Sql IO error message using multiple monitors which got accidentally unplugged

RootsMagic
1

Sorry but I neglected to write down the error code.

I have a laptop and additionally 2 monitors. I open Rootsmagic 11 on my right hand monitor. Today, I accidentally kicked the plug for the monitors so of course everything went black. After I got it plugged back in, everything displayed as I had before unplugging, including RM. I went into RM and attempted to edit a person and got the Sql IO error (again, sorry didn’t write down the code). I had to use task manager to close RM. I brought it back up again, and everything appears to be fine.

My question is why would I get an error? My laptop was still running fine (didn’t unplug it), so I don’t understand why I had an issue with RM when the monitors were plugged back in. I didn’t have an issue with Google Chrome which was the other program running on that same monitor. On my left monitor I have Edge with familysearch.org open and didn’t have an issue with that.

Thanks for the insight.

2

sounds like the computer maybe have been triggered by something other than monitor cord alone.

Any time you get any type of error while running RM – always best to close RM and then run open then run DB tools – some errors it can be a good idea to also reboot computer. The error was likely generate because RM sensed a power blip-- this would depend on why type of connection the computer (Display port, HMDI, or Thunderbolt etc)

RM sense something may have good wrong – or it the error could have been a coincidence and related to to something else.

1 Like
3

Well. this happened again today. I needed to step away from my computer for a short time period. THIS time I moved RM to my laptop monitor. Then closed my laptop. When I returned, I moved RM from the laptop monitor to my right hand monitor. Tried to do something and got the I/O error again. NO power was cut off. Had to shut down RM via task manager. Sorry, this shouldn’t happen. The next time I will screen print the error and open an incident with RM to look into this.

4

What are you power settings when closing laptop? Does it sleep or do other power saving options? (especially tied to closing the lid)

5

It is ‘sleep’. I understand where you are going with this, but since no other programs halt when this happens, I don’t see why RM would get an I/O error from this. Shouldn’t it follow the same process as other programs when the laptop is ‘sleeping’?

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well we have not really established RM is the blame only that your laptop was running RM when it went to sleep – here is what AI said (note AI can provide info that is not fully correct or correct for you) – this one stood out to me as I said originally related to power management - I am not certified repair person but problem solve technical problems***
"***…If the drive fails to wake up fast enough—or wakes up in a confused state—any running program trying to read or write data will throw an I/O error."

An I/O (Input/Output) error after a Windows 11 laptop resumes from sleep almost always means the operating system suddenly lost contact with the storage drive (SSD or HDD) where the program or its data is located.

When a laptop goes to sleep, Windows tries to place hardware into a low-power state. When it wakes up, it expects everything to snap back to attention instantly. If the drive fails to wake up fast enough—or wakes up in a confused state—any running program trying to read or write data will throw an I/O error.

Here are the most common culprits and how to fix them:

1. Aggressive NVMe/SSD Power Management (Most Common)

Modern Windows 11 laptops use aggressive power-saving states (like Link State Power Management or APST for NVMe drives). If the drive enters a deep sleep state, it might fail to initialize fast enough upon waking, causing Windows to think the drive was physically disconnected.

  • The Fix: Change your power plan settings.

    1. Search for Control Panel → Power Options → Change plan settings → Change advanced power settings.

    2. Expand PCI Express → Link State Power Management and set “On battery” and “Plugged in” to Off or Moderate power savings.

    3. If you have an Intel-based laptop, look for Intel Rapid Storage Technology (RST) or Intel Optane Memory and Storage Management in your start menu and disable “Link Power Management” within that app.

2. Outdated SSD Firmware

If you have a newer NVMe SSD, its internal controller runs firmware that manages sleep states. Manufacturers frequently release firmware updates specifically to fix “wake from sleep” crashes and I/O lockups.

  • The Fix: Determine your SSD manufacturer (Samsung, Western Digital, Crucial, Kingston, etc.). Download their official software utility (e.g., Samsung Magician, WD Dashboard) and check for a firmware update for your drive.

3. Outdated Storage Controller Drivers

Windows 11 might be using a generic Microsoft driver to talk to your motherboard’s storage controller, or an older OEM driver that isn’t fully compatible with modern Windows 11 modern standby states.

  • The Fix: Visit the support website for your specific laptop manufacturer (Dell, Lenovo, HP, ASUS, etc.), enter your service tag/serial number, and update the Chipset drivers and Storage/SATA/NVMe drivers.

4. Fast Startup Corruption

Windows 11 uses a feature called “Fast Startup,” which mixes traditional shutdown with a hibernation file to boot up faster. Sometimes, this file or the power state image gets corrupted, leading to strange device behavior after a sleep cycle.

  • The Fix: Try disabling Fast Startup to see if the issue vanishes.

    1. Go to Control Panel → Power Options → Choose what the power buttons do.

    2. Click Change settings that are currently unavailable at the top.

    3. Uncheck Turn on fast startup, save changes, and restart the laptop.

5. The Program is Running Off an External Drive or Network

If the program or the files it is accessing live on an external USB hard drive, an SD card, or a network share, Windows almost always cuts power to USB ports and network adapters during sleep.

  • The Fix: When the laptop wakes up, Windows takes a few seconds to re-mount USB devices and reconnect to Wi-Fi. If the program attempts an automated read/write operation the exact split-second the laptop wakes up before those connections are re-established, it will trigger an I/O error. Try moving the program’s working directory to the internal drive to see if it stops.

How to Check the “Smoking Gun”

To confirm if the drive itself is dropping offline, you can check the Windows Event Viewer:

  1. Right-click the Start button and select Event Viewer.

  2. Expand Windows Logs and click on System.

  3. Look for Warning or Error logs around the exact time the laptop woke up.

  4. Look for source names like Disk, Ntfs, storahci, or nvme. If you see errors saying “The device, \Device\Harddisk0\DR0, has a bad block” or “A parity error was detected on \Device\RaIdPort0”, the drive is definitely failing to wake up properly.

7

one other thing you could do is to check out the Windows Reliability Monitor — this might point

you to specific causes/reasons for such errors

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Thanks for the suggestions.

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adding as why RM would be more likely to be affected – if the Database is open that is a open connected-- that might matter more and be more likely to by impacted by those power options. Unlike a word processor, excel or webrowser – databases like RM use db-wal or .db-shm files.

I am not technician but I would be worrried about Windows telling RootsMagic a write operation was successful, but the drive goes to sleep or drops offline before that data actually moves from the drive’s hardware cache to the physical platters or flash cells, the database can end up in a malformed state. This is not really the programs fault and about user not understanding what happens when computers sleep and/or go into power saving modes

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I looked up the ‘smoking gun’ what shows for the error at that time is: Source - Distributed Com, with Event ID 10010 and Task Category of None. When I click on one of these the General Tab has: “The server {AB8902B4-09CA-4BB6-B78D-A8F59079A8D5} did not register with DCOM within the required timeout.”

Of course I have no idea what this is. :grin: But here is the AI summary:

AI Summary

To understand Event ID 10010 related to System Restore, consider the following points:

  • Event ID 10010 indicates a timeout error in the DCOM (Distributed Component Object Model) service.
  • It typically occurs when a system component fails to respond within the expected time frame.
  • This event can affect the functionality of System Restore and other system services.
  • Common causes include corrupted system files or issues with installed applications.
  • To troubleshoot, run the System File Checker (SFC) to repair corrupted files.
  • Check for updates or reinstall problematic applications that may be causing the issue.
  • Review the Event Viewer for additional error details to pinpoint the source.
  • If necessary, consider restoring the system to a previous state before the issue occurred.
2 Likes
11

I might also try checking the Windows Reliability monitor as that is usually less cryptic than the Event Viewer
You might want to use Google or AI to figure out best ways to use

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12

My Google AI search does not mention System Restore. That is typically only run by the user or as part of a programmed concerted effort to revert Windows system files and settings to a prior state.

My Google AI search about your DCOM event returns the following:

This DCOM error signifies a timeout issue with the Windows Thumbnail Cache Class Factory, meaning your system failed to register the image/file preview handler within the expected time. Fortunately, this is typically a benign, non-harmful warning and can often be safely ignored.

If you are experiencing slow file loading, sluggish performance, or you simply want to clear the error log, you can utilize the following solutions:

1. Run System File Checker (SFC) If this error is caused by corrupted system files, the built-in Windows utility can repair them.

-Open the Start Menu, type cmd, right-click Command Prompt, and select Run as administrator.
-Type sfc /scannow and press Enter.
-Wait for the scan to finish, then restart your PC.

2. Check for Problematic Files This specific GUID is often triggered by broken or corrupted thumbnail files (such as empty PDFs in temporary folders) or third-party extensions constantly forcing thumbnail generation.

-If you have software installed that alters how files are previewed (like PowerToys), try temporarily disabling or uninstalling it to see if the errors stop.
-Clear your temporary files (via Win + R and temp / %temp%) to ensure no broken temporary caches are causing the system to hang.

3. Adjust DCOM Security Permissions If the error happens frequently and you want to ensure the appropriate permissions are set for this component, you can configure it via the Component Services console:

-Press Win + R, type dcomcnfg, and press Enter to open Component Services.
-Navigate to Component Services > Computers > My Computer > DCOM Config.
-You can right-click the empty space or component list and check the COM security to ensure that LOCAL SERVICE and SYSTEM have Launch and Activation permissions.
1 Like
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It says ‘RootsMagic stopped working’. No kidding :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

14

Computers/laptops go to more things to “save power” and earn Energy efficient ratings.

If your laptop is plugged in most of the the I might try reducing the power saving plan (such hard drive) That might not change things but to rule out