FIREFOX CAUSES XP TO REBOOT
markw
==Problem:==
When ever you click the FireFox icon to start it, as it begins to
load, suddenly Windows XP reboots. This problem may continually repeat
or occur intermittently. There is no warning or error pop-up, or shut
down process, but XP causes the computer to immediately reboot.
==Cause:==
ZoneAlarm Version 7 (Free), installs two files named: "screscan.sys"
and "screscan.dll", in the "ZoneLabs" folder located in "System32"
folder of Windows. It is these two files that conflict with FireFox in
such a way that it causes a system crash. Windows XP is setup by
default to reboot itself when this system crash is occurring, and
immediately causes the computer to reboot itself without any usual
shut down.
===Solution:==
Go into the Zonelabs folder located in "C:\windows\system32", and
delete those two Zonealarm files. Apparently they are not required for
the Free Version. (If you have the paid version of Zonealarm, contact
Zonealarm to obtain a way to fix the problem.)
IF you cannot delete these two files, because XP tells you cannot, you
need to reboot the computer and as it begins to reboot, press and hold
down "F8" key. You will get a screen to select the mode to boot into.
You can try the "Safe Mode" but I went to the safe mode with the
command prompt.
Either way, make your way to the Zonelabs folder and delete those two
ZoneAlarm files and reboot. The problem is fixed.
==How I located the Cause:==
1. Right click "My Computer" on the desk top to get "System
Properties" or access "System" in the control panel.
2. Click "Advanced" Tab - go to the bottom where it says "Startup and
Recovery" and click the "Settings" button
3. Uncheck the small box beside "automatically restart". Click "OK"
twice to get out of "System Properties".
4. By unchecking that restart option, when XP crashes again, it will
show a Blue Screen explaining the problem. Therefore, when FireFox
causes the error again, you get that Blue Screen, and it will tell you
what file is at fault. Shut off the computer, because at this stage,
in the Blue Screen, you can easily shut off. Once the fault file is
identified, I identified the file as belonging to ZoneAlarm.
5. You can go back into System Properties and recheck the
"automatically restart" or leave it.
Mark
Moz Champion (Dan)
Why is it that you claim Firefox causes windows to reboot, when it is
Zonealarm that's doing it? You said it yourself, you remove the two
Zonealarm files, and the problem is over...
Besides, it's much simplier to not use ZoneAlarm in the first place
SteveG
> ==Problem:==
> When ever you click the FireFox icon to start it, as it begins to
> load, suddenly Windows XP reboots. This problem may continually repeat
> or occur intermittently. There is no warning or error pop-up, or shut
> down process, but XP causes the computer to immediately reboot.
>
Snipped for brevity
As a long time user of both Zone Alarm - free and paid for - and Firefox
I can honestly say I've never experienced this phenomenon, nor seen it
reported here before. You may have prevented the system rebooting but I
fear you may not have found the real reason (yet).
--
Regards
Steve G
markw
Steve:
When the automatic reboot is deactivated in XP, a Blue Screen came up
providing the information on what is causing the problem. It
specifically referred to the ZoneAlarm files. For some reason, as
Firefox was loading, it was conflicting with the ZoneAlarm system file
causing the XP system to crash. When those two ZoneAlarm files were
removed, the problem no longer occurred.
How I found out about this was seeking information about that
"screscan" file via Google and the advice given there was to delete
those files since they were not required in the Free ZoneAlarm.
Therefore, also, since other point was brought up, that FireFox was
part of the problem or cause of the system crash since it was
conflicting with another system file. Since I did not need the
ZoneAlarm file, that half of the conflict was removed.
The ZoneAlarm version I am using is Version 7. As to any lack of
commonality between your use of ZoneAlarm and Thunderbird and mine is
not reason to discount the results I provided. What may have happened
was that those ZoneAlarm files could have become corrupted in some way
that contributed to crash. What ever the case, there are many times I
use the same programs as others and never get the same problems
other's have. What ever reason causes such differences may never be
known. I posted the information here as a help to others since very
little can be found on it.
Mark