to do with the message you've been getting.

I've posted a screenshot of the advanced settings selection. It's from Win 7 but it's the same as in Vista.

wither 3 said:

View attachment 28016I don't know what the driver has to do with the message you've been getting.

I've posted a screenshot of the advanced settings selection. It's from Win 7 but it's the same as in Vista.

Click to expand...

Okay found it, thanks to your screenshot, Hard Drive is set for 20 minutes.

I don't know what the driver has to do with the error messages either, it was just a find I thought might make a difference, I know when my GPU drivers need updating my online TV shows start to for want of better words act up.

Okay well it lasted a wee bit longer before every thing locked up, I did try opening Firefox as Admin and it came back with Insufficient system resources. I have saved my Event Viewer (Applications) as a text. Now how do I upload it?

I have been googling my butt off trying to fix this. One site suggested uninstalling all Microsoft .Net Framework, I know it comes with the Vista CD but dotnetfx35 seems to apply to only .XPF and .PDF. I do not use Adobes .PDF reader I use Foxits. So I have uninstalled the .Net Frameworks, and downloaded the stand alone packages.

Information 19/07/2013 3:08:09 PM Microsoft-Windows-User Profiles Service 1531 None "The User Profile Service has started successfully.

"
Error 19/07/2013 3:03:19 PM SideBySide 33 None "Activation context generation failed for ""C:\Windows\system32\sysdm.cpl"". Dependent Assembly Microsoft.Windows.Common-Controls,language=""*"",processorArchitecture=""*"",publicKeyToken=""6595b64144ccf1df"",type=""win32"",version=""6.0.0.0"" could not be found. Please use sxstrace.exe for detailed diagnosis."
Error 19/07/2013 3:03:19 PM SideBySide 33 None "Activation context generation failed for ""C:\Windows\system32\RTSndMgr.cpl"". Dependent Assembly Microsoft.Windows.Common-Controls,language=""*"",processorArchitecture=""x86"",publicKeyToken=""6595b64144ccf1df"",type=""win32"",version=""6.0.0.0"" could not be found. Please use sxstrace.exe for detailed diagnosis."
Error 19/07/2013 3:03:19 PM SideBySide 33 None "Activation context generation failed for ""C:\Windows\system32\RTSndMgr.cpl"". Dependent Assembly Microsoft.Windows.Common-Controls,language=""*"",processorArchitecture=""x86"",publicKeyToken=""6595b64144ccf1df"",type=""win32"",version=""6.0.0.0"" could not be found. Please use sxstrace.exe for detailed diagnosis."
Error 19/07/2013 3:03:19 PM SideBySide 33 None "Activation context generation failed for ""C:\Windows\system32\ncpa.cpl"". Dependent Assembly Microsoft.Windows.Common-Controls,language=""*"",processorArchitecture=""x86"",publicKeyToken=""6595b64144ccf1df"",type=""win32"",version=""6.0.0.0"" could not be found. Please use sxstrace.exe for detailed diagnosis."
Error 19/07/2013 3:03:19 PM SideBySide 33 None "Activation context generation failed for ""C:\Windows\system32\infocardcpl.cpl"". Dependent Assembly Microsoft.VC80.CRT,processorArchitecture=""x86"",publicKeyToken=""1fc8b3b9a1e18e3b"",type=""win32"",version=""8.0.50727.1830"" could not be found. Please use sxstrace.exe for detailed diagnosis."
Error 19/07/2013 3:03:19 PM SideBySide 33 None "Activation context generation failed for ""C:\Windows\system32\infocardcpl.cpl"". Dependent Assembly Microsoft.VC80.CRT,processorArchitecture=""x86"",publicKeyToken=""1fc8b3b9a1e18e3b"",type=""win32"",version=""8.0.50727.1830"" could not be found. Please use sxstrace.exe for detailed diagnosis."
Error 19/07/2013 3:03:19 PM SideBySide 33 None "Activation context generation failed for ""C:\Windows\system32\hdwwiz.cpl"". Dependent Assembly Microsoft.Windows.Common-Controls,language=""*"",processorArchitecture=""x86"",publicKeyToken=""6595b64144ccf1df"",type=""win32"",version=""6.0.0.0"" could not be found. Please use sxstrace.exe for detailed diagnosis."
Error 19/07/2013 3:03:19 PM SideBySide 33 None "Activation context generation failed for ""C:\Windows\system32\hdwwiz.cpl"". Dependent Assembly Microsoft.Windows.Common-Controls,language=""*"",processorArchitecture=""x86"",publicKeyToken=""6595b64144ccf1df"",type=""win32"",version=""6.0.0.0"" could not be found. Please use sxstrace.exe for detailed diagnosis."
Error 19/07/2013 3:03:19 PM SideBySide 33 None "Activation context generation failed for ""C:\Windows\system32\Firewall.cpl"". Dependent Assembly Microsoft.Windows.Common-Controls,language=""*"",processorArchitecture=""x86"",publicKeyToken=""6595b64144ccf1df"",type=""win32"",version=""6.0.0.0"" could not be found. Please use sxstrace.exe for detailed diagnosis."
Error 19/07/2013 3:03:19 PM SideBySide 33 None "Activation context generation failed for ""C:\Windows\system32\Firewall.cpl"". Dependent Assembly Microsoft.Windows.Common-Controls,language=""*"",processorArchitecture=""X86"",publicKeyToken=""6595b64144ccf1df"",type=""win32"",version=""6.0.0.0"" could not be found. Please use sxstrace.exe for detailed diagnosis."
Error 19/07/2013 3:03:19 PM SideBySide 33 None "Activation context generation failed for ""C:\Windows\system32\desk.cpl"". Dependent Assembly Microsoft.Windows.Common-Controls,language=""*"",processorArchitecture=""*"",publicKeyToken=""6595b64144ccf1df"",type=""win32"",version=""6.0.0.0"" could not be found. Please use sxstrace.exe for detailed diagnosis."
Error 19/07/2013 3:03:19 PM SideBySide 33 None "Activation context generation failed for ""C:\Windows\system32\desk.cpl"". Dependent Assembly Microsoft.Windows.Common-Controls,language=""*"",processorArchitecture=""*"",publicKeyToken=""6595b64144ccf1df"",type=""win32"",version=""6.0.0.0"" could not be found. Please use sxstrace.exe for detailed diagnosis."
Information 19/07/2013 3:03:05 PM VSS 8224 None The VSS service is shutting down due to idle timeout.
Error 19/07/2013 2:55:26 PM SideBySide 33 None "Activation context generation failed for ""C:\Program Files\K-Lite Codec Pack\Tools\MediaInfo.exe"". Dependent Assembly Microsoft.Windows.Common-Controls,language=""*"",processorArchitecture=""*"",publicKeyToken=""6595b64144ccf1df"",type=""win32"",version=""6.0.0.0"" could not be found. Please use sxstrace.exe for detailed diagnosis."
Error 19/07/2013 2:53:02 PM SideBySide 33 None "Activation context generation failed for ""C:\Windows\system32\cryptext.dll"". Dependent Assembly Microsoft.Windows.Common-Controls,language=""*"",processorArchitecture=""x86"",publicKeyToken=""6595b64144ccf1df"",type=""win32"",version=""6.0.0.0"" could not be found. Please use sxstrace.exe for detailed diagnosis."
Information 19/07/2013 2:03:02 PM VSS 8224 None The VSS service is shutting down due to idle timeout.
Information 19/07/2013 1:24:50 PM Desktop Window Manager 9013 None The Desktop Window Manager was unable to start because composition was disabled by a running application
Information 19/07/2013 1:24:50 PM Desktop Window Manager 9003 None The Desktop Window Manager was unable to start because a composited theme is not in use
Information 19/07/2013 1:03:02 PM VSS 8224 None The VSS service is shutting down due to idle timeout.
Information 19/07/2013 12:54:13 PM Desktop Window Manager 9013 None The Desktop Window Manager was unable to start because composition was disabled by a running application
Information 19/07/2013 12:54:13 PM Desktop Window Manager 9003 None The Desktop Window Manager was unable to start because a composited theme is not in use
Information 19/07/2013 12:54:12 PM Desktop Window Manager 9010 None A request to disable the Desktop Window Manager was made by process (3188)

Sorry if I have done the wrong thing

Did you change the hard drive setting? That might be only for the SSD. You might also look around to see if the USB port or the external hard drive is shown.

Do you have Vista set for automatic defrag? What is the periodicity?

I didn't see the log file when I logged in. I don't have time to try and digest it this morning.

wither 3 said:

Did you change the hard drive setting? That might be only for the SSD. You might also look around to see if the USB port or the external hard drive is shown.

Do you have Vista set for automatic defrag? What is the periodicity?

I didn't see the log file when I logged in. I don't have time to try and digest it this morning.

Click to expand...

What do you mean by change the hard drive setting?

All USB ports are showing as are my external hard drives.

Defrags on SSD's are not recommended so I only defrag my other drives.

I hadn't installed any new programmes, just the Microsoft Updates, when it went from running non stop to locking up.

Yes sorry about the logs I just pasted the errors, unfortunately this is where my knowledge of PC's needs work, is the ability to read the logs and have that aha moment. What I know I am self taught (and google is my friend)

My knowledge of PCs is pretty much derived the same way as yours except I don't use google.

The reason for checking the advanced settings is to find out if why it can't find a specific file. If the drives power down, that could account for that.

The problems described in the log are beyond my capacity to analyze. Perhaps Richc46, Brink or one of the other volunteers could evaluate them or this problem.

How do you defrag your other drives?

wither 3 said:

My knowledge of PCs is pretty much derived the same way as yours except I don't use google.

The reason for checking the advanced settings is to find out if why it can't find a specific file. If the drives power down, that could account for that.

The problems described in the log are beyond my capacity to analyze. Perhaps Richc46, Brink or one of the other volunteers could evaluate them or this problem.

How do you defrag your other drives?

Click to expand...

I use Auslogics Disk Defrag

Have you run sxstrace.exe, as recommended in the log?

wither 3 said:

Have you run sxstrace.exe, as recommended in the log?

Click to expand...

Yes it opens with a Windows Shell Command, and when I open it with notepad lets just say its not english. I don't know of any sites that will allow a non picture type file to be uploaded to. I use photobucket. And I don't know how to upload this file to this forum

What are the extensions for the files. I just ran it on this system and they are database files.

wither 3 said:

What are the extensions for the files. I just ran it on this system and they are database files.

Click to expand...

.etl

I wonder if you can open it with this-

File Viewer for Windows - View Any File on Your Windows PC

Where was that file located?