StackHash CTD - Possible Fix

[Jim Young 2,356]

I was getting one of the common AppCrash reports after closing FSX and the report stated the faulting module was StackHash_2fde. The suffix, 2fde, really means nothing as there are several different types of StackHash crashes. I looked all over Google and Bing using the keyword 'StackHash' and found no solutions. Most people ended up reinstalling Windows or the Application and that fixed it for some (not all). This error had been going on for some time now and I recalled that I had gone into my System Configuration and disabled all non-Microsoft Services. I went back in and enabled 5 Services I thought should be enabled (the status showed the service was running for most of them) and left about 15 still disabled. Windows then restarted the operating system. I then ran FSX and flew around for a few minutes then closed the application. This time there was no error message.

 

There services I kept enabled were:

 

Flexnet Licensing Service (as I understand it, this is needed for a PMDG program; it is also used by Adobe

Intel® Rapid Storage Tech

Intel® Capability Licensing Service

Nalpeiron Licensing Service (not sure who uses this but Google indicates it might be used by FlyTampa) and

Nvidia Display Driver Service

 

So if you get a StackHash CTD, this should be the first stop for a solution.

 

Best regards,

Jim

[Jim Young 2,356]

Update - StackHash error continues after updating video card drivers. Search for solution continues.

[Jim Young 2,356]

Still looking for a fix for the StackHash error.

 

Google search said Run FSX as Administrator - Ran as Administrator. No fix.

 

Google search said run the following CMD: netsh winsock reset. Ran Command, restarted system. No fix.

 

Google search said StackHash error is related to Java. Uninstalled all Java applications, restarted system. No fix.

 

The following link contains explanations of StackHash errors from supposedly a Microsoft technician - http://tdistler.com/2009/04/10/stackhash-and-application-crashes-on-windows. In it he explains it is related to something in your system memory that is stuck and can't be released. He suggested running the IntelBurnTest. I ran it and my memory passed. I went into Virtual Memory and changed the setting from System Managed Size to Managing memory on all drives automatically. Still no fix so moved it back to System Managed Size. Microsoft Tech said if it's not memory related then it is a bad overclock. I was overclocked to 4.4GHz and I saved the settings in the BIOS profile so I could get them back if this does not work. I then returned the settings back to the default for my ASUS MB. Still receiving StackHash error.

 

Someone else mentioned it was the Padus® ASPI module related to pfc.sys. It somehow gets installed on peoples systems from very old programs. They said it is safe to delete this module and pfc.sys from the system32/driver folder and/or systemWow64/driver folder. Found it and deleted the module and pfc.sys. Still receive the StackHash error.

 

I made sure all drivers on my system are up-to-date. A USB port driver was updated. Still no fix.

 

According to AppCrashView, this error began on August 26th. So I went into my installed programs and deleted everything that was installed on my system on August 26th. No fix.

 

I have yet to uninstall any system security updates all the way back to Aug 26th and will try that soon.

 

Still searching....

 

Best regards,

Jim

[Jim Young 2,356]

Fix found! I tried to remember what I did 2-3 weeks ago to my FSX that would generate a StackHash error (trying to remember what I did just one week ago would be a miracle!). In any case the only major change I did to FSX was to enable DX10. I installed the DX10 Shader fix and have been using it since the end of August. I disabled DX10 and no StackHash error! I enabled DX10, I received a StackHash error. I did this a couple of times to make sure and, for me, it was installing the DX10 fix and enabling DX10. What is strange is that no one else has reported this error in the DX10 forum. I might have a corrupted install of the DX10 fix. I do know that DX10 maintains a Shader folder in MyApp/Local/Microsoft/FSX/Shader. This is the shader cache held in memory so this is probably the cause and the folder needs to be deleted and rebuilt again.

 

Have my fingers crossed this is the reason. This just goes to show that one needs to remember what they did when the errors begin to show and the earlier they start looking the better the chance the issue can be fixed. A new piece of software, a new update, and a change in system configuration are definitely the clues to look for when looking for a fix to an error.

 

Best regards,

Jim

[RamonB 449]

Hello Jim; I’m glad you found the culprit; seems you were all alone battling this problem.

Unfortunately it was with DX10 which you had embraced since some time ago.

 

(IMO google and yahoo searches don’t help much)

 

 

May I suggest you keep a complete set of fresh FSX folders and files on another drive? Also, I only mess around and add stuff to FSX after doing a complete “create system image”.

 

Cheers

[Jim Young 2,356]

May I suggest you keep a complete set of fresh FSX folders and files on another drive?

 

Hi Ramon,

 

After deleting that Shader10 folder I no longer get the DX10 StackHash crash. I may follow your suggestions of putting FSX on another drive in any future reinstallation of FSX. With all my addons, I have no desire to reinstall FSX to another drive. My point with the posts above was to show you need to investigate each and every crash as there is mostly no 'silver bullet' that fixes everyone. Google/Bing are two excellent sites to investigate. For instance I got a clue from the Microsoft Technician that it had something to do with memory as FSX was always crashing at the same memory address. Then, knowing what you did before the errors started helps too. I really thought it was one of the Microsoft Windows security updates as one of them caused new errors in the Event Viewer that I had not seen before.

 

Best regards,

Jim

 

EDIT: Deleting Shader10 folder does not work. StackHash error persists.

[Paul J 349]

Hi Jim: the stack is a series of storage addresses - a queue - which contain processor instructions that are in-line to be processed. I don't know how deep this particular stack is, nor to which part of any particular processor it might belong t0. My (minimal) expertise in this goes waaaaaay back to the 8088/86 processor and Microsoft's Macro Assembler program: writing in assembler was my/the first step in understanding how a processor worked..... back in 1986.... A stack "hash" I would take to be the result of an encryption algorythm. If anything - it would probably sit in the lower parts of system memory, and because you can repeat it - same address - I would run Memtest86 (purchased version) from a USB key, as the machine is booting. I reckon this one will be a "learning experience..." :huh:

 

 

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_CPU_stack

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Processor_register

 

This one might be best:-

 

http://www.eazynotes.com/pages/computer-system-architecture/stack-organization.html

[Jim Young 2,356]

Hi Jim: the stack is a series of storage addresses

 

Hi Paul,

 

Thanks for your valuable input. I got that far about memory addresses as the link in Post 3 above has a desertation from a Microsoft techie who explains what is going on and the '2fde' at the end of the StackHash is the memory address where the problem occurs. It does go away once in a while and that confuses me as I think I found a fix only to see it pop up again after a couple more FSX sessions. Today I renamed my dll.xml file as I was helping another individual here on his CTD problems. I thought he had stated he deleted his dll.xml and it was automatically rebuilt so I wanted to see if this was possible. It's not... but FSX ran great and, when I closed the session, no StackHash-2fde error! So maybe there's something in the dll.xml that is causing the memory error. It only occurs with DX10 turned on. I have not seen the error in DX9 mode. It also happens only if I go into FTX/Orbx scenery areas (like Friday's Harbor). If I go to KLAX and close the session, I do not get the StackHash error. It's not crashing FSX and FSX runs great. It only happens when I close FSX (Ctrl+C). I'm going to look through the links you provided and look for more clues. I would like to solve this as I have seen several others in this CTD forum with this error. Thanks again Paul. I really appreciate and value your advice!

 

Best regards,

Jim

[Paul J 349]

Did you create a new xml, Jim? This is where AddonConverter, all of the Orbx ObjectFlows, A2A Service and Accufeel get registered with FSX.

You can take a boo at mine here - use it as spare if you like! :lol:

 

Here's a great error-finder, too.

[Jim Young 2,356]

a great error-finder, too.

 

Hi Paul,

 

Actually I have been using Notepad++ - http://notepad-plus-plus.org/ as I like to compute in the 21st Century :LMAO: :LMAO: . That 2007 Notepad Plus is pretty ancient and I know you don't like ancient things and I'm absolutely stunned you gave me a link to something that old! They just updated my Notepad ++ program to the latest version on the 16th. The program is awesome!

 

One thing I did between conversations here was to delete my Page File and restart my system. Ran FSX and it seemed to run faster but still get the StackHash error. The Microsoft tech said if all else fails, reduce or eliminate your overclock and I did that too but no maus. I suspect I will have to rebuild my dll.xml as the error does go away when that's not loaded into FSX. The StackHash error only occurs with FSX. No other software has this issue. I have loaded the dll.xml into Notepad ++ and it shows no errors but I will continue to search. Thanks buddy for your help! (now go play with your new notepad program!!).

 

Best regards,

Jim

[Paul J 349]

Noooooo --- XML Notepad 2007. It is a built-in tester for XML files. I use both of those, plus others, too.!

 

:lol:

[Jim Young 2,356]

Okay. No errors. I'm also using the dll.xml repair utility from FlightOne's Library. It shows no errors too.

 

Best regards,

Jim

[RamonB 449]

Okay. No errors. I'm also using the dll.xml repair utility from FlightOne's Library. It shows no errors too.

 

Best regards,

Jim

 

Well, next thing is to remove or disable all entries in dll.xml and start enabling one by one.

 

Some time ago I redid the dll.xml (can’t remember the exact CTD reason) and reordered the module(s) entries or load sequence.

(I’m not home so I can’t check the order), but FSUIPC is TOP or first one to load.

 

Cheers

[Jim Young 2,356]

next thing is to remove or disable all entries in dll.xml and start enabling one by one

 

Actually I had not thought about doing this! Thanks for the suggestion. I'm going to try putting the FSUIPC on top first though.

 

Although my StackHash error went away when I renamed the dll.xml and reloaded FSX without the file, I'm thinking it's more related to DX10 as Aug 26th was about the day I installed the DX10 Shader mod and that's when the error began to show up. I may go back and do a reinstallation. Thanks for your help!

 

Best regards,

Jim

[Jim Young 2,356]

Moved FSUIPC to top of dll.xml (after addon manager). Still get error.