Data Execution Prevention closes Windows Explorer when booting.

[DD]

Running Win XP home

I have recently had a problem with Windows Explorer. I get a warning
message, just after it appears that the computer has finished it's
morning exercises and I am about to start my work. It advises:

DATA EXECUTION PREVENTION - Microsoft Windows
To help protect your computer, Windows has closed this program.

NAME Windows Explorer
PUBLISHER Microsoft Corporation

When I choose the option to 'Close message' I get another message:

WINDOWS EXPLORER

Windows Explorer has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are
sorry for the inconvenience.

After I close this message the icons on my desktop and everything in
the Task Bar disappear, after a few seconds they reappear. The computer
seems to operate normally after the icons and Task Bar are restored.
I have searched for a solution but have been unsuccessful so I tried a
Repair Install of Windows and scanned for viruses and malaware but it
was clear and had no effect on this activity.
I would be grateful for any help to solve this problem.

Dennis

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

What anti-virus application or security suite is installed and is your
subscription current? What anti-spyware applications (other than Defender)?
What third-party firewall (if any)?

Has a(another) Norton or McAfee application ever been installed on this
machine (e.g., a free-trial version that came preinstalled when you bought
it)?

Had you installed IE7 or IE8 prior to doing the Repair Install?

 

[DD]

I use Avast anti-virus which updates itself automatically and I have
checked regularly with Secunia to see where vulnerabilities in software
may be. I also use Malawarebytes anti malaware program together with
Ad-Aware and Spybot S&D. I use the built in XP firewall. I have never
had any of the Norton or McAfee products on the computer and there were
no trial programs at all on the computer when I bought it (Two years
ago). IE8 was installed prior to the repair install but I followed the
microsoft advice and removed IE8 before I did the repair, this left IE7
on the machine. The information I read was that if you have IE7, you
must replace it with IE6 but if you have IE8 you need only to replace it
with IE7. This only applies when you have SP2 or SP3 installed, I have
both. All the updates to XP are installed according to Belarc Advisor
and the Windows update site does not list any more updates that I should
have.
I admit to seriously thinking about a clean install but have a feeling
that somewhere on the computer there may be a log or diagnostic program
that will lead to an answer. Thank you very much for your reply.
Dennis

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

...IE8 was installed prior to the repair install but I followed the

microsoft advice and removed IE8 before I did the repair, this left IE7
on the machine. The information I read was that if you have IE7, you
must replace it with IE6 but if you have IE8 you need only to replace it
with IE7. This only applies when you have SP2 or SP3 installed, I have
both.

Nope. See...

How to perform a repair installation of Windows XP if a later version of
Internet Explorer is installed:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/917964

You must uninstall IE8 and IE7 prior to doing a Repair Install, Dennis.

But also see...

About IE7 & IE8 and Windows XP Service Pack 3
http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/2008/05/05/ie-and-xpsp3.aspx

If you'd installed IE7 and then installed SP3, you would have had to
uninstall SP3 before you'd be able to uninstall IE7 and then do the Repair
Install.

In any event, the above is merely rhetorical at this point. Your only
recourse now is to back-up any personal data (none of which should be
considered 100% trustworthy at this point) then do a format & clean install
of Windows. Please note that another Repair Install (AKA in-place upgrade)
cannot and will not fix this!

cf. http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html#steps

After the clean install, you'll have the equivalent of a "new computer" so
take care of everything on the following page before otherwise connecting
the machine to the internet or a network and before using a USB key that
isn't brand-new or hasn't been freshly formatted:

5 steps to help protect your new computer before you go online
http://www.microsoft.com/protect/computer/advanced/xppc.mspx

Other helpful references include:

HOW TO get a computer running WinXP Gold (no Service Packs) fully patched
(after a clean install)
http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windowsupdate/msg/3f5afa8ed33e121c

HOW TO get a computer running WinXP SP1(a) or SP2 fully patched (after a
clean install)
http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windowsxp.general/msg/a066ae41add7dd2b

Wish I'd had better news for you, sorry.

 

[DD]

Thanks for the help anyway, it seems I am up for a bit of work! I have
two x 320 GB hard disks that are about two thirds full, I suppose I will
be safer to wipe both and start again?

Dennis