Finder still crashing in 8.6

[chrisharjo]

This is real frustrating, I have tried everything including reinstalling the OS and getting a different harddrive and reinstalling. I have changed the memory around and even tried using my PM 7300 finder still crashes. moved everything back to the to the PM 8600.  I did a PRAM clear using tech tool and increased the memory for the applications. Here is what the system profilers said about the memory before and after the PRAM clearing.
 before
Memory overview
   Disk cache:   7.96 MB
   Virtual memory:   is off
   Built-in memory:   384 MB
      Location            Size           Memory type
      A3                  64 MB            DIMM
      B3                     64 MB            DIMM
      A4                   128 MB            DIMM
      B4                    128 MB           DIMM
   Video memory:   15.96 MB   
   External L2 cache:   Not installed

After

Memory overview
   Disk cache:   7.96 MB
   Virtual memory:   is off
   Built-in memory:   384 MB
      Location            Size           Memory type
      B2                     64 MB           DIMM
      A2                     64 MB           DIMM
      B1                   128 MB           DIMM
      A1                   128 MB           DIMM
   Video memory:   15.96 MB   
   External L2 cache:   Not installed
I did not change the slots that is how the machine seen it the second one is the correct one.
Is the motherboard going down?

[krissel]

Few questions:

Did you apply the Font fix for 8.6?

Exactly at what point is the finder crashing? Just as it reaches the desktop? After using it for..?
Are there any items in the startup folder?

Did you try starting with Apple only extensions? Or disabled extensions?
Have you tried working for a while off your system CD? Does it crash then?

Do you have an ADB mouse that you can use instead of the USB one?

Failing all of that, I would remove all RAM and put in one chip at a time to see if you still get that problem. I know it's a lot of work but sometimes it is one little thing that is causing the problem and it takes time to find it.
Be sure to press the CUDA button (little red one) after playing with the RAM.  

Let's hope it is "a little thing" and not major hardware.  

[chrisharjo]

Thanks for the advice. I have a Interex ADB mouse that I use when I boot off the Norton cd I have. You know I never had a finder crash when I use the Norton cd. I install the font fix but I notice now that it crashs when I have a few programs open. Some of the programs stopped crashing the finder after I increased the memory for the program. I think I found a bad RAM chip, one of mine 128 megs as you see but the data I posted just shows the 2 that seem to be working ok. I added the finder fixer and increased the memory to the max on the control panel for the program. BTW where is that Cuda button? I have used it on the 7300 when I installed the CPU upgrade a couple of years ago, I will look again on the 8600. I will post  results tonite.

[krissel]

I think the 8600 motherboard is the same as the 9600 (which I have) so here is where the button is located on the 9600. It is red and only about a quarter inch wide.



If you don't get any crashes while using the Norton CD, try running the programs that do crash while booted on the Apple OS 9 set only and see what happens. If you run totally free of crashes it may be an extension problem.

You could be the unlucky victim of problem extensions AND bad RAM.