Vista - Event Viewer - "unexpected shutdowns"

My 'unexpected shutdowns' are random and occur -on average- once every
session. They vary but usually go by two main scenarios: (1) Vista desktop
and mouse cursor freezes - control/alt/delete and keyboard too - the only
alternative is to push the PC restart button - or (2) the monitor goes
black and Vista reboots on its own.

What's usually happening when these scenarios occur? Well, I ought to keep
a log ready to record these events. I'll soon have to try but as a student
in a much earlier life - I took such bad lecture notes I could not read them
after two class lectures. Here's what I can recall:
1. I think most shutdowns have happened when either beginning to view a
video or going to a new web page that pops up a streaming advertisement.
2. I recall one when I opened Windows Mail - but cannot say if I had clicked
on anything yet or if mail was downloading at the time. So - it may not be
Windows Mail but just the action of opening a new window?

My Internet research indicates these 'unexpected shutdowns' have been
frustrating Vista & earlier MS OS users for years. Rather surprisingly, I
found no promising suggestions for troubleshooting or remedies - to date.
For years the OS of my choice was W2K. If only Vista had W2K's reliability.
I rarely - if ever- experienced such ongoing, unexpained W2K events.

Perhaps I've missed some new info that addresses this issue - so that's the
primary reason for this posting. Anything?

Thanks - Blithe
PS - I should add that upon rebooting after an unexpected shutdown - Vista
asks if Safe Mode is desired during rebooting. I never benefited by going
to Safe Mode - except that on the many occasions that I bypassed Safe Mode &
choose normal rebooting - I would experience a variety of other issues soon
afterwards. So - Safe Mode is probably the best way to go if one's patience
permits - even if it avails few if any hints as to the specific shutdown.

[System Summary]
OS Name Microsoft® Windows VistaT Ultimate
Version 6.0.6001 Service Pack 1 Build 6001
System Model: Maximus Extreme (Asus)
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "6.0.6001.18000"
System Type: x64-based PC
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Extreme CPU Q6850 @ 3.00GHz, 2997 Mhz, 4
Core(s), 4 Logical Processor(s)
BIOS Version/Date American Megatrends Inc. 0904, 12/18/2007
SMBIOS Version 2.4
Installed Physical Memory (RAM) 4.00 GB
Total Physical Memory 4.00 GB
Available Physical Memory 2.70 GB
Total Virtual Memory 8.20 GB
Available Virtual Memory 6.82 GB
Page File Space 4.29 GB

Well - all is going as expected - yet another 'unexpected shutdown' - It's
1:55AM Central & I'm overdue for bed, but I will try to record the happening
as best as I am able. Before I do, be advised I ran the 'repair' options
within the last two weeks a few times by booting from the Vista CD. No
problems were reported.

The memory diagnostic tool ran cleanly - as reported during the test and
after the reboot - nothing to report.
The attempted chkdsk from the command prompt reported that I did not have
the privilege & advised I had to run in 'elevated mode' - I had never heard
or read such a term & have been a PC enthusiast since Windows 3.0 from 1990.
I Googled 'elevated mode' - got a likely hit to a tech webpage - & almost as
soon as the page loaded & I began to navigate - I lost my desktop to a
frozen, pretty, & totally blank blue screen. Note: This was uniquely
different from the previous shutdowns that froze whatever was open and
visible on the desktop - this one erased every graphic, cursor & icon to
blue blankness - maybe a little darker plain blue than I customarily set by
preference for all my Windows desktops. As usual - I pushed my PC restart
button.

I booted into safe mode & opened Event Viewer. I copied a few abbreviated
event IDs to paste here for your review. I scheduled a dskchk for the next
reboot that will have to wait until after I get some sleep:

Log Name: System
Source: Service Control Manager
Date: 5/9/2009 1:29:35 PM
Event ID: 7001
Task Category: None
Level: Error
Keywords: Classic
User: N/A
Computer: QuietOne
Description:
The DHCP Client service depends on the Ancilliary Function Driver for
Winsock service which failed to start because of the following error:
A device attached to the system is not functioning.
(NOTE: Device MGR. always seems to disagree - as do I - since everything I
have attached to my PC is functioning)
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Log Name: Application
Source: Microsoft-Windows-EventSystem
Date: 5/9/2009 1:29:00 PM
Event ID: 4609
Task Category: Event System
Level: Error
Keywords: Classic
User: N/A
Computer: QuietOne
Description:
The COM+ Event System detected a bad return code during its internal
processing. HRESULT was 8007043c from line 45 of
d:\vistasp1_gdr\com\complus\src\events\tier1\eventsystemobj.cpp. Please
contact Microsoft Product Support Services to report this error.
(Note: My PC has two permanent hard drives - neither the slave drive D:\ nor
a Vista search reports this file)
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Log Name: System
Source: Microsoft-Windows-DistributedCOM
Date: 5/9/2009 1:28:53 PM
Event ID: 10005
Task Category: None
Level: Error
Keywords: Classic
User: N/A
Computer: QuietOne
Description:
DCOM got error "1084" attempting to start the service ShellHWDetection with
arguments "" in order to run the server:
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Log Name: System
Source: EventLog
Date: 5/9/2009 1:28:29 PM
Event ID: 6008
Task Category: None
Level: Error
Keywords: Classic
User: N/A
Computer: QuietOne
Description:
The previous system shutdown at 1:21:55 PM on 5/9/2009 was unexpected.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Thank you & good morning - Blithe

<.> wrote in message news:eeWgn1S0JHA.3476@xxxxxx

Have you run memory diagnostic (Control Panel in classic mode -
Administrative Tools - Memory Diagnostic Tool) also
chkdsk c: /r in a command prompt.

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"Blithe" <invalid@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:ekm9P2R0JHA.4736@xxxxxx

Also type in CMD

sfc /scannow

which makes sure files aren't corrupted.

The fact you crash without reason makes me suspect causes like the power
supply or other hardware.

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"Blithe" <invalid@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:eOVvNYU0JHA.1432@xxxxxx

You can't find that file because it's not on your computer.
It's one of the original source code files Microsoft built Windows
from. That message is meant to direct a programmer to the right section
of c++ code so she can fix it.

This doesn't specifically address Vista but it sure sounds
like what's happening to you, and it's a simple fix:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/909444

Of course if it was my machine first I'd replace all the fans
and then the power suppliy and then I'd replace the motherboard TWICE
because I have a shotgun...

Well... maybe something is not working after all. My PC calendar/clock is
still at May 9 & my atomic wall clock says it's 3:17AM on Sunday, May 10 -
that's not the 1st time it slowed down- the hour is correct but the day got
left behind - so my PC battery is obviously not up to speed. However - is
that relevant?

I must get some sleep. Today is another day. I'll have to start it later.

Blithe

"Blithe" <invalid@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:eOVvNYU0JHA.1432@xxxxxx

On Sun, 10 May 2009 11:36:30 +0000 (UTC), the wharf rat wrote:

<SNIP>
LOL

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Gene E. Bloch letters0x40blochg0x2Ecom