# DW problem

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dw-problem/122155>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 3, 2002, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dw-problem/122155 "2002-08-03T10:09:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Fizzgog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a4c791/32.png) [@Fizzgog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fizzgog)\
**Post date:** [August 3, 2002, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dw-problem/122155/1 "2002-08-03T10:09:25Z")

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When i turn on my computer,i get a box come up with a red circle and a white cross top left.It says that DW has performed an illegal operation and will shut down.If i click on details it says DW caused an invalid page fault in module DW.EXE at 0187:0043 122c.Underneath this is loads of letters and numbers.When i click ok,then i can carry on using my computer as normal.What is it?How do i correct it?

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**Author:** ![rsa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@rsa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsa)\
**Post date:** [August 3, 2002, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dw-problem/122155/2 "2002-08-03T12:19:53Z")

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DW.EXE is the Dr. Watson app that is suppossed to report on problems within Windows.

You may have a “parasite” according to this: [http://and.doxdesk.com/parasite/DownloadWare.html](http://and.doxdesk.com/parasite/DownloadWare.html)

Ad-Aware can remove this if that is your problem.