Windows Vista / Google Chrome Browser closes immediately after opening. SOLUTION : Delete CyberLink YouCam software!

as these things go, what a swine to diagnose.

Father in law called me on Sunday to say his Windows Vista SP2 laptop would no longer open Chrome browser without it just closing again almost immediately.

A quick search gave me this thread
https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/chrome/FwgIERQmHxg%5B276-300-false%5D
looks tempting but its windows 7!

I went through a few things listed

no sandbox
disable gpu
create new profile etc

but none had any effect.

I also installed Chrome beta but no joy either.

Funnily if I used compatibility mode for XP Chrome remained open but didnt work for settings or web page retrieval !

In the end I finally came across this
https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/chrome/Tg9yp_NmQBA

uninstalled CyberLink YouCam via Control Panael, restart then

SUCCESS! unbelievably a recent auto update of Chrome doesnt play nice with CyberLink YouCam.(installed back when the PC was built)

I have no use for the YouCam software, so I'm at a loss if you need to keep it (maybe they have an update on their site but I havent checked,), but for me I only care about Chrome.

Go figure.

EDIT : i also found this thread. easy when you have the right search terms (i.e. cyberlink youcam ;-) )
https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/chrome/KJAp-EPlDDk