Since the installation of SP3, Windows Explorer has started acting strangely.
I'm not sure what triggers it, but it seems to be network-related, possible
when the system is accessed rather than when it goes looking.

The symptoms are the appearance of multiple dektop entities in the folder
pane (an example: http://Quitt.net/ExplorerBug/TooManyDesktops.png ), and
explorer not being able to find or access some subdirectories. Close the
explorer window and open a new one, and everything's fine for a while.
Sometimes days, sometimes minutes.

This has happened on every one of my XP systems, includeing XP 64-bit. Yes,
I have scanned for malware with numerous scanners, and nothing is found. If
it's critical to the investigation, I even have a virtual machine that
exhibits the problem.

As far as I can tell, there are no other symptoms, no extraneous disk or
network activity, and no extra processes. I don't claim that this is a SP3
problem, but there may be an interaction between it and other things on my
system.

Can I buy a clue?

--
#include <standard.disclaimer>
_
Kevin D Quitt USA 91387-4454 96.37% of all statistics are made up

For what it's worth, clicking on the icons, from top to bottom, yields:
My Computer
My Documents
My Network Places
Recycle Bin

--
#include <standard.disclaimer>
_
Kevin D Quitt USA 91387-4454 96.37% of all statistics are made up

Free unlimited installation and compatibility support is available for
Windows XP, but only for Service Pack 3 (SP3), until 14 Apr-09. Chat and
e-mail support is available only in the United States and Canada. Go to
http://support.microsoft.com/oas/def...spx?gprid=1173 | select "Windows
XP" then select "Windows XP Service Pack 3"
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Desktop Experience - since 2002
AumHa VSOP & Admin http://aumha.net
DTS-L http://dts-l.net/

KevinQ wrote:
> Since the installation of SP3, Windows Explorer has started acting
> strangely. I'm not sure what triggers it, but it seems to be
> network-related, possible when the system is accessed rather than when it
> goes looking.
>
> The symptoms are the appearance of multiple dektop entities in the folder
> pane (an example: http://Quitt.net/ExplorerBug/TooManyDesktops.png ), and
> explorer not being able to find or access some subdirectories. Close the
> explorer window and open a new one, and everything's fine for a while.
> Sometimes days, sometimes minutes.
>
> This has happened on every one of my XP systems, includeing XP 64-bit.
> Yes,
> I have scanned for malware with numerous scanners, and nothing is found.
> If
> it's critical to the investigation, I even have a virtual machine that
> exhibits the problem.
>
> As far as I can tell, there are no other symptoms, no extraneous disk or
> network activity, and no extra processes. I don't claim that this is a
> SP3
> problem, but there may be an interaction between it and other things on my
> system.
>
> Can I buy a clue?

Hi Kevin,

For what it's worth, I've been having multiple desktop folders showing up in
Windows Explorer ever since my first XP Gold PC back in 2001. I don't think
it has anything at all to do with SP3.

I just googled "windows explorer multiple desktop entries" and I see that
you and I are not the only ones who are experiencing this.

At
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/59...ndows-explorer
there is another poster who reports having a similar problem.

And, if you go to Reply # 22 at
http://forums.techguy.org/windows-nt...riosity-2.html a
poster states: "There's a bug which may occur if you have the desktop
toolbar enabled on your taskbar. It can cause these multiple desktop icons
to appear."

Alan

"KevinQ" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:F878B452-3371-41AE-95DD-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Since the installation of SP3, Windows Explorer has started acting
> strangely.
> I'm not sure what triggers it, but it seems to be network-related,
> possible
> when the system is accessed rather than when it goes looking.
>
> The symptoms are the appearance of multiple dektop entities in the folder
> pane (an example: http://Quitt.net/ExplorerBug/TooManyDesktops.png ), and
> explorer not being able to find or access some subdirectories. Close the
> explorer window and open a new one, and everything's fine for a while.
> Sometimes days, sometimes minutes.
>
> This has happened on every one of my XP systems, includeing XP 64-bit.
> Yes,
> I have scanned for malware with numerous scanners, and nothing is found.
> If
> it's critical to the investigation, I even have a virtual machine that
> exhibits the problem.
>
> As far as I can tell, there are no other symptoms, no extraneous disk or
> network activity, and no extra processes. I don't claim that this is a
> SP3
> problem, but there may be an interaction between it and other things on my
> system.
>
> Can I buy a clue?
>
> --
> #include <standard.disclaimer>
> _
> Kevin D Quitt USA 91387-4454 96.37% of all statistics are made up
>

I contacted Microsoft's SP3 support and got no joy.

On the other hand, I seem to have found a solution (I say 'seem' because
sometimes it went days without it happening). Curiously, I just happened on
it in an unrelated thread.

Go to http://pcbutts1.com/downloads/tools/tools.htm and get the "Windows
Explorer shell fix" - which amounts to a batch file. It just reregisters the
appropriate DLLs with some twists I haven't bothered (yet) to understand.
Thank you, Sohtyaelehtreklats.


Why don't I get notifications when I have 'Notify me of replies' checked?

--
#include <standard.disclaimer>
_
Kevin D Quitt USA 91387-4454 96.37% of all statistics are made up

"Alan" wrote:
....
> And, if you go to Reply # 22 at
> http://forums.techguy.org/windows-nt...riosity-2.html a
> poster states: "There's a bug which may occur if you have the desktop
> toolbar enabled on your taskbar. It can cause these multiple desktop icons
> to appear."

I just reread you post - I had missed this. This is indeed the missing link
- I've only recently started using the desktop toolbar. HAH!

Still - that fix is holding, so we'll see if I have to remove the toolbar.
Thanks to all for responding.

--
#include <standard.disclaimer>
_
Kevin D Quitt USA 91387-4454 96.37% of all statistics are made up



> Alan
>
> "KevinQ" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:F878B452-3371-41AE-95DD-(E-Mail Removed)...
> > Since the installation of SP3, Windows Explorer has started acting
> > strangely.
> > I'm not sure what triggers it, but it seems to be network-related,
> > possible
> > when the system is accessed rather than when it goes looking.
> >
> > The symptoms are the appearance of multiple dektop entities in the folder
> > pane (an example: http://Quitt.net/ExplorerBug/TooManyDesktops.png ), and
> > explorer not being able to find or access some subdirectories. Close the
> > explorer window and open a new one, and everything's fine for a while.
> > Sometimes days, sometimes minutes.
> >
> > This has happened on every one of my XP systems, includeing XP 64-bit.
> > Yes,
> > I have scanned for malware with numerous scanners, and nothing is found.
> > If
> > it's critical to the investigation, I even have a virtual machine that
> > exhibits the problem.
> >
> > As far as I can tell, there are no other symptoms, no extraneous disk or
> > network activity, and no extra processes. I don't claim that this is a
> > SP3
> > problem, but there may be an interaction between it and other things on my
> > system.
> >
> > Can I buy a clue?
> >
> > --
> > #include <standard.disclaimer>
> > _
> > Kevin D Quitt USA 91387-4454 96.37% of all statistics are made up
> >
>
>
>

OK, this is the last post*. One of my machines ended up showing the problem,
so I just removed the desktop toolbar. All the others are holding steady and
working as expected.

--
#include <standard.disclaimer>
_
Kevin D Quitt USA 91387-4454 96.37% of all statistics are made up



"KevinQ" wrote:

> Since the installation of SP3, Windows Explorer has started acting strangely.
> I'm not sure what triggers it, but it seems to be network-related, possible
> when the system is accessed rather than when it goes looking.
>
> The symptoms are the appearance of multiple dektop entities in the folder
> pane (an example: http://Quitt.net/ExplorerBug/TooManyDesktops.png ), and
> explorer not being able to find or access some subdirectories. Close the
> explorer window and open a new one, and everything's fine for a while.
> Sometimes days, sometimes minutes.
>
> This has happened on every one of my XP systems, includeing XP 64-bit. Yes,
> I have scanned for malware with numerous scanners, and nothing is found. If
> it's critical to the investigation, I even have a virtual machine that
> exhibits the problem.
>
> As far as I can tell, there are no other symptoms, no extraneous disk or
> network activity, and no extra processes. I don't claim that this is a SP3
> problem, but there may be an interaction between it and other things on my
> system.
>
> Can I buy a clue?
>
> --
> #include <standard.disclaimer>
> _
> Kevin D Quitt USA 91387-4454 96.37% of all statistics are made up
>