Explorer.exe has generated errors (displaying Control Panel)

[Per Nermo]

I need help to solve my most recent problen:

When I'm about to display the Control Panel (Start -
Settings - Control Panel), i get an error window saying

"Program Error", and the text:
'Explorer.exe has generated errors and will be closed by
Windows. You will need to restart the program. An error
log has been generated'.

The explorer.exe (desktop) is then being restarted
automatically.

The Dr. Watson log file drwtsn32.log records this event
and the entry starts with:
"Application exception occurred:
App: explorer.exe (pid=nnnn)
When: (date / time)
Exception number: c0000005 (access violation)"

In the "Event Viewer / Application Log" the event is
listed as:
Event 1002: 'The shell stopped unexpectedly and
C:\WINNT\Explorer.Exe was restarted.'

I'v run alle Windows Updates available on my computer,
and I use MacAfee anti-virus program with the most
recent Virus list.

I've had no problems with my computer until today.
(I've owned the thing for over 3 years now).
(See technical info below)

Does anybody have a solution to this problem ?

regards,
Per Nermo
(e-mail address removed)

*----> System Information <----*
Number of Processors: 1
Processor Type: x86 Family 6 Model 8 Stepping 3
Windows 2000 Version: 5.0
Current Build: 2195
Service Pack: 4
Current Type: Uniprocessor Free
--

 

[mike qriley]

i'm having the very same problem...
Does anybody have a solution to this problem?

thanks
mike
(e-mail address removed)

 

[Jisha]

try reinstalling SP4...
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/downloads/servicepacks/sp4/default.asp

 

[Guest]

Tonight a kind Norwegian "saved" me, by informing me that
the problem probably was a corrupted .cpl (conprol panel)
file, and even suggested that it might be
the "nvtuicpl.cpl", containing the new (damned) NVIDIA-
driver (for multiple screens, which I don't use). In
october I downloaded the new NVIDIA (screen) driver from
Windows Update (really !).

The problem fix is to move the corrupted .cpl file in
question (in this case "nvtuicpl.cpl" from the
c:\winnt\system32 folder and then (if you hit the right
sinner) Control Panel will run.

And in my case, it did !

I blame Microsoft Windows Update for this error. Has
anyone seen any warning from MS that this situation may
occur ?

Per Nermo

PS. If you don't suspect which .cpl file is the sinner,
then move all .cpl files to another folder and put them
back one bye one into c:\winnt\system32 and start Control
panel for each. The faulty file will cause CP to crash.

---

 

[Per Nermo]

On the kind hint from Gunnar Arneberg (Norway) the problem
now has been solved.

The 'sinner' seems to be the recent NVIDIA Screen Driver
update (that was distributed as part of Windows Update for
Windows 2000 Pro) which installs a corrupt
file "nvtuicpl.cpl", the contents of which is causing the
Control Panel to abort. This .cpl file is presumably used
to handle multiple monitors. If you do not have such a
configuration, you can safely (re)move this file
from the folder where it resides (C:/winnt/system32).
After removal the Control Panel opens normally.

It's rather remarkable that a file causing fatal
application errors is being distributed as an official
Windows Update. One would assume that MS immediately will
issue a new driver update where the error is corrected,
and at the same time make a public apology to the
thousands of users who have spent a large number of
unpaid hours to come to grips with this problem.

Or, is this too much to expect from Microsoft ?

Per Nermo
(e-mail address removed)