On my Windows 10 computer, I run Windows XP in virtual mode. I do this because I use three programs that only run in Windows XP. One of these programs is Calendar Creator for Windows (CCWIN).

Suddenly tonight when I tried to run Calendar Creator, I got the following error message:
CCWIN caused a General Protection Fault in Module CCWIN.EXE at 0002:6631

From what I read on the internet, "this error appears when the Windows operating system encounters a protected instruction that exceeds the permission level of the current task. GPFs are specific to Windows computers and can occur when an application reads or writes to RAM that is unavailable."

What can I do to correct/remove this error? Please be kind with your recommendation, as I don't remember much about Windows XP. Thank you in advance.

_________________
BB
http://barrypatch.net

See what happens if you run the XP app ad an admin. Right click on the app and select to run as admin.

_________________

I had already tried that, Jay, with same error results. I'm thinking I need to increase the RAM allocated to Windows XP, but I've forgotten how to do that.

_________________
BB
http://barrypatch.net

Jay, I tried it again as administrator. This time I got a notice that my Virtual Memory Minimum was too low, and then it errored off again.

How do I increase my Virtual Memory?

_________________
BB
http://barrypatch.net

Click on the VM but don't launch. Go to the settings and adjust under memory.
Read this...

_________________

OK, Jay, thanks. I will try this suggestion after I return from the grocery store.

_________________
BB
http://barrypatch.net

It just all concerns me a bit. I mean it was fine and now it isn't. Unless you lowered the VM memory, which I'm sure that you did not, something has to be going on... Did you do any updates to VirtualBox around the same time?

_________________

Jay, I doubled the RAM as directed in the website you referenced, but that didn't help...I still get the same error.

No, I have not updated Virtual Box...I still use version 6.1.38, although a newer version 7.0.14 is available.

And to my knowledge, I did nothing to lower the VM memory.

And yes, my Calendar Creator was working fine about a week ago, and now it's not. And there have been no updates to my Windows 10 OS during that time.

Sadly, this Calendar Creator program is the app I use the most. At my age (86), I need a calendar to help me remember my activities, lol.

I've got to break for lunch. Anything else I should try next? And I appreciate your help.

_________________
BB
http://barrypatch.net

It is possible that something got corrupted in the app. My next step would be to copy the VM hard drive just to be safe. Now uninstall the app and install again.

If no joy, do you allow restore points on the VM? If so try to restore to before the issue.

YW

_________________

Jay, for some reason, virtual modes always confuse me. Which is my VM hard drive? When I am in Windows XP, is it the Local Disk (C:) when I click on My Computer?

And where should I copy it to? I have a USB flash drive that I use for my XP data files, and I think it has sufficient room for my VM hard drive.

_________________
BB
http://barrypatch.net

Yes, the VM hard drive is what you see within XP. You can go to the XP VM settings and there will be a section for storage or the like. You can look there to see where the VM hard drive file is located. Since the copy is just a backup while we work on this just copy it to your desktop. Make sure to copy, not move.

Another thought on your issue if none of the above helps. You can reinstall Virtual Machine Additions. To launch the Additions you will find it under Actions or CD.

_________________

Jay, I guess I am starting to fade fast, as I can no longer follow and understand your instructions. For example:
- When I go to XP VM settings and the section for storage, I see IDE Primary Device 0: XP Pro.vdi. I don't understand what this is telling me in regard to where my VM hard drive file is located for copying purposes
- I can't seem to find Actions>VM Additions, so I can't reinstall

If you recall, many years ago (2016 to be exact) you walked me step-by-step through the installation of XP Pro as a virtual machine using VirtualBox. I could not have done that without your help. And now, many years later, my old mind is having difficulty following the steps that you are now suggesting. Sorry.

_________________
BB
http://barrypatch.net

It has been a long time since I've done VirtualBox so my instructions may not be as precise as they previously were so I'm going strictly from memory.

As to storage just showing 'IDE Primary Device 0: XP Pro.vdi' I THINK that if you click on that it will show the full path to the VM hard disk file on the right. If you already know where your VM files are located you really don't even need this. If you followed my setup instructions to a tee the VM files will be on your data drive if that applies. If you went with the defaults I believe that you will find them in your user folder. This whole step is really just to have a backup of the VM hard drive in case everything goes totally south.

I'll be back later with more info.....

_________________

OK, as to reinstalling the guest additions...

First I'd look for a system restore point but, being a VM I have some doubts that you enabled this.

Also, I would reinstall the calendar app if all other apps are running.

So I went ahead and installed the same version of VirtualBox you are using. Here is how to reinstall the guest additions. Sorry my last instructions were wrong for this version but I last ran a newer version of VirtualBox.

_________________

Jay, I did have system restore points, generated by the system (not by me). The first restore I tried (April 18) resulted in the same error. So I tried the next one back (30 March), AND IT WORKED. I can now open and use my Calendar Creator program. And even though it restored my system back to 30 March, all my calendar data was current (up to my last entry on 15 April).

I had to really search around to find the restore points. The system restore function and restore points were contained in a folder entitled Utilities.

I'm embarrassed to have put you through this much work, but it is much appreciated. I will print/save your last pictorial instructions for the next time my program goes off the rails.

Thank you again.

_________________
BB
http://barrypatch.net

No problem, glad to help.

Actually I think I'm going to start up doing VM's again. Be a good use for my micro PC.

<edit>
Something happened that messed up your VM setup. If anything is initiated by your system that could change things keep notes.

I have to laugh at myself a bit. I kept failing as to installing XP on my micro system after several tries. DUH! Don't put the XP install disk in one of the optical drives on my main system. Put the danged thing in the external DVD drive attached to the micro PC.

_________________

Well an XP VM runs well on my micro system. We'll see about others. I was a little surprised when I tried phone activation and it still worked.

_________________

Well crap, when I tried to open my Calendar Creator program tonight, I got the same General Protection Fault error. However, I was again able to do a system restore from a few weeks ago and the Calendar program ran successfully. To experiment, I closed the Calendar program out and tried to open it again, but I got the same error.

So I seem to be in a mode of needing to do a system restore each time I want to run the Calendar program.

Even though I am having trouble with the Calendar program, all the other apps running under XP do just fine. The problem seems to be only with the Calendar program, which I can only run if I do a system restore.

So, Jay, of all the recommendations you made, which one(s) should I try first? My thought is to reinstall the Calendar program itself. Oddly, I can't first uninstall it because it is not listed in the Control Panel>Add or Remove Programs.

Any additional suggestions? I won't do anymore tonight as it is past my bedtime.

_________________
BB
http://barrypatch.net

Between the first system restore and the issue coming back was there any updates? With going back to March for the update there probably were the April Updates. Of course this last time the restore being only a couple of weeks prior I may be off base but I'm thinking that an April restore initially not helping but a March restore being good that it is likely that an April update is causing your issue.

If it were me I think that I'd go back to the March restore and then look at updates noting the KB numbers. When/if the issue returns I'd uninstall one update at a time until things work and then block that update.

_________________

Jay, there weren't any updates. But here's what I've learned after fiddle-farting with my Calendar program over the past few days.

- If I try to open my Calendar program, I get the Protection fault error
- So I must then do a system restore, selecting any previous date
- After the restore is finished, I can open my Calendar program in XP and everything works just fine
- When I'm through working with my program, I close it out
- If I come along later and try to open my Calendar program, I again get the Protection Fault error
- So I again must do a system restore, selecting any date (even yesterday when I got the error)
- After the restore is finished, I can open my Calendar program in XP and everything works just fine

In conclusion, the Calendar program works every time if I first do a system restore to any date. Now that I know the sequence to follow, I can live with that. None of the other programs that I have running under XP have this error problem...only the Calendar program.

As an aside, I recently learned that there is a new version of my Calendar program that works with Windows 10. It is called Calendar Creator Deluxe v12.2. I have downloaded this new version from Amazon and I am now trying to import my calendar from the old version. I need to keep this old calendar because it has events going forward many years, as well as historical events going back many years.

Again, I thank you for all the help and advice you provided on this issue.

_________________
BB
http://barrypatch.net

As far as the app in XP why don't you just never close it? You can do this by not actually shutting down XP. Instead of shutting down go the the file tab at the top of the XP window and select 'close' and then select to 'save the machine state'. Doing it this way saves XP in the current state and is loaded that way when the XP VM is started. Doing this would mean that when you loaded XP the app would still be loaded and running.

As to the new version, and porting data, are the data files in a folder that you can access and copy? If so share a folder on the host and copy the data to the shared folder.

_________________

Sometimes I do what you suggested about leaving the app running , but doing so ties up my LaserJet printer which I have assigned to XP. Is there a way I can release the printer so that I can then use it with my Windows 10 programs?

In answer to your question about porting data, the answer is yes and I have successfully ported my calendar events from old version to new version. But the event times are all screwed up so that's the problem I am currently working.

_________________
BB
http://barrypatch.net

I don't understand why you would lose your printer in Windows 10 if you save state in the XP VM Once XP is turned off the printer should return to Windows 10 automatically.

Mayhaps we are not actually talking the same thing so, as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.

If you follow the next two images you can then totally shut down VirtualBox which SHOULD release the printer. And, yes, you could manually release the printer but should not need to do so. Shutting down as shown below shuts down the XP VM but stores how it was. When you next start the XP VM it will be exactly as it was when you shut down by selecting to save state. This is actually a shutdown but also saves exactly how the XP VM was. After doing this kind of shut down you can close VirtualBox which should totally return your printer to Windows 10.

_________________

Your pictures are always worth a thousand words. Saving the machine state worked exactly like you said. Both my printer and the flash drive used to save my calendar files were released back to my Windows 10 apps.

I am a happy camper and I can live with this solution to my older Calendar Creator program, even if I never get the newer Windows 10 version of Calendar Creator working like I want.

Thanks much, Jay.

_________________
BB
http://barrypatch.net

YW. No worries.

_________________