XP Pro - Windows Explorer Issue

[llatrel]

I've recently been having problems keeping Windows Explorer open. After a random period of a few minutes or so win explorer closes for no apparent reason. Computer was not touched in any manner, no screen savers launched, no apps or processes running in the background. It just closes by itself without any noticeable cause. Event viewer reports no errors. One other common variable, which makes me believe that my system isn’t the only one, is I have a notebook that has the exact same problem. So does anyone else have this problem? Does anyone know of or have a fix? Would appreciate any help.

Thanks

[NooNoo]

Have you run a virus scan, online?
How about a trojan scan and a spyware scan?

When it closes, do you get that nice apologetic message or does it just "reset itself"?

[llatrel]

Actually I've done virus updates & scans, adware updates & scans but this doesn't appear to be a virus or a spybot problem. It just resets the desktop (goes blank with only the wallpaper showing) and goes back to the main desktop displays. No error or malicious messages. There is one work around though. I've found if I go to My Computer and navigate through the drive and folders (which is basically windows explorer minus the folder view) I do not get this problem. Is anyone experiencing something like this or am I alone in this issue?

Thanks

[NooNoo]

Sounds like you're alone... however - have you tried replacing explorer.exe from the cd?

Run sfc /scannow ?

[dfilas]

We are having a similar issue on some of our PCs, although it has just affected a handful with no particular pattern. Rebooting seems to fix the problem for the short-term.

In our case, best we can figure out is that explorer.exe is crashing every 30 seconds exactly, which causes open explorer windows to close, and the taskbar to flicker as it reloads. To a user, it is merely a cosmetic irritation.

The only events generated is a 1002 event from source winlogon which say the shell terminated unexpectedly and explorer was restarted. drwtsn32.log states:

Application exception occurred:
App: C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.exe (pid=33760)
When: 10/27/2003 @ 09:20:44.796
Exception number: c0000005 (access violation)

But doesn't give us much to go on besides that. I find usually the first thread section tends to be the most helpful in detemining the offending process, in which case we have:

*----> State Dump for Thread Id 0x843c <----*

eax=00000007 ebx=00000000 ecx=77d440c6 edx=00000201 esi=0796fde4 edi=00000000
eip=719a5769 esp=0006fbd0 ebp=0006fbdc iopl=0 nv up ei pl nz na po nc
cs=001b ss=0023 ds=0023 es=0023 fs=0038 gs=0000 efl=00000206

*** ERROR: Symbol file could not be found. Defaulted to export symbols for C:\WINDOWS\WinSxS\x86_Microsoft.Windows.Common-Controls_6595b64144ccf1df_6.0.10.0_x-ww_f7fb5805\comctl32.dll -
function: comctl32!Ordinal384

So i suspect that comctl32.dll is having a severe attitude problem when this happens. Haven't come across any hits on Microsoft's KB yet, and such a wonderfully designed database it is. Half the time I can search for "microsoft" or "windows" and get zero hits! In any case, the WHY is a good question.

We also have intermittent winlogon.exe crashes which result in blue screens (and auto reboots), but I have strong suspicion that is from the nwgina.dll module of the netware client as it's debug info is a little more useful to me.

Short of opening more BSOD incidents with microsoft, we'll probably look at re-imaging the machines here eventually. Due to the work environment, that is not a practical and convenient solution to our issues but it may be something we will just have to do. These PCs are all identical in configuration and are brand new, so I am a more than upset that I have all these logon issues.

[NooNoo]

hmmm visual styles?

[fd7rick]

On my kids computer which is running Xp pro. I had a problem of the explorer would not open at all. Last night I logged as administrator in safe mode with network. Ran spybots and removed all spy ware from the machine. Set the home page for the internet to blank. Once I rebooted everything worked.

[fendi]

I have the same exact problem, Ill go to some sites (ae.com amctheatre.com) not much, like 1 out of 25, and all of a sudden it will close. No error, no ok button nothing just automatically close.
Can anyone help........

[Diver01]

Couple of questions here...

1. Have you tried to 'Repair' internet explorer?

2. Are you using Microsoft Virtual Machine or Sun?

3. IS Active X enabled?

I have read in a few places where certain web sites can cause this problem with Sun Java. If you are using Sun try using MSVM instead... Hope this helps.....

[confus-ed]

Noo, my dearest, can you work your magic on this thread, please ? ... most confusing !

I love it when threads get 'hijacked'

The original problem (the thread starter) is about EXPLORER.exe, the subsequent problem (Posted by fendi) is about IEXPLORER.exe i.e IE 6 or whatever, two different issues, maybe with 'similar' problems (though they look completely different to me), but nevertheless two seperate issues....

I'll venture that case 1, is down to chipset patches or lack of..

Case two .. well IE problems ... but if only certain sites, then pursue Driver01's line of thinking.

[NooNoo]

*NooNoo waves magic wand around ineffectually.....

You having a chipset patch day today Ed?

[confus-ed]

*NooNoo waves magic wand around ineffectually.....

You having a chipset patch day today Ed?

... it was indeed ... 8/10 computer owners said their technician prefered it to any other solution ...

must try harder... which one am I supposed to answer?

[Diver01]

Ok so I got Confus-ed...