Windows Explorer - Freaky Behaviour

[G Patterson]

Hi there,

Running Windows Explorer on Windows 2000. Everything is
ok for the first few minutes, but after some time (and
I've no idea what triggers it) things start to go a bit
pear-shaped.

The folder icons in the left-hand navigation start to
disappear, to be replaced by a text file icon (with an "A"
in the bottom corner). Some folders have no icon at all
and I can't use the left-hand pane to navigate any more...

Any ideas?

GP

 

[Jason Hall [MSFT]]

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

From: "G Patterson" <[email protected]>
Subject: Windows Explorer - Freaky Behaviour
Date: Thu, 13 May 2004 04:26:36 -0700

Hi there,

Running Windows Explorer on Windows 2000. Everything is
ok for the first few minutes, but after some time (and
I've no idea what triggers it) things start to go a bit
pear-shaped.

The folder icons in the left-hand navigation start to
disappear, to be replaced by a text file icon (with an "A"
in the bottom corner). Some folders have no icon at all
and I can't use the left-hand pane to navigate any more...

Any ideas?

GP

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

Number 1 troubleshooting step: Does this happen is Safe Mode?

Also, I recommend disabling third-party browser extensions when things
start going wrong with Internet Explorer / Windows Explorer
(This is only if it does work fine in Safe Mode, because extensions are not
loaded in this mode by default)
To disable these:
- Open Internet Explorer
- Clear the checkbox for "Enable third-party browser extensions
(requires restart) found in Tools > Internet Options > Advanced
If this works, then you can proceed to delete the one(s) causing the problem
To delete them:
- Run Regedit
- Entries for browser extensions will be found in the below key.
Export and delete the suspect ones.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet
Explorer\Extensions

Lemme know if any of this helps


-
~~ JASON HALL ~~
~ Performance Support Specialist,
~ Microsoft Enterprise Platforms Support
~ This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights.
~ Use of included script samples are subject to the terms specified at
http://www.microsoft.com/info/cpyright.htm
~ Note: For the benefit of the community-at-large, all responses to this
message are best directed to the newsgroup/thread from which they
originated.

 

[G Patterson]

Thanks for your suggestion. I had some difficulty
starting in Safe Mode [wouldn't accept my login password -
is this because I am on a network?].

I tried disabling third party applications as suggested
and so far the problem has not re-appeared.

I checked out the registry and there are only two Internet
Explorer extensions, neither of which are comprehensible
or familiar. What am losing out on by just leaving the
third party applications setting unchecked?

Thanks,
G

 

[Jason Hall [MSFT]]

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

Content-Class: urn:content-classes:message
From: "G Patterson" <[email protected]>
Sender: "G Patterson" <[email protected]>
References: <[email protected]>

Subject: RE: Windows Explorer - Freaky Behaviour
Date: Thu, 13 May 2004 08:40:33 -0700

Thanks for your suggestion. I had some difficulty
starting in Safe Mode [wouldn't accept my login password -
is this because I am on a network?].

I tried disabling third party applications as suggested
and so far the problem has not re-appeared.

I checked out the registry and there are only two Internet
Explorer extensions, neither of which are comprehensible
or familiar. What am losing out on by just leaving the
third party applications setting unchecked?

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

I'm glad you were able to make some progress!
- If you leave the setting unchecked, you are stopping any of the
extensions (as listed in the reg. key) from loading. You will also prevent
any future ones from loading, some of which may be useful (I know that some
antivirus programs make use of them)
- If I were you, I would do a little searching in your registry to identify
the extensions that are there. There is likely a reference to a CLSID (a
long alpha-numerical string), you can do a reg. search to find out what the
extension is for.
- If you can't find out what they are for (hence proving you don't need
them), then I would say "delete them"....you might want to export the reg
key first and save it in some designated "BadExtensions" folder, in case
you find that you lose some usefule functionality that the extension
provided.


--
~~ JASON HALL ~~
~ Performance Support Specialist,
~ Microsoft Enterprise Platforms Support
~ This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights.
~ Use of included script samples are subject to the terms specified at
http://www.microsoft.com/info/cpyright.htm
~ Note: For the benefit of the community-at-large, all responses to this
message are best directed to the newsgroup/thread from which they
originated.

 

[G Patterson]

Guess I may have spoken too soon!

Shortly after posting my last reply the weird behaviour
returned in Windows Explorer (with third party extensions
turned off). I managed to get started in safe mode - user
I was trying before did not have a local login). Problem
did not seem to occur in safe mode, but I'm still seeing
it in regular startup mode...

Any other ideas?

G

-----Original Message-----

Content-Class: urn:content-classes:message
From: "G Patterson" <[email protected]>
Thanks for your suggestion. I had some difficulty
starting in Safe Mode [wouldn't accept my login password -
is this because I am on a network?].

I tried disabling third party applications as suggested
and so far the problem has not re-appeared.

I checked out the registry and there are only two Internet
Explorer extensions, neither of which are comprehensible
or familiar. What am losing out on by just leaving the
third party applications setting unchecked?

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

I'm glad you were able to make some progress!
- If you leave the setting unchecked, you are stopping any of the
extensions (as listed in the reg. key) from loading. You will also prevent
any future ones from loading, some of which may be useful (I know that some
antivirus programs make use of them)
- If I were you, I would do a little searching in your registry to identify
the extensions that are there. There is likely a reference to a CLSID (a
long alpha-numerical string), you can do a reg. search to find out what the
extension is for.
- If you can't find out what they are for (hence proving you don't need
them), then I would say "delete them"....you might want to export the reg
key first and save it in some designated "BadExtensions" folder, in case
you find that you lose some usefule functionality that the extension
provided.

 

[Jason Hall [MSFT]]

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

From: "G Patterson" <[email protected]>
Subject: RE: Windows Explorer - Freaky Behaviour
Date: Thu, 13 May 2004 09:48:26 -0700

Guess I may have spoken too soon!

Shortly after posting my last reply the weird behaviour
returned in Windows Explorer (with third party extensions
turned off). I managed to get started in safe mode - user
I was trying before did not have a local login). Problem
did not seem to occur in safe mode, but I'm still seeing
it in regular startup mode...

Any other ideas?

G

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

Maybe the icon cache is getting corrupted. See if this KB article helps...
Q132668: Icons Randomly Change to Different Icons
support.microsoft.com/?id=132668

---
~~ JASON HALL ~~
~ Performance Support Specialist,
~ Microsoft Enterprise Platforms Support
~ This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights.
~ Use of included script samples are subject to the terms specified at
http://www.microsoft.com/info/cpyright.htm
~ Note: For the benefit of the community-at-large, all responses to this
message are best directed to the newsgroup/thread from which they
originated.