"msfeedssync.exe application error" after XP repair

Hello,

I recently repaired my installation of XP Home SP3 after the fonts became unreadable (symbols were taking the place of letters). I decided to do a "repair" install via the my XP Home SP3 disk. Now, XP goes on a continuous loop of msfeedssync.exe errors and refuses to fully load. Also, i cannot load into safe mode because the OS requires the normal boot process to to input the activation code before anything else. I have dual OSs loaded into my comp if that helps the fixing process any.

Ask away if there's any more details that you require.

Thanks in advance

Can you boot into the other O/S installed?

Why this mention of "activation code"? Are you getting messages indicating that you need to activate Windows?

Louis

Hi Louis,

Yes i can get in the other OS just fine.

The "repair" install apparently requires me to re-apply the serial numbers when a repair is done. I have my activation code (the series of numbers on the COA for windows activation) with me but i can't get in the OS to type it in.

I think I understand...the repair install does not complete and the license code is required when doing a repair install.

FWIW: You are not in Windows when doing a repair install or any other type of install...you cannot install Windows from within Windows.

Depending on what the original problem was...a repair install may not overcome it.

Let's start at the beginning of your problems.

What symptoms did the system display...and why did you think a repair install would overcome such?

Did you run a chkdsk /r on the troubled install?

Did you run a hard drive diagnostic on the hard drive before attempting repair?

Is there any reason to suspect that your system is infected with malware?

Louis

Sorry if I'm being to brief or inconcise with my responses. I'll try to answer/clarify per questions/statements you wrote:


"I think I understand...the repair install does not complete and the license code is required when doing a repair install."


Yes, the repair install completed. There was an option to type in the activation code during the install but i skipped it because it was late and wanted to just continue in the morning and I didn't want to look for my XP box so late.

To the best of my memory, you can install XP and do the activation after the install as it is now prompting me. I can only assume it's not an immediate necessity since it did complete the repair install. It did, however, ask me to install my SATA drivers somewhere along the way.


"FWIW: You are not in Windows when doing a repair install or any other type of install...you cannot install Windows from within Windows."


Yes, I was not in windows (alternate OS or screwy OS) during the install. I used my XP CD to do the install from the boot. As you mentioned, you cannot install the OS from within the OS.



"Depending on what the original problem was...a repair install may not overcome it.

Let's start at the beginning of your problems.

What symptoms did the system display...and why did you think a repair install would overcome such?"


My original problem was that, for some reason, all my letters in the OS changed to some set of symbols. Otherwise, the OS worked fine as i was still able to navigate parts of it from my memory and from the icons. I gave up as it was worse than trying to figure out an OS in another language.

I wish i could find the link wherein someone stated that they were able to reset their fonts via "repair install".

"Did you run a chkdsk /r on the troubled install?"

No, i did not.

"Did you run a hard drive diagnostic on the hard drive before attempting repair?"

Yes I did via HD Tune Pro 4.60 or 4.61 and Seagate SeaTools quick diagnostics. A full slew of diagnostics (sector checks, SMART diagnostics, speed, etc). All reported that the drive was in good working order. I also did an "SFC /SCANNOW" from within the CMD window and that completed without any problems as well. I think that the CMD window was the only part left in the OS that was in English.

"Is there any reason to suspect that your system is infected with malware?"

Not to my knowledge. I suspect it may have been because of cleaning my OS with Comodo System Cleaner but, I can't say for certain. Also, I used updated Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware, MS Security Essentials, and SUPERAntiSpyware to do full scans before and after just to double check.


This link may also clarify what i did: Windows Repair Install. Scroll down to the portion that mentions "XP Repair install".

I hope this clarifies my situation better.

It's late where I'm at. I'll get some sleep for now then I'll continue to correspond as soon as i can.

Thank you for your assistance Louis

Any suggestions?

FWIW: The short diagnostic...is, IMO, less exhaustive and reliable than the long diagnostic offered via SeaTools.

I suggest running it.

Louis

Done. It passed as well with the long test in SeaTools.


Log:

SMART - Pass 7/29/2011 1:59:46 PM
Short DST - Started 7/29/2011 2:00:32 PM
Short DST - Pass 7/29/2011 2:01:19 PM
SMART - Pass 8/12/2011 7:10:23 AM
SMART - Pass 9/14/2011 3:14:57 PM
Short DST - Started 9/14/2011 3:16:12 PM
Short DST - Pass 9/14/2011 3:17:02 PM
Long Generic - Started 9/17/2011 10:05:27 PM
Long Generic - Pass 9/17/2011 11:11:27 PM

Let's see if someone else here has an idea.

Louis

Could you read this article.
http://www.ehow.com/how_7403222_fix-msfeedssync_exe-application-error.html

You ran a Seagate Tools test, but do you have a Seagate Model hard drive? If not then can you get that information and post the exact model number of your drive. Should be accessible via the BIOS Setup Screen via the key for your BIOS. You can also get this information from the other OS, and if you tell us what that OS is then we can tell you what commands to run to get that information.

Also please read the following: What is MS Feeds Sync?. You can disable it. But what it sounded to me is that your OS some how got corrupted either via malware or a windows update / removal gone wrong such as what happens during a power outage if your computer exhibited a non-clean restart or shutdown.

Did you experience any sort of power issues that you are aware of, and also is this a lap top or a desktop?

I have seen and experienced weird system issues that made me think a hard drive was the cause, but in the end it turned out to be corrupted memory. Memory can go bad for various reasons that is dependent upon the environment the computer is in. Typical use of a computer and constant powering on and off can bring electronic equipment that experienced bad quality control and testing at the factory to go bad also mishandling can cause this issue as well, so with that said please do the following and post the results:

How to Test your RAM

Guide Overview

The purpose of this guide is to teach you how to check whether your system's RAM (Ramdom Access Memory) is working properly. Bad RAM can lead to a whole host of problems, often which do not appear to have a single cause -- appearing as systemwide glitches, blue screens, and other system trouble. MemTest86+ provides a very good detection mechanism for failed RAM, and is about as good a test you get short of actually replacing the module itself.

Tools Needed
Please perform these steps from a separate, working, machine.

• Download MemTest86+, and unzip it to your desktop.
• Burn the image file to a CD, as an image file. If you're unsure how to do this, see the How to Burn an ISO File tutorial.

Perform these steps on the problem machine.

• Put your CD in the drive and configure your machine to boot to the CD. This is different on all machines, but it's usually by pressing F12 or F10 as your system boots, and selecting either "CDROM" or your cdrom drive. If you are unable to force a CDRom boot, reply with the make and model of your machine and I should be able to get you exact instructions.
• If you've done it correctly, MemTest86+ will start to run automaticly, as shown below:
  
• If you want to be reasonably your RAM is OK, then allow MemTest to run until you see this message:
  
  
  On the other hand, if you want to be completely sure your RAM is OK, allow MemTest to run overnight. Memtest will run forever until power is pulled on the machine.
• Check the MemTest screen for any reported errors. Errors will appear as RED warnings at the bottom of the screen, similar to the following screenshot:
  
• Hard-Reset the machine, removing the MemTest disk in the process.

If you didn't get an error screen, Congratulations!

Compliments of Billy O'Neal.

@abauw,

Thanks for the response. I've seen a solution similar to your link but I can't even get the OS to boot past login until i activate it, not even safe mode.

@cryptodan,

You ran a Seagate Tools test, but do you have a Seagate Model hard drive? If not then can you get that information and post the exact model number of your drive. Should be accessible via the BIOS Setup Screen via the key for your BIOS. You can also get this information from the other OS, and if you tell us what that OS is then we can tell you what commands to run to get that information.


Yes, it is a Seagate drive. I intentionally omitted that portion in the log as i didn't think it was necessary.

Also please read the following: What is MS Feeds Sync?. You can disable it. But what it sounded to me is that your OS some how got corrupted either via malware or a windows update / removal gone wrong such as what happens during a power outage if your computer exhibited a non-clean restart or shutdown.

Did you experience any sort of power issues that you are aware of, and also is this a lap top or a desktop?

Yeah, I'm pretty sure something got corrupted during the repair install portion. Prior to the repair, the OS was running fine except for the the font issue. Now the fonts seem fixed from log on, but the msfeedssync.exe error just keeps on looping after i log in.

No, there were no power fluctuations or outages during usage at any time. As I mentioned earlier in one of my posts, the OS was working fine except for the font issue.

It's a desktop.


I have seen and experienced weird system issues that made me think a hard drive was the cause, but in the end it turned out to be corrupted memory. Memory can go bad for various reasons that is dependent upon the environment the computer is in. Typical use of a computer and constant powering on and off can bring electronic equipment that experienced bad quality control and testing at the factory to go bad also mishandling can cause this issue as well, so with that said please do the following and post the results:

Yes, it's quite rare in my experience but, memory can be the culprit weather through improper settings or faulty hardware. I just upgraded the ram in the desktop system about 2 months ago and tested it then with MemTest86+. I always keep it handy in a flash drive if it's not available in the BIOS. It ran fine then as it still does now. I'm currently using the desktop with the second OS.

I'll run it anyway and post the results. Although, I'm pretty sure it's a software issue I'm experiencing or my second OS would most probably be affected as well.

Would you know if there's a way to bypass that process to load the remainder of the OS?

Thanks

What I find strange about your problem is usually Windows XP can boot and run for 30 days without activation.

The issue you may run into during a repair install is the request for your Windows product key and I have seen the install proceed when CANCEL was clicked on when the Windows product key was requested.

In a case like that, there is a registry edit that can be made, so windows will proceed, but you have to be able to get into the windows registry, to make the edit.

Here is the instructions:

At the enter your product key page, do a keyless installation (do not enter a key).
Once you have reached the desktop, click Start, type: CMD
Right click CMD, click ‘Run as administrator’
At the command prompt, type, regedit
Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersionsetup/OOBE/mediabootinstall
changed its value to 0
Go back to the Command Prompt, type the following:
slmgr /rearm
Restart the pc and use the activate windows to re-enter my product key

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


If you have trouble activating Windows XP, Vista or 7 open the Windows Activation Wizard to use the automated telephone system and activate Windows:

1. Click Start, then in the Search box type: slui.exe 4
2. Press ENTER on your Keyboard
3. Select your Country.
4. Select the Phone Activation option, then hold for a real person.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


At the enter your product key page, do a keyless installation (do not enter a key).
Once you have reached the desktop, click Start, type: CMD
Right click CMD, click ‘Run as administrator’
At the command prompt, type, regedit
Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersionsetup/OOBE/mediabootinstall
changed its value to 0
Go back to the Command Prompt, type the following:
slmgr /rearm
Restart the pc and use the activate windows to re-enter your product key

Then do a phone activation and explain your situation:

Activate Windows XP, Vista, 7 manually:
1. Click Start, and in the Search box type : slui.exe 4

2. Press ENTER on your Keyboard

3. Select your Country.
4. Select the Phone Activation option, and hold on for a real person.

Hope that helps.

Bruce.

Apologies for the delayed response,

@cryptodan
Checked the memory using memtest and no problems as I had suspected.


@MrBruce1959

I'd like to try the 1st solution but i can't even get into the desktop. I get prompted to enter my password and the error loop starts and never gets to the desktop. Visually, all i see is the wallpaper and that's about it.

Is there a way i can edit the registry using a another Win OS? I have W7 loaded as my alternate OS in the same machine.