Explorer.exe - Application Error

[tbone]

Hi guys,

I have W2K+SP4 and it was working fine, but for last one week when I
boot the machine up(it boots and logs in fine) and open MyComputer I
get the error message:
====
Explorer.exe - Application Error
The instruction at "0x100214c7" referenced memory at "0x0004703c". The
memory could not be "read".
Click on OK to terminate the program
Click on CANCEL to debug the program
====

when I press OK, explorer dooms and comes back and same error repeats
whenever I open mycomputer. The machine seems to work if I ignore the
error message but I cannot compile some of my projects in VC++.

I checked my system with Norton antivirus and AdAware, it found some
and I cleaned them up but still the problem persists.

Occasionaly my norton (it watches my machine constantly, atleast now)
says the "c:\winnt\system32\explorer,exe" has some virus.

Does anyone encouter this problem? Any help is appreciable. Please let
me know if you need more information in this regard.

Thanks.

 

[kmiller]

Hi guys,

I have W2K+SP4 and it was working fine, but for last one week when I
boot the machine up(it boots and logs in fine) and open MyComputer I
get the error message:
====
Explorer.exe - Application Error
The instruction at "0x100214c7" referenced memory at "0x0004703c". The
memory could not be "read".
Click on OK to terminate the program
Click on CANCEL to debug the program
====

when I press OK, explorer dooms and comes back and same error repeats
whenever I open mycomputer. The machine seems to work if I ignore the
error message but I cannot compile some of my projects in VC++.

I checked my system with Norton antivirus and AdAware, it found some
and I cleaned them up but still the problem persists.

Occasionaly my norton (it watches my machine constantly, atleast now)
says the "c:\winnt\system32\explorer,exe" has some virus.

Does anyone encouter this problem? Any help is appreciable. Please let
me know if you need more information in this regard.

Thanks.

It soulds like you have an Primary Harddrive MBR Failure (or Virus on
your Primary Boot sector).
- OR your Primary Harddrive is about to Crash.


Boot your computer, and use F1 or DEL key to enter the BIOS.

Enable the Floppy Drive as the First Boot Drive (Boot Order).

put a Blank Floppy in the floppy drive - and Save Your Settings.

Restart your computer.

In the BIOS Post information - check to see if your Primary Harddrive
is 'stating' the right drive information.

- If it doesn't - then your Primary Harddrive's MBR is TOAST
- If it does - then your Primary Harddrive is about to CRASH

Either way, get yourself a new hard drive - and install it as your
Primary Harddrive
[and set-up your old drive as a Secondary Harddrive.]

Re-install Windows

This should allow you to at least recover your files off of you old
harddrive (before your re-format it).
[ Be sure to PURGE and RE-FORMAT it - before using it again. ]

Hope that Helps.

 

[John John]

My guess would be that you still have virus or malware present on your
computer. At least that's what Norton is telling you so why not let
Norton try to repair it? If Norton can't fix it try renaming
Explorer.exe to Explorer.old and replace it with a copy from the dll
cache or i386 folder or from the Windows 2000 CD. Search your hard
drive for the various locations of the file, the one in use is in the
%systemroot% folder. Compare it to others on your drive (with the comp
command or other file compare utilities). To rename the file you will
have to use Task Manager and kill Explorer and possibly its process tree
or boot to a command prompt start or use the Recovery Console.

John

 

[kmiller]

Good call 'John John', but to fix that Virus problem (if it exists) -
requires three things:

- remove it from your Process List
- finding (and renaming the files)
- searching (and delete) the Registry's "LOAD and RUN" commands for
those file references

All this must be done before doing a Re-Boot.

[ PS: don't expect Norton's or McAfee's Anti-Virus programs to FIX
this problem for YOU. ]

This is assuming that this is a VIRUS - in the first place !!!


This problem is an MBR Table Corruption (and maybe even some times a
'Virus') ;
but, most times it is a FAILURE of these "Latest Technology" hard
drive's MBR Sectors.

I have seen (and fixed) this problem more times that I care to
mention.

My best solution is to do as I 'prescribed' previously (in a previous
post).

Install a NEW hard drive (and copy your 'presonal files' from that
old drive).

Then PURGE (and re-format) you old hard drive.
[you might even wish to try a "Zero-Fill" on that old hard drive - to
re-establish a Valid MBR Table.]

Just remember, that your old hard drive can never be used as a Primary
hard drive again.
[Once an MBR Table has been 'corrupted' - it will never work the
same again !!! ]

Hope That HELPs.

 

[John John]

The OP has no frigging MBR problems! Plese inform yourself as to the
purpose and workings of the MBR!

John

 

[tbone]

Hi guys,

Thanks a lot for your inputs. I was thinking this as either virus or
malware and tried to purge it with norton and all kinds of spyware
removal software but nothing worked so far. Mr.Kmiller brought a new
point that it might be MBR problem. This is a possible cause in my
machine, some time back one of my collegue formatted a drive which has
linux installation in it and the machine failed to boot. I used
UltimateBootCD software to "fixmbr" it to make it run. Do you guys
think this step could have caused this problem? At this point of time,
I cannot reinstall OS as some of our work related SW is installed in
this machine and we dont have installation package for those SWs.
Given this situation, can someone give me a solution to fix my
"Explorer.exe application error". Thanks a lot for your help. Please
let me know if you need anymore information in this regard.

 

[Guest]

Am getting the same error on a win2k sp4 machine. it happens randomly and
not all the time. It is happening on multiple machines, so I don't think
replacing HDD is an option. We have symantec antivirus corporate edition
10.1.5 installed and it does not find any viruses. Was wondering if you have
resolved this issue.