Since I updated gecko to 1.8.1.22 (and now updated to 1.8.1.23)
I get this error when closing down K-Meleon:

XPCOM:EventReceiver: k-meleon.exe Application Error
The instruction at "0x......" referenced memory at "0x.....". The memory could not be "written".

Here is screenshot:



Please note that this is most likely not the problem with gecko updates, as I had seen this problem on a not-updated K-Meleon 1.5.3 too.

I can't attribute any specific actions by me to cause it. Sometimes it just doesn't happen, but most of the time it does.
It appears on all Windows 2000 and Windows XP machines.
It doesn't appear on Windows NT4 (at least not yet).

I also think this problem is somehow responsible for my other problem that appear in the same time when this K-Meleon bug appeared: on both Win 2000 and XP users cannot log out anymore, not in the standard ways. I had to install "Force Shutdown" application and create shortcuts to its "Force Logoff" for users to be able to log off. Why I think it is related? Because one Windows XP machine doesn't have K-Meleon installed and that machine still doesn't have logoff problem.


Specs:

Windows 2000 SP4 (all updates)
Windows XP SP3 (all updates)

K-Meleon 1.5.3 with gecko 1.8.1.23 (unofficial updaters used to update)
+
AdBlock Plus extension on some installations (1 K-Meleon doesn't have this or any extensions, and the same XPCOM problem happens there).



Anyone else have similar problem?
TIA

yes, you're right.. it's not likely to be related to gecko updates unless the update was botched and there are version mismatches between the libraries

xpcom.dll is the gecko communication protocol handler library. an event receiver point error usually means some program(usually firewall) is interrupting it and triggering the crash.

make sure kmeleon is under permissions in your firewall
do you use the same firewall on all your computers? it could also be related to this firewall.. try to update it or to make sure it is indeed the culprit; disable it and see if you get the same crash.


what's your firewall by the way?

Apart from firewall rights

Make sure the user has right to write in Profile etc.

It is a "feature" of Your system - most likely permissions related!

Quote
guenter
Apart from firewall rights

Make sure the user has right to write in Profile etc.

It is a "feature" of Your system - most likely permissions related!

oh yes..you're right gunter

this part is very important

Quote
D_S

I also think this problem is somehow responsible for my other problem that appear in the same time when this K-Meleon bug appeared: on both Win 2000 and XP users cannot log out anymore, not in the standard ways. I had to install "Force Shutdown" application and create shortcuts to its "Force Logoff" for users to be able to log off. Why I think it is related? Because one Windows XP machine doesn't have K-Meleon installed and that machine still doesn't have logoff problem.

it's sounds more like the other way round.. the computers with the logoff problem are causing the xpcom crash..so rather than xpcom affecting your logout; it's just a symptom of a system problem. users not able to log out is almost always permissions mess..something with the restriction policies for users or roaming profiles.. i think if you fix that logoff problem; the xpcom crash problem will go away. i'm not sure what's restrictions you might have but a good place to start is gpedit.msc go to run and type gpedit.msc.. look for restrictions in these locations:
administrative templates>system>user profiles and logon also look under network

ofcourse you must be logged in as an administrator with full rights before fiddling with policies

alos check these links:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/831431
http://www.certforums.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=913
http://www.logicnest.com/archives/90
http://aumha.org/win5/a/shtdwnxp.htm

one site sez that a virus(with out a payload) might put your system into a loop at logoff..micorosft sez that norton may cause that problm as well. i find this quite ironic and funny cause i don't really see much differences between norton and a virus

are the computers having the logoff problem connected together through a router and sahring internet connection? also the computer without the problem is it the main administrator machine(i.e having permissions to logoff users on the other computers?) i think you might have badly configured network or router settings.. even one badly configured nic on one machine may cause problems on the other slaves

if you can take the risk..although i don't think there's any risk at all, install kmeleon on the pc without the logoff problems.. i don't think you'll get any problems because kmeleon or any gecko browser does not change your system settings in any way especially in regards to networking..

if kmeleon runs fine an it will probably will on that machine(without the loggoff problems).. the prblem then is no doubt in your network configuration or router settings or with a nic settings on one of the networked machines

Thank you guys for all replies.

Re: Firewall
I use only 1 firewall: linux-based home network computer as a router (on top of my DSL modem/router, which is also additionally set to block ports, addresses etc).
I am sure my firewall is set up correctly.

I don't use any extra "software" firewalls, Windows NT4 and Windows 2000 don't have any, Windows XP's build-in fwall is disabled since my "hardware" firewall is sufficient enough there is no need to add any extra per-machine software fwalls.


Re: antivirus
All my Windows machines have Eset NOD32 antivirus software, all updated. All of them run full scan every day (not only for viruses but also for trojans, spyware and everything else available in NOD32; in exceptions I have only few softwares that NOD32 detected as "potential risk", like mIRC on one of the machines etc. Certainly none of is any real threat).


Re: access / user rights
I thought about it too (although I don't know why it would be a problem now, since I'm using K-Meleon for more than 5 years and before version 1.5.3 I have never seen this XPCOM problem). At first I have changed entire K-Meleon's folder and files to a full access for all Users. It didn't help. I have just recently changed permission to full for Everyone, it didn't help either.
but
I have just think of something else.
I was helping friend to set up W2K with problematic Exact Audio Copy installation where it crashed whenever she wanted to write cd image file with this app, and I found her windows didn't allow acces to burning nor creation of new registry keys for users with priviledge below Power User, which both caused the problem of not saving settings and crtashing when trying to burn.
Is this XPCOM thingy by any chance trying/creating new registry keys at some point? Because IIRC the default settings of NT-based windozes doesn't allow creation of new reg keys in registry by non-Admin non-PU users, and that could be the reason?
(but again - I don't understand why I didn't this problem with K-M 1.5.2 or older)

I'm just baffled by this.
From "K-Meleon's perspective" it's not any big problem (all it takes is click OK on error msg, nothing is crashed, lost etc), it is just annoying (also had to disable session saver because it always thinks that K-M crashed because of that).
What I'm worry is lost ability to log off for users.
And I have check is it K-Meleon's XPCOM problem related in very simple way: after reboot I didn't "touch" K-Meleon at all and user can log off normally. But as soon as I use K-M and the XPCOM error appears, this user can't log off anymore (not in normal ways, gotta use force logoff application mentioned before).



I know it may not be K-M related problem at all, but the fact that only those machine that have K-M installed on my 2000/XP machines have this logoff problem (and XPCOM problem) logically suggests it must be somewhat related to my K-M installation, right?

i have a somewhat similar setup as i use a freebsd as a firewall to route connections through it so i've been testing with a few things trying to trigger the xpcom error.. however i don't have many computers as you do.. just one actually with windows connected to the freebsd one.

at first i thought the problem of the log out was on those machines regardless of whether you fired kmeleon or not but thanks for explaining.. obviously you're right and the xpcom error does indeed trigger that log off.. but you say that happened since you've updated to 1.8.22 and 1.8.23.. those last updates are not official and though i don't think they have a problem but it could be a mismatch with versions when you've updated or some bug with those gecko engines.. i've also tested with the desgun patch and with the equivalent seamonkey version with 1.8.23.. i didn't get the xpcom error with both but it's not a conclusion to anything because there are so many conditions.

since the logoff problem only happens once yu fire kmeleon, there's no risk at all with testing.. because you can uninstall kmeleon from the machine without the logoff problms and everything will be back to normal.

first install the latest offical kmeleon 1.5.3 without any patches or the unoffcial update (i.e. with gecko 1.8.21).. install it preferably on the machine without the logoff problems.. see if you get the xpcom error.. if you don't, then install desgun's unofficial 1.8.23 patch and test again.. if you get an error then we now know that the bug is either with the update or with the gecko to know for sure if the bug is with the update and not with the gecko.. download the latest seamonkey(it has gecko 1.8.23 just like the patch) from there: http://www.seamonkey-project.org/releases/ and see if i gives you the same xpcom error.. if it does then we know it's a problem with this gecko release..if you don't get the error then we know for certain the bug is with the km unofficial update and it will most likely be:
1- the update has a bug with some libraries with mismatched versions
2- the update isn't patching all your kmeleon files and some essential files are not replaced.

please test and report back..thanks d_s for the trouble

Apologies for late reply.

I have uninstalled KM 1.5.3, installed KM 1.5.2, then gecko updater and user's favorite skins with layout settings (just copied back their folders)
So far no problems, no XPCOM error messages.

But one Windows 2000 machine still has problem with user logoff (no more log off problems on all other machines).
Perhaps it will go away too after reboot (I can't shutdown or restart this particular machine yet as it is the "main" box on my local network doing quite few chores).

Thank you all for all suggestions and help!




disrupted, I'm sorry but I read your post too late. I'll see if I can do it on that last W2K box that still has logoff problem and I'll post results.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/08/2009 12:08PM by D_S.

Man!! I just had this yesterday, when experimenting with my skin/plugins/macros, and thought - aha that's the perp: That devtools macro (old plugin manager), that doesn't work anyway on my 98se... But now I don't manage to reproduce it, even after trying to repeat some other settings too
I still suspect it's something in the extensions or a malformed toolbar cfg or some combination...

A couple weeks ago I was also playing around a lot with a bunch of macros etc. and toolbar.cfg and had those shutdown errors for a while. Then some day everything was fine again, wasn't sure why, was wondering if perhaps the gecko update repaired something. But now yesterday I switched on/off all sorts of things again, to check out the effects on my skin, and at one point, just ONCE, there was xpcom again at closing. Just wish I could reproduce it, grmpf



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/08/2009 01:09PM by siria.