Having read the entire error, I don't think the hive install will help. This would be a lot easier if this wasn't a proprietary Dell.

When you hit shutdown, does the floppy and/or CD lights flash?

As far as the betas go: I use the autoarchive function for easy rollback.
Been using WB since 2003, all releases and all betas. Currently running 5.01g(b).011 with no issues.
I've only had to rollback once in 3 yrs, but a fix came out within days.

Nothing like a surgeon going: "Uhoh....Ummm.... do me a favor, wiggle your toes for a second."

....we won't tell him about the flaming ruins sitting in eerie silence around me.....  

wiggle your toes for a second."

...you don't check your toes first........  

When you hit shutdown, does the floppy and/or CD lights flash?

I shutdown using the mouse, I hope that's what you meant, and everything was normal. There were no lights flashing from the optical drives and I don't have a floppy drive. Unless you have another way to go, I think I'll go without WB for a couple weeks and see if I have anymore shutdown errors. That should be a pretty good indication of whether or not these errors are a WB associated problem or not. After that, I'll take the next non-beta WB release and see how things go. I appreciate all your help, justforlooks

To help you know what you're looking for; that latest error you posted in #24 is related to a driver issue that Windows cannot resolve (a privilege access error). I asked about the drive lights because that would indicate Windows is looking for 'something' before it shuts down. When it doesn't find it, it gives you the access error (in other words, you spanked a system file). The earlier error message (ID 26) would also come up (in this case) for the same reasons. I don't think not running WB will make the problem go away. Keep in mind, this is not a rare error in Windows, but to my knowledge has never been associated with WB. If it in fact doesn't stop the error, then you need to re-install the system drivers. That would include the Intel, ATI and printer drivers. Failing that, it could be almost anything that's running a service on your machine, in which case. saving what you can to disk and performing a reload of the Dell Restore disk would be the most time efficient. If you have an actual XP disk (not sure what Dell gave you), I can give you instructions on a repair while leaving all your installed software and files intact. You can, if you wish, narrow the field, by unplugging external hardware one at a time, shutting down and see if it changes anything (ie: printer, mouse, keyboard). The printer would be my first choice. If any of those stop the error, then re-install only those drivers. Good luck and let us know....  

I made sure Dell sent me all the disk needed for a format & reinstall regardless of the PC Restore function, which I wasn't familiar with at the time. I've reinstalled XP four times in the last three years for various reasons, but don't have the time to do it again because of my wife's college course. I've never done a repair before which seems like it might be an option. However, as I alluded to in #3, when I ran without WB for at least a week at that time, I had 0 error messages. I'm going to do it again and, "If it in fact doesn't stop the error, then..." I'll know I have an issue that's not related to WB and then do something like a repair or one of the other things you mentioned. For now, this seems the safest, (wife's college course) easiest way to determine if these errors are related to WB or not. I'll definitely let you know. Thanks to you & Sir Bichur, justforlooks

WindowBlinds 5.0 System Information Report:

STATUS : WB+ SRV+ HLP+ UI+ TRAY+

WindowBlinds is installed correctly on this PC.

WindowBlinds appears to be activated on this PC

Your machine supports per pixel borders on WindowBlinds skins.

You have one monitor in total.

(Plug and Play Monitor) 1 is attached to RADEON X600 256MB HyperMemory

Wblind.dll 2006/03/21 13:33:46
Wbsrv.dll 2006/02/05 12:58:22
Wbconfig.exe 2006/03/19 14:33:44
Wbload.exe 2006/03/13 17:54:12
Wbhelp.dll 2004/09/18 16:37:00
Wbui.dll 2005/12/06 21:29:06
Tray.dll 2005/11/02 13:28:26

Event Type: Information
Event Source: Application Popup
Event Category: None
Event ID: 26
Date: 7/30/2006
Time: 8:57:43 PM
User: N/A
Computer: XXXXXXXX
Description:
Application popup: svchost.exe - Application Error : The instruction at "0x77ea392d" referenced memory at "0x77ea392d". The memory could not be "written".

Click on OK to terminate the program
Click on CANCEL to debug the program

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.

Good luck and let us know....

I said I would. Again, I unloaded WB for a week and saw NO error messages. I loaded WB and the next day I got the familiar shutdown error above. This only "proves' that this error is associated with WB on this system. It doesn't prove anything about WB. What to do now?. I've spent too much time with this issue already. I think I'll unload WB for now, and when the next non-beta build or better yet version is released, I'll uninstall this one and install the latest release. If I still get these errors, that will be proof enough, for me, that the issue is not caused by WB, or I'd see many more post about it than what I'm currently seeing. justforlooks

The instruction at "0x77ea392d" referenced memory at "0x77ea392d".

I don't know what the heck I'm talking about, I'm just curious: it looks like the instruction is trying to reference itself, the addresses are the same. That can't be right?

Looks like some application is trying to create a popup
("Event Type: Information
Event Source: Application Popup)

Anyway of figuring out which application is trying to do that? I know there is a way to look in the svchost list at the command prompt if you know which svchost is messing up. I have several in my process list.

btw, if I could reference myself, I'd never leave the house. ha ha.

I've seen this same error message on shutdown for several months now. I think maybe since I set this computer up. It usually just closes itself and then the screen blanks but once in a while I have to click OK. This computers pretty new (HP Media Center PC) and never had any Windowblinds but version 5 and I've gotten so used to that error message I didn't even think about it till I saw this thread. It doesn't seem to "hurt" anything and I've not missed any data. I've always attributed it to the ATI X1600 Pro PCIE that I installed the day I set it up, but Gary's comments made me think I might be off base.

I DO have an HP 6980 printer but it's almost brand new and it's got one of those automatic update programs running as a process. I am familiar with processes and I don't have any I can't account for. I think I'll look thru Autoruns and shelve that process for a while and see if I still have the error message.

don't know what the heck I'm talking about,

werewolf and Lantec, if not already obvious, I'm new to skinning and don't know what the heck I'm talking about either. I'm just posting my experience so OP might somehow benefit. In Task Manager/Processes five svchost.exe are listed, one LOCAL SERVICE, two SYSTEM, and two NETWORK SERVICE. With nothing open there are thirty two processes listed. This is a Dell E510 Dual Core Processor. I don't have an answer for your question. I put in a ticket last Monday and sent a bunch of stuff to Stardock Technical Support, five Event Log reports, tasklist.log file from their enumerate_task.bat, and the output file from running dxdiag. Yesterday they told me thanks for all the information and have a nice weekend - the ticket's on hold. Like I stated previously, I've never seen this error prior to WB and I don't recall it occuring with "older" skins that didn't use per-pixel skinning. I'm using Ecliz_Deluxe and aerial. It doesn't happen on every shut down, maybe like every third - sometimes back to back. Just guessing, I disabled the Ati HotKey Poller service yesterday. Still waiting to see if it makes a difference. Seems like this error is a little more prevalent than what I thought. Be nice if a new non-beta build or version was released that made this nuisance go away.

WindowBlinds 5.1 System Information Report:

STATUS : WB+ SRV+ HLP+ UI+ TRAY+

WindowBlinds is installed correctly on this PC.

WindowBlinds appears to be activated on this PC

Your machine supports per pixel borders on WindowBlinds skins.

You have one monitor in total.

(Plug and Play Monitor) 1 is attached to RADEON X600 256MB HyperMemory

Wblind.dll 2006/10/09 10:24:20
Wblind64.dll 2006/10/09 11:51:37
Wbsrv.dll 2006/10/09 10:40:18
Wbconfig.exe 2006/10/10 16:39:13
Wbload.exe 2006/03/13 17:54:14
Wbhelp.dll 2004/09/18 16:37:07
Wbui.dll 2005/12/06 21:29:06
Tray.dll 2006/04/13 17:29:23

Event Type: Information
Event Source: Application Popup
Event Category: None
Event ID: 26
Date: 11/12/2006
Time: 9:12:08 PM
User: N/A
Computer: xxxxxxxxx
Description:
Application popup: svchost.exe - Application Error : The instruction at "0x77deb3cb" referenced memory at "0x77deb3cb". The memory could not be "written".

I thought I'd try WindowBlinds 5.1.009 and see if it worked on this machine, but again Windows froze at shutdown. No error message on screen but I found it in the event viewer above. I could, however, with this version unload WB and shutdown without any trouble. Then I thought I'd put the Stardock Folder in the Exclusion list of NOD32's AMON (auto protect) and try to shutdown without unloading WB first and, voila, no errors, shutdown normal. Didn't take time to check if this "fix" had been posted before. Maybe someone else benefits, justforlooks

Spoke too soon, error is back, removing WB.

I am getting the same error after installing google's crazy browser. Is therea fix for it or am I gonna have to uninstall the borwser. I only get the error when shutting down. Does it matter if that's the only time? I like the browser and i have a need for a third browser. I have firefox and IE7 and I am running WinXP professional on this machine.