Windows Explorer Shuts down

Ok, if I read this correctly you need to do the critical windows updates. It appears you have a corrupted file some where and installing all the critical updates should repair the damage. Also just to be sure, go to www.trendmicro.com they have a free online virus scanner that will double check for virus.

PS: I noticed you have Norton utilities and another virus program, its recommended you only use one anti virus program due to potential conflicts.

Can you open files in other programs such as Word, Notepad, or Excel? This is important info.

Let me know answer and we'll take it from there.

Control Panel/System/Performance/uncheck box that says restart system on error. then write down blue screen error you get next time and post that
just to shotgun i would upgrade my video driver to latest greatest

I have all the lastest critical updates. I check regularly. Thr reinstall of Win XP didn't fix anything and I am only running Norton System Doctor not Norton anti virus. I assumed that a file was corrupted and that was why I did the reinstall. I also did boot time scans with my anti virus and spybot. Nothing.

I can open programs and files in everything (notepad, word etc.)and file and edit works in those other programs. In Windows explorer when a FOLDER or a FILE is selected and I go to the top and click on either file or edit I have the problem. I never get a blue screen or an error message. I also lose some of the icons in my system tray. I have to restart those programs or just reboot to get everything back.

Point value changed by question poster.

WILLCOMP

I just tried safe mode and selective start up and still have the problem. I have 5 partitions on 2 drives ( a Maxtor and a Western Digital) and it doesn't matter, explorer shuts down on all of them.
I wonder if I just need to reformat my C: and do a fresh install of XP? I would really like to find out what is causing this before I fix it by reformating. I like to know why things happen.
Thanks so far willcomp.

Point value changed by question poster.

I also logged on as a different user and I checked the event viewer. Nothing!!! :(

try this

start
run
msconfig
startup (tab)
and disable all
ok
and restart
goodluck

If you don't want to dig in the problem - here's your alternative:

http://www.freestuffer.com/software/file_manager.html

Find one that you'd like and use it.

its_reflexed
I ran msconfig and disabled everything. I reopened it after rebooting to make sure everything was disabled. It still did it.
*** A note. clicling on edit only shut down explorer when a FOLDER was selected. If I selected a FILE edit worked.
I then went to Task manager and checked all processes running and everyone there belonged to windows.
What next??? I DO want to find the cause, it is bugging me. LOL

Because your problem isn't affected by who is logged on, the only common thread I can see here is the registry. When you click a folder or file and then click file or edit. You're doing the same thing as right clicking the folder or file directly. The menu that appears is built from entries in the registry. These entries are stored in the HKey_Classes_Root\file extension you're trying to work with.

If this part of the registry is corrupt, or sitting on a part of the hard drive that is hard to access, it could react in the manner you describe. Because windows cannot find the entries properly.

I suggest you run check disk (or equivalent) at its most thorough setting. In the case of check disk, chkdsk C: /F /R. You state that you have Norton System Doctor installed so use that. Check disk isn't really that great. I personally recommend SpinRite 6.0, it is the absolute best for recovering data on bad drives.

If that doesn't help try running the Recovery Console on the Windows XP disk.

Hope this helps.

I bought a Win2k box and it was doing the same thing basically.

I scanned with 2 virus programs... Defragged the drives... and nothing.

Finally I found an article about Inplace Installs [reinstalling over same system without wiping your data. This refreshes the original files... though you might have to reinstall some service packs.]

I reinstalled over the OS and now everything works.

Not sure if you can do this with XP home... but no harm in checking.

Why has everyone given up????
This is a real problem and I want to find the cause.
This was a highly recomended board and it seems that everyone just quit on me. I have responded to all the answers. I can't help it if none of them fixed the problem. I am not trying to get free answers and keep my points. I will up my points if that will help.

Maybe this will help get some one to try to find the cause of this strange problem.

A QUESTION in the Thread, NOT AN ANSWER!

Magoo, thank your for your question! I am having the EXACT same problem with my Windows Explorer, though I am running Win 98 (on a 5 year old Dell XPST700 running Pentium 3 700MHZ 248 MB Ram). The problem - getting the endless hourglass and in operative Edit and File functions while in Windows Explorer - only happens when I open Temp and Temp Internet Files folders in the Windows folder, ie the Edit, file and right click menu options work fine on other folders in Windows specifically and Windows Explorer generally. I thought it might be a virus and so I did a Google for Virus and "Windows Explorer". Your post came up.

The problem SEEMED to originate after I did the first of two MS Automatic Critical Updates that were issued last week and this week (August 2004, though I have had a lot of common client issues in the last few months causing fatal errors. Often when I get a blue screen and have to reboot, I get a notice that an undefined program isn't responding. It is marked by the exclamation point only in the warning box, so I don't know what program is hanging up. I worry that it is a virus program somewhere in DOS. (I am not an IT techie, just a general user with a basic understanding of my computer functions, so any responders, please be basic and specific.)

I am also running Norton Utilities, Norton Security with Firewall and Antivirus, both of which were disabled during installs, as well as Adware 6.0. The antivirus is updated automatically on a near daily basis, or when new parameters are issued.

MAGOO Did you find the etiology of your problem?

Nobel
I haven't found the problem yet. I am not giving up until I do. As soon as I find the solution I will post back here .

Hi, I have a similar problem but it has the effect only if I right click on a drive. So i cannot access thru right click the properties & etc for the drives. I installed "xplorer2 lite" (freeware) and there it works fine. I recommend you to do the same because the xplorer2 is really great and much better than the original explorer.
But if you find out what was the problem, let me know, because I search also a lot and courios to know. Bye

I am sorry i have no solution here. I am strugling with the same problem. Did about everything you did even changed the registry so i could reinstall service pack2..... nothing worked
When i find something I let you know.

I finally found an answer. some sights says its divx related but it can be caused by different applications.
the solution is in the registry :o so dont forget to export the registry first (in case of ...)
In this key:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\application

I deleted all the keys in every context manuhandlers 'file' so not the 'files'
And that fixed it.
Only first start up off some applications like yahoo messenger and connecting to web-mail took a bit longer then usual but after that no problems with right clicking
Hope someone can use this info