[Resolved] Runtime error in Windows XP

Hi.

I'm a big image fan and I have roughly 800 MB worth of pictures in 5 different subfolders under the My Pictures folder of My Documents in Windows XP. I enjoy the fact that XP allows files to be viewed as thumbnails so I can see my pics properly.

When I opened my computer this morning, however, without having done anything unusual the last time I used it, something was wrong. When I tried to fire up my Paint Shop Pro to edit an image, I got a run-time error and the program closed on its own. I attempted to get around that by going into My Pictures, using Open With and it worked. I was able to edit an image and save it to My Pictures. However, when I attempted to view My Pictures, the error had transferred to it.

I double-click on the folder and it opens for a second before the following message pops up:

Microsoft Visual ++ Runtime Library

Runtime Error!

Program:C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.exe

This application has requested Runtime to terminate it in an unusual way...

This now happens every time I try to view anything using thumbnails. Like, say I open my PSP (which works fine now, btw) then try to open a file in My Pictures. The moment the thumbnails show, the program shuts down. The same goes for saving pics in My Pictures.

I tried to do a system restore hoping it would correct the problem, but it didn't.

Is there a kind soul out there who can help me and tell me what to do? I'd be very grateful, really.

Thank you!

 

Welcome to TSG, elanor.

It sounds like this error is only associated with PSP and you may need to reinstall that.

Try right clicking on an image file you are having problems with and select "Properties". If it is set to open with PSP, try changing the setting to Internet Explorer and see if you still encounter the same errors. Try other images as well, not recently created through PSP

Also, can you give us a look at your startup programs using the StartupList application. Just download it from the site below and unzip and run it. Then copy/paste the results to a reply.

http://www.lurkhere.com/~nicefiles/

Some of these explorer/runtime errors seem to be caused by sofware conflicts.

 

It probably used to be a PSP error. But like I said, now it's transferred to the My Pictures folder. I can't even open it because the moment it does, the above error pops up and I'm forced to click Okay and the folder closes.

Here's the list:

StartupList report, 1/29/2003, 6:01:09 PM
StartupList version: 1.51
Started from : C:\Documents and Settings\Christine\Local Settings\Temp\Temporary Directory 1 for startuplist151.zip\StartupList.EXE
Detected: Windows XP (WinNT 5.01.2600)
Detected: Internet Explorer v6.00 (6.00.2600.0000)
* Using default options
==================================================

Running processes:

C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\System32\Ati2evxx.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\EPSON\EBAPI\SAgent2.exe
C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\navapsvc.exe
C:\Program Files\Norton Utilities\NPROTECT.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\slserv.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\SPEEDD~1\nopdb.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\MsPMSPSv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\atiptaxx.exe
C:\Program Files\Apoint2K\Apoint.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\EzButton\CPATR10.EXE
C:\PROGRA~1\NORTON~1\navapw32.exe
C:\Program Files\Winamp3\winampa.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\evntsvc.exe
C:\Program Files\Messenger Plus! Extension\MsgPlus.exe
C:\Program Files\Apoint2K\Apntex.exe
C:\Program Files\Winamp3\Studio.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\IEXPLORE.EXE
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\IEXPLORE.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\sllights.exe
C:\Program Files\MailWasher\MailWasher.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\DAP\DAP.EXE
C:\Documents and Settings\Christine\Local Settings\Temp\Temporary Directory 1 for startuplist151.zip\StartupList.exe
C:\Program Files\Outlook Express\msimn.exe

--------------------------------------------------

Listing of startup folders:

Shell folders Common Startup:
[C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup]
Microsoft Office.lnk = C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office10\OSA.EXE

--------------------------------------------------

Checking Windows NT UserInit:

[HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon]
UserInit = C:\WINDOWS\system32\userinit.exe,

--------------------------------------------------

Autorun entries from Registry:
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

ATIModeChange = Ati2mdxx.exe
AtiPTA = atiptaxx.exe
Apoint = C:\Program Files\Apoint2K\Apoint.exe
CPATR10 = C:\PROGRA~1\EzButton\CPATR10.EXE
NAV Agent = C:\PROGRA~1\NORTON~1\navapw32.exe
QuickTime Task = "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe" -atboottime
WinampAgent = "C:\Program Files\Winamp3\winampa.exe"
TkBellExe = C:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\evntsvc.exe -osboot
MessengerPlus = "C:\Program Files\Messenger Plus! Extension\MsgPlus.exe"

--------------------------------------------------


Enumerating Browser Helper Objects:

(no name) - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 5.0\Reader\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.ocx - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3}
NAV Helper - C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\NavShExt.dll - {BDF3E430-B101-42AD-A544-FADC6B084872}
(no name) - (no file) - {D14641FA-445B-448E-9994-209F7AF15641}

--------------------------------------------------

Enumerating Task Scheduler jobs:

Symantec NetDetect.job
Norton SystemWorks One Button Checkup.job

--------------------------------------------------

Enumerating Download Program Files:

[Shockwave Flash Object]
InProcServer32 = C:\WINDOWS\System32\macromed\flash\swflash.ocx
CODEBASE = http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab

--------------------------------------------------
End of report, 4,218 bytes
Report generated in 0.611 seconds

Command line options:
/verbose - to add additional info on each section
/complete - to include empty sections and unsuspicious data
/full - to include several rarely-important sections
/force9x - to include Win9x-only startups even if running on WinNT
/forcent - to include WinNT-only startups even if running on Win9x
/forceall - to include all Win9x and WinNT startups, regardless of platform
/history - to list version history only

 

Just a quick update in case it might help you determine the problem better. The error comes only when I try to view thumbnails of files in the My Pictures folder. When I transferred the images to a new folder I created, things worked all right. No runtime error. Would you know what could be wrong with the original My Pictures folder? And maybe be aware of a way to fix it?

 

If the new folder functions as the old should you may not need to do anything but rename them.

However you can try this (I did with no ill effect). Go to Tools >Folder Options > View

Put a check in "show hidden files and folders" if not already checked. And temporarily remove the check for "hide protected operating system files"

Go back to the My Pictures folder and you should see the file thumbs.db

You can right click on this and either copy to "new folder" and then delete it or perhaps better just rename it thumbs.xx

You will get a warning about messing with protected files, you can ignore this one.

In any case it should be recreated when you close and re-open the folder.

If that corrects the problem then we know it was due to a corrupt thumbs.db file

The other possiblity might be with the desktop.ini file (also hidden) but I think you would err as soon as the folder opened if that were the case.

You can re-check "hide protected... files" when done.

(startuplist looks fine, by the way)

 

Hmm. Maybe it was the thumbs file that was the problem. When I moved the subfolders to that new folder, I was told that one of them coudln't be moved because of a certain hidden file (I'm assuming that was it). I clicked okay, and things worked fine. Now, I find that the My Pictures folder is working perfectly again, and I've returned the folders that I previously moved. And it isn't acting up, which is cool.

Thanks so much for all your help.