[cmp1988]

The window in question is the Windows Explorer one. Everytime I click close, I get a message telling me that Windows Explorer stopped working or something. Anyway, it restarts on its own. This happens every time that I click close on a Windows Explorer windows. I have a feeling it's the new Windows Update that just finished installing. I've attached the Update History copy below.

Update for Microsoft XML Core Services 4.0 Service Pack 2 (KB941833)

Installation date: ‎22/‎05/‎2008 12:07 AM

Installation status: Successful

Update type: Recommended

This update resolves reliability and application compatibility issues in Microsoft XML Core Services 4.0 Service Pack 2. By installing this update, you can achieve better reliability and application compatibility. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer. Once you have installed this item, it cannot be removed.

More information: 
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=100281

Help and Support: 
http://support.microsoft.com

[Rollin' Rog]

The easiest way to test would be to uninstall the update or just do a System Restore.

Using System Restore will not cause you to lose any data and could be undone if desired.

[cmp1988]

Uninstalling update didn't work, and I don't have any restore points from before. Antivirus and AntiSpyware keep coming up clean. I'm using SP1 if it helps.

[cmp1988]

This problem doesn't happen in Safe Mode, now I'll have to find out what it is that's causing this. HJT comes up clean as well, as in nothing out of the ordinary.

[Rollin' Rog]

Try "Clean Boot" Troubleshooting:

Run msconfig and select the "Services" tab. Check "Hide Microsoft Services" and then disable the rest. Also uncheck "load startup group" on the general page.

See this link for detailed information:


http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929135 << for Vista, but applies equally to XP, and better written.

Now restart and test the issue at hand

If no problems, run msconfig and recheck half the disabled items on the Services tab. Test again. If the problem recurs, UNcheck half the items you just checked to narrow down the culprit.

If the problem didn't occur, check the other half, so all the Services are enabled -- proceed to do this on the startup tab as well.

Get the idea? You want to isolate the problem to a specific startup if possible.

Note: if you already have items unchecked under msconfig > startups and are in “selective” startup mode – you should note what these are before beginning. They will need to be de-selected again.

[cmp1988]

problem still occurs on the clean boot, making every other step null and void.

[Rollin' Rog]

What hardware do you have attached to the system that would be disabled in Safe Mode but not in a clean boot?

Also, post a HijackThis scanlog -- not all startups visible there are disabled in a clean boot:

Download and install HijackThis. Run it and select "do a system scan and save the log file". Then copy/paste the contents of the log to a reply

http://www.trendsecure.com/portal/en...ols/hijackthis


Finally run eventvwr.msc and open both the System and Applications logs (Explorer errors witll be in the Applications log).

View the details of the repeating errors and copy representative samples to the clipboard for pasting here.

[cmp1988]

HJT Log

Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2
Scan saved at 12:01:02 AM, on 24/05/2008
Platform: Windows Vista SP1 (WinNT 6.00.1905)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v7.00 (7.00.6001.18000)
Boot mode: Normal

Running processes:
C:\Windows\Explorer.EXE
C:\Windows\system32\Dwm.exe
C:\Windows\system32\taskeng.exe
C:\Windows\vVX1000.exe
C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_05\bin\jusched.exe
C:\Program Files\Spyware Terminator\SpywareTerminatorShield.Exe
C:\Windows\System32\rundll32.exe
C:\Windows\System32\mobsync.exe
C:\Program Files\Avira\AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic\avgnt.exe
C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar\sidebar.exe
C:\Program Files\Digsby\digsby.exe
C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
C:\Windows\System32\mspaint.exe
C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://google.ca/
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant = 
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,CustomizeSearch = 
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar,LinksFolderName = 
O1 - Hosts: ::1 localhost
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {1CB20BF0-BBAE-40A7-93F4-6435FF3D0411} - C:\PROGRA~1\Crawler\Toolbar\ctbr.dll
O2 - BHO: Skype add-on (mastermind) - {22BF413B-C6D2-4d91-82A9-A0F997BA588C} - C:\Program Files\Skype\Toolbars\Internet Explorer\SkypeIEPlugin.dll
O2 - BHO: SSVHelper Class - {761497BB-D6F0-462C-B6EB-D4DAF1D92D43} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_05\bin\ssv.dll
O3 - Toolbar: &Crawler Toolbar - {4B3803EA-5230-4DC3-A7FC-33638F3D3542} - C:\PROGRA~1\Crawler\Toolbar\ctbr.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [VX1000] C:\Windows\vVX1000.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SunJavaUpdateSched] "C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_05\bin\jusched.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SpywareTerminator] "C:\Program Files\Spyware Terminator\SpywareTerminatorShield.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvMediaCenter] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\Windows\system32\NvMcTray.dll,NvTaskbarInit
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvCplDaemon] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\Windows\system32\NvCpl.dll,NvStartup
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [LifeCam] "C:\Program Files\Microsoft LifeCam\LifeExp.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [avgnt] "C:\Program Files\Avira\AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic\avgnt.exe" /min
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [amd_dc_opt] C:\Program Files\AMD\Dual-Core Optimizer\amd_dc_opt.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Sidebar] C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar\sidebar.exe /autoRun
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\Run: [Sidebar] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\Sidebar.exe /detectMem (User 'LOCAL SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\Run: [WindowsWelcomeCenter] rundll32.exe oobefldr.dll,ShowWelcomeCenter (User 'LOCAL SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-20\..\Run: [Sidebar] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\Sidebar.exe /detectMem (User 'NETWORK SERVICE')
O8 - Extra context menu item: Crawler Search - tbr:iemenu
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_05\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_05\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra button: Skype - {77BF5300-1474-4EC7-9980-D32B190E9B07} - C:\Program Files\Skype\Toolbars\Internet Explorer\SkypeIEPlugin.dll
O13 - Gopher Prefix: 
O18 - Protocol: skype4com - {FFC8B962-9B40-4DFF-9458-1830C7DD7F5D} - C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\Skype\SKYPE4~1.DLL
O18 - Protocol: tbr - {4D25FB7A-8902-4291-960E-9ADA051CFBBF} - C:\PROGRA~1\Crawler\Toolbar\ctbr.dll
O22 - SharedTaskScheduler: Windows DreamScene - {E31004D1-A431-41B8-826F-E902F9D95C81} - C:\Windows\System32\DreamScene.dll
O23 - Service: Acronis OS Selector Reinstall Service (AcronisOSSReinstallSvc) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Acronis\Acronis Disk Director\oss_reinstall_svc.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: Avira AntiVir Personal – Free Antivirus Scheduler (AntiVirScheduler) - Avira GmbH - C:\Program Files\Avira\AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic\sched.exe
O23 - Service: Avira AntiVir Personal – Free Antivirus Guard (AntiVirService) - Avira GmbH - C:\Program Files\Avira\AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic\avguard.exe
O23 - Service: InstallDriver Table Manager (IDriverT) - Macrovision Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\Driver\1050\Intel 32\IDriverT.exe
O23 - Service: NVIDIA Display Driver Service (nvsvc) - NVIDIA Corporation - C:\Windows\system32\nvvsvc.exe
O23 - Service: Spyware Terminator Realtime Shield Service (sp_rssrv) - Crawler.com - C:\Program Files\Spyware Terminator\sp_rsser.exe

--
End of file - 5074 bytes

Log Entries

General: Faulting application Explorer.EXE, version 6.0.6001.18000, time stamp 0x47918e5d, faulting module ctbr.dll_unloaded, version 0.0.0.0, time stamp 0x2a425e19, exception code 0xc0000005, fault offset 0x062ab70e, process id 0x908, application start time 0x01c8bd54137f0d79.

Details:Explorer.EXE 
   6.0.6001.18000 
   47918e5d 
   ctbr.dll_unloaded 
   0.0.0.0 
   2a425e19 
   c0000005 
   062ab70e 
   908 
   01c8bd54137f0d79

Looks like after seeing this I might know what it is. The Crawler TB install that came with Spyware Terminator.

[cmp1988]

Ladies and Gents, I have the solution!


It was the Crawler Toolbar not working right with Explorer.exe. The solution? I uninstalled it, and it worked nicely. Case Closed. Ty for the help Rollin' Rog. Since I now know of the event viewer, I was able to pin point it out.

[Rollin' Rog]

Good to hear, yeah I guess if it was an IE problem the clean boot would not have gotten it. Had I known that I would just told you to try running IE in "no addons" mode and that would have have been the path to detection as well.

You're most welcome for the help.

[action123]

i had the same problem.

windows explorer (explorer.exe) crashed and restarted automatically whenever i closed the last open window like mycomputer, documents, folders etc.
i dont have any malware in my comp, its a windows issue here.

The following hotfix from micro$oft resolved the issue. just install it and the problem is gone.
(for windows xp with sp2)

direct link to hotfix

information on problem and hotfix

[Rollin' Rog]

That solution would only be for Windows XP SP1

STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section. This problem was first corrected in Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2.

Back to the top
APPLIES TO• Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition SP1