Is it normal for a REAPER crash to take down the computer?

I realize that this is not Reapers fault, but it is so frustrating trying to get work done. Every action is a crap shoot. Event Type: Error Event Source: Application Error Event Category: None Event ID: 1000 Date: 6/22/2009 Time: 10:24:39 PM User: N/A Computer: KITCHEN Description: Faulting application reaper.exe, version 3.0.4.0, faulting module readelay.dll, version 0.0.0.0, fault address 0x00004dcc. Event Type: Error Event Source: Application Error Event Category: None Event ID: 1000 Date: 6/21/2009 Time: 7:57:34 PM User: N/A Computer: KITCHEN Description: Faulting application reaper.exe, version 3.0.4.0, faulting module cabenhance final 104.dll, version 0.0.0.0, fault address 0x0021d759. Event Type: Error Event Source: Application Error Event Category: None Event ID: 1000 Date: 6/18/2009 Time: 11:45:33 PM User: N/A Computer: KITCHEN Description: Faulting application reaper.exe, version 3.0.0.2, faulting module reaper_wave.dll, version 0.0.0.0, fault address 0x0000a656. The list goes on and on. It's always a different plugin. I believe that it is my Realtek onboard sound like I am being told, but it still sucks. I understand that it is the plugin/hardware combination that is doing it. What I can't understand is why Reaper doesn't handle it gracefully. Perhaps someone can explain why it can't handle it gracefully. I am a programmer, so I will understand a technical description. Why don't I buy a sound card? Good question. Why don't I use my MBox 2? Another good question.

Event Type: Error Event Source: Application Error Event Category: None Event ID: 1000 Date: 6/22/2009 Time: 11:16:04 PM User: N/A Computer: KITCHEN Description: Faulting application reaper.exe, version 3.0.4.0, faulting module amplitubefender.vpa, version 0.0.0.0, fault address 0x00116ba5.

running out of RAM?

low memory conditions are always weird, though - how do you open a 'something bad' happened messagebox/logfile entry if you have no RAM free? i think the logic is: basically, when you get to that point, you're screwed. exception handling probably won't save you. i'm pretty sure it is possible to wrap VSTs in safety code (from memory, psycle, an open source tracker i helped out on a few years back, replaced malfunctioning VSTs with dummy plugins on-the-fly), but there's a pretty big performance penalty (i think?), and there's no guarantee the VST hasn't overwritten data somewhere else in the program before it crashed.

Just adding further confirmation that increasing the memory solved my random plugins crashing problem. Hope this helps anyone else that experiences the same symptoms. Sincere thanks to those who helped me out here. Points are awarded to dub3000.