Explorer keeps crashing in a loop!

[simcon]

Ok, my problem is whenever i start up i get onto the desktop and it pops up:

"Windows Explorer has encountered a problem and needs to close.  We are sorry for the inconvienience"

I have tried clicking all the options, Explorer ends all iconds dissapear, it starts up again and the error pops up again.  A short time after that error pops up if i don't do anything and just drag it away, another error pops up:

Explorer. EXE - Application Errer

The instruction at "0x7e422cc5" referenced memory at "0x0350d400".  The memory could not be "read"

the numbers that are there change everytime (im pretty sure), i have also tried every option here but it keeps popping up.  These errors pop up as it is trying to load the icons on the desktop and most of them do not load.

I have looked everywhere on google, and a lot of people have this problem but i cant seem to find a solution, I HAVE TRIED REPLACING RAM, that does not work.

One last thing, our router broke so we replaced it and just after we replaces it this error did not pop up  :-?

If someone could help me it would be much appreciated.

Thanks

[VaKo]

Windows problem, backup and reinstall.

[digip]

What OS? XP, Vista, etc.

I had seen this same problem on a persons Vista laptop they brought to me to fix. When it comes up for the explorer crash, do a ctrl+alt+delete and manually cancel explorer.exe from running and do not let it restart. Then, with task manager open, do a File (New Task Run) and type in msconfig. Check to see what is in your startup programs with msconfig. Make a note of these programs because one of them may be a rouge program and you will want to see which one to remove later.

Then bring up the run prompt again and start a sys restore with "%SystemRoot%system32restorerstrui.exe" to bring up the System Restore program. Go back to a date prior to the problem and restore it to that date. You may have to go back a few dates if needed. Then scan for virii and other malware. All else fails, format and reinstall windows but even a backup might bring the problem back if something you have is infected or one of your recent installs of something is causing a conflict.

Restart, but start in Safe Mode this time. Go back into msconfig after the restore and see if any of the programs are now missing from before. Then search for the missing program and scan it for infection. If none are different, then you probably installed something that was bad or corrupted the system files, but there is still no garuntee that your system is not compromised, although I would do a full scan (maybe even do a complete reinstall of your virus scanner software first, as it may have been disabled or settings changed to ignore specific malware) to check the system before going back online or doing anything else.

Not sure if its related, but you also might want to look at:

http://www.google.com/search?num=50&hl...com&spell=1

There are numerous things that might be causing it from the looks of that google search, the router or drivers for any attached hardware or programs installed might be at fault.

[nicatronTg]

I had the same problem with my XP desktop. Check for rouge service settings, like auto restart on service fail. Sometimes, these settings kill Explorer.EXE rapidly. Good luck, you'll need it.

[SomeoneE1se]

Windows problem, backup and reinstall.

[digip]

Windows problem, backup and reinstall.

And if it was somethign as simple as a driver conflict, or hardware conflict, like a printer OR THE ROUTER, why? At least try and diagnose the problem before wiping so you can prevent it from happening again, even if you do decide to reformat. Refomatting is like putting a bandaid on a cut that requires stiches, it's only a bandaid, its not a fix.

[SomeoneE1se]

No you have it backwards formating and installing is like getting the words best surgeon to replace the area with a skin graft and have it come up with no scars.  trying to fix a problem in windows is like trying to treat a broken arm with an ace bandage.  Yeah it might fix it but the arm will never heal right.

and if it is the router causing explorer.exe to crash you DON'T think windows needs to be reinstalled?!

[Shaun]

virii

Viruses.

[nicatronTg]

At least diagnose it to avoid the conflict in the future.

[VaKo]

Lets diagnose it then. Someone has a random error with a windows install that unless I'm corrected has probally been used for some time and/or had a bunch of random things installed and removed. They can't tell us specifically what series of events produced the error in the first place, but they want to be able to use windows again. Googling the error hasn't produced anything viable either.

The router won't do it, because its a seperate device that is just talking to it over Ethernet or wireless. The closest you could get to this would be a dodgey nic driver. It may be worth deleting the device and letting windows re-detect it, but this is a long shot in the dark.

If its a virus or malware, you may as well back up your data and reinstall. If the virus has broken one part of windows, its probally broken something else. In this case the only sure fix is reinstall. Yes, you can try and pick it out manually, but why bother? The OS install is worthless, the data is the money. Why waste your time salvaging something worthless? It takes a few hours to reinstall using a nlited windows disc setup the way you like, run the updates and install your apps. If you were even smarter, you would just re-image the HD.

If its a bad driver or application, then surely you would be able to say "I installed x, and it started doing y". In this case, it is likely that other people would have run across the same thing. You could try removing all the applications and drivers, then reinstalling them until something crops up again but isn't this tantermount to a reinstall anyway?

It could even be a hardware error, but in the time i've been playing with windows bad memory only seems to produce random errors and BSOD's. Bad chipsets etc seem to produce a specific error you can repeat, and will usually lead to a BSOD or a hung machine. This is a problem with the software running on the machine, as it doesn't match those patterns.

I've done hundreds of windows installs and fixes etc, geeky cool and hacker-ish my answer may not be, but it sure is faster than pissing around with a broken copy of windows. Reinstall windows with all the updates, latest drivers etc and see if it happens again.

[DLSS]

Windows problem, backup and reinstall.

And if it was somethign as simple as a driver conflict, or hardware conflict, like a printer OR THE ROUTER, why? At least try and diagnose the problem before wiping so you can prevent it from happening again, even if you do decide to reformat. Refomatting is like putting a bandaid on a cut that requires stiches, it's only a bandaid, its not a fix.

no actually its saying Fuck the cut ! lets replace the whole friggin arm !

[simcon]

Ok i have uploaded a screenshot to photobucket (desktop is bloody mess, so don't have a heart attack when you click on it lol)

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g173/sim...les/desktop.jpg

I am also going to list all of the things that are starting on startup as im pretty sure its one of them. I tried to shutdown and it didn't (nvm about that) and i went into task manager started ending tasks for fun (don't ask lol), logged off without shutting down then logged back in and no errors until i actually had to restart.

The things starting on startup are:

IMJMIG

TINTSETP

TINTSEPT

RTHCPL

ALCMTR

CPF

jusched

Reader_sl

KHALMNPR

mmtask

AAWTray

NvCpl

nwiz

NvMcTray

avgcc

QTTask

LWEMon

SSBkgdupdate

ISUSPM

issch

NeroCheck

ctfmon

msnmsgr

nTuneCmd

Logitech SetPoint

Mointer Apache Servers

Run Google Web Accelerator

AND THE ONES NOT TICKED ARE:

AAWTray

Conrade

fdm

iTunesHelper

msnmsgr

Steam

gnotify

That is everything and i hope i typed them all correctly lol. I would prefrebly not reinstall windows. Everyone is telling me it is a windows problem so couldn't i do a check of the files with the windows cd?

Thanks for helping

[Silva]

Does it crash in safe-mode? If it crashes in safe-mode that means your explorer.exe(or some random DLL it relies on) is probably infected with some PE virus. If it doesn't then it's probably safe to assume its one of the start up applications/some service that runs on start up or the router(not really sure how the router fits in, but I thought it is worth mentioning).

Edit:

PS: A cheap "bandage" fix, could be downloading an alternative desktop shell(not sure thats the correct terminology) for example http://bb4win.sourceforge.net/bblean/ and using that :p.

[DLSS]

dude sorry but regardless of  the problem , but just looking at that desktop that machine's begging for a clean install ....

generally u can approximate how much crap's on a machine by looking at how much crap's on the desktop.

i can guess the machine's mutilated by a bunch of bad apps and possibly malware and for that i must agree , your best move is to do a clean install ...

PS: A cheap "bandage" fix, could be downloading an alternative desktop shell(not sure thats the correct terminology) for example http://bb4win.sourceforge.net/bblean/ and using that :p.

on vista this (unfortunately is a no go :(

to quote the bb4win wiki :

Vista failed in everyzing so you cannot run any kind of external shell on this other than explorer.exe, retarded to say the least.

[nicatronTg]

AVG is out of date, a sure sign of OS neglect. Even if you fix the problem, you have set yourself up to bring it right back down again.

[VaKo]

So, its a Windows problem, back up your data and reinstall the fucking OS!

[simcon]

AVG is out of date, a sure sign of OS neglect. Even if you fix the problem, you have set yourself up to bring it right back down again.

no that was my fault, i let it update everyday but i didn't casue i couldn't be bothered just clicked cancel

So, its a Windows problem, back up your data and reinstall the fucking OS!

Ok id do that but its working for now :S. Really weird, if it keeps stuffing up again i will reinstall windows.

[Psyphon]

Windows problem, backup and reinstall.

That's such a noobie thing to say. Almost every OS problem regardless of platform can be fixed without a reinstall.

Talk about using a sledge hammer when a screwdriver will do.

[moonlit]

Windows problem, backup and reinstall.

That's such a noobie thing to say. Almost every OS problem regardless of platform can be fixed without a reinstall.

Talk about using a sledge hammer when a screwdriver will do.

Sledgehammer is quicker. If you're trying to get stuff done and you have a Windows problem, do you spend 3 days digging for an answer that might not even be there or do you spend 15 minutes imaging the drive so you can get back to what you were doing?

[SomeoneE1se]

Windows problem, backup and reinstall.

That's such a noobie thing to say. Almost every OS problem regardless of platform can be fixed without a reinstall.

Talk about using a sledge hammer when a screwdriver will do.

if someone drills a hole in your safe you don't cover it with putty and spray paint it the same color... you buy a fucking new safe. 

Only noobies don't know that

[moonlit]

Besides, what if it happened to be malware, you just pick the shit from the ass hairs and leave it? No, you pressure wash and walk away clean.

[digip]

..you just pick the shit from the ass hairs and leave it? No, you pressure wash and walk away clean.

"Now thats funny right there.."

[VaKo]

Windows problem, backup and reinstall.

That's such a noobie thing to say. Almost every OS problem regardless of platform can be fixed without a reinstall.

Talk about using a sledge hammer when a screwdriver will do.

Its not n00bish. I know I can repair windows with enough tinkering. However, I work in IT, and i've come to realize that getting something working again in the quickest way possible is usually more efficient and more productive. I've also used my entire life's quota of pissing about with broken Windows installs sometime back in the 90's. The only thing thats important about your PC is the data contained on  it.

In this case, and the many similar posts i've answered over the last 3 years here, we are dealing with a windows install that has probally not been right for some time. Starting with a clean slate and learning why installing every bit of random shite the Internet throws at you is A Bad Idea is probally a good start here.

Time is money, data is money, your crapped out install of windows is disposable.

[simcon]

Windows problem, backup and reinstall.

That's such a noobie thing to say. Almost every OS problem regardless of platform can be fixed without a reinstall.

Talk about using a sledge hammer when a screwdriver will do.

Its not n00bish. I know I can repair windows with enough tinkering. However, I work in IT, and i've come to realize that getting something working again in the quickest way possible is usually more efficient and more productive. I've also used my entire life's quota of pissing about with broken Windows installs sometime back in the 90's. The only thing thats important about your PC is the data contained on  it.

In this case, and the many similar posts i've answered over the last 3 years here, we are dealing with a windows install that has probally not been right for some time. Starting with a clean slate and learning why installing every bit of random shite the Internet throws at you is A Bad Idea is probally a good start here.

Time is money, data is money, your crapped out install of windows is disposable.

I agree with you and the clean reinstall, but i do not download every single piece of shit off the internet, I think that i know quite a lot about computers and i only download of websites i can trust and i usually do a virus scan once every couple of days. My desktop says otherwise but that because im way too lazy to clean it up.

[MRGRIM]

Gotta go with VaKo on this one Reinstall - at the very least an XP Repair or Install over the top (Not my choice - I'd do a clean install)