RoboHelp 8 Crashing - Memory Could Not Be Written

[MeWrite]

We have just installed RH8 and installed the 2 patches. Now I'm crashing with the following error:

The instruction at 0x6065627 referenced memory at 0x00000000. The memory could not be read.

We are not using RH Server or Source Control (at this time). This is install is only on our local laptops. It took a couple weeks to get IT to install the 2 patches and I was not crashing before the patches.

Does anyone know what is going on? I've lost 2 topics now. Is it possible one of the patches is causing this issue?

Regards,

CJ

[Peter Grainge]

I believe that is an error that can occur when output files are imported into the source. Check for that.

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See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[MeWrite]

Peter -- This is a project I designed in RH7. Would that count as an import

or just an upgrade? I haven't imported any topics and I'm the only one working on this project. Is there a way you can tell if a topic has been imported? Oh, wait, I did import a couple topics when I first created it in RH7, but why would that effect it after all this time?

FYI - the crashing has only occurred when I was writing content for a brand new topic, not when I was editing any of the original content.

Regards,

CJ

[Peter Grainge]

I was only referring to importing a single topic and the possibility of having imported it from the output of another project rather than the source.

The fact that this is happening in a brand new topic rules that out.

I don't know what to suggest.

Installing 802 can reveal that a project was damaged but you would see broken links and not this error so I don't think the patches are involved, other than something having gone wrong with their installation. Haven't seen anyone have that problem.

What happens with the sample projects? Do they work OK?

You will find the samples at

C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe RoboHelp 8\RoboHTML\Samples\en_US

or

C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Technical Communication Suite 2\Adobe RoboHelp 8\RoboHTML\Samples\en_US

---

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[MeWrite]

Well when I tried to open the sample project I got this error:

"Open project was cancelled or the application was unable to load database for "C:\PROGRAM FILES\Adobe\Adobe RoboHelp 8\RoboHTML\Samples\en_US\CCC\CCC.cpd""

I couldn't delete the CPD file because this client has locked down the computer to the point where I cannot do anything more than view the files in the program folder. Without having the ability to write to the program files folder is it possible this is an issue? Or is it ok that I do all the creating content in the RoboHelp Project on the C drive?

It allowed me to copy the Sample folder to the RoboHelp Project folder on the C drive. I deleted the CPD file then opened it without a problem.  I created a topic and added some content, but nothing happened. When RH8 crashed before there was no rhyme or reason and I cannot duplicate the error. Just seems very sponataneous.

I need to finish the style guide project today, but I will also play with the sample folder and see if (1) it happens again and (2) if I can figure out how to duplicate the error consistently. The first 2 times I had been in the new topic and wrote several paragraphs without saving it. Can't remember how long from topic creation to crash. And I can't remember if it crashed on trying to save or not, but I'm pretty sure I had not tried to save prior to the crash.

Regards,

CJ

[MeWrite]

Got it again. The project had been open for about 3 hours. This time I was on an existing topic not new. I had not clicked save, but rather was in the middle of a sentence. The "instruction at code" was different from the first 2 times, but it still was a memory could not be written error.

First 2 times the instruction at was 0x6065627c, this time it was at 0x0d7b5239.

What I did notice just before the error (like a split second before) was that my fingers had accidentally pressed two or three keys on the lower left side. Can't tell you which keys were actually pressed.

I tried to recreate the error by pressing a few keys together in the same area, but of course no error occurred.

[Peter Grainge]

I think you are going to have to discuss with your client the possibility of you working on the project on your own machine or

one that is not locked down in this way. To the best of my knowledge the only time we have seen this is when output topics have been imported and then you will see red squares in the topic.

Have you tried Googling the error message?

---

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[MeWrite]

Peter -- nope. This client is a federal bank with the tighest security I've ever seen. Working on personal computers is strictly prohibited. However, someone else did make a suggestion that might be logical. We thought is might have something to do with the laptop's memory, but the System Properties shows 1.99GB of RAM. From what I read that should be more than enough, but since it's so locked down I can't see what's using the memory so maybe I don't have enough.

I'm just gonna have to safe alot. Though we are creating the master project template from scratch to see if maybe it has something to do with the older files being upgraded. The other author has not experiened any issues thus far, so we're going to work off the assumption it's the old project. And I will just save a lot. An autosave would work well in this situation 😉

[Peter Grainge]

I once worked for a bank that also had very tight restrictions but it was possible to get access to a standalone barebones PC. Worth asking the IT guys.

---

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[MeWrite]

Well, after crashing again I submitted a support ticket AND did some sleuthing on my part. It kept bothering me that it was a memory could not be written area. Being the minor tech geek that I am, I decide to check out my virtual memory settings. I actually was "allowed" to see the virtual memory on my machine. That's not to say that I could change anything. Oddly enough, the Intial Paging size for my machine was set to 2040. However, the recommended level in the Total Paging section was 3055. Huge difference if you ask me.

So when the IT guru remoted in, I just happened to mention that "I noticed" this conflict. So he browsed on over and said that they probably put more memory in my laptop and forgot to change the setting.  He also defraged the laptop (look like that hadn't been done in a while either (side note: why can't I be "authoized" to defrag?)). It's been 2 days now and so far: no crashing has occured.