File dialogue box crashing

[Guest]

I am using Vista Home Premium. Beginning yesterday, I have had problems with
the File Dialogue box crashing whatever program calls it. (This is the
standard box that pops up whenever opening or saving a file.) Initially I
was trying to use the XPS document writer to "print" from Internet Explorer;
then, I noticed it with Word and Excel as well (Office 2007). With Office it
caused it to crash and restart; with IE it simply totally froze, so that I
had to manually terminate it in the Task Manager. In the file list, all of
the column headings are scrunched to the left; if I try to just save a file
as it has popped up usually I have no problems, but if I try to navigate to a
different folder or change any other options the dialogue crashes and takes
my program with it. I have tried to reboot, to no avail; I have run a virus
scan, with nothing found. Has there been a recent update that fried this, or
is this some sort of unique problem that I am experiencing? Thanks for the
help!

 

[Rick Rogers]

Hi,

Tried a System Restore to the day before yesterday? That'd be the first
step.

If that fails, then I'd suggest a formal malware scan in safe mode with
updated antivirus and antispyware programs.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com

 

[Guest]

I try to run System Restore; but when I do so, it gives me the message "The
disk has errors. Windows has detected file system corruption on C:. You
must check the disk for errors before it can be restored." So I click the
link to bring up the utility, but it will then tell me that "Windows cannot
check the disk while it's in use" and offers me a button to "Schedule Disk
Check." I click this button, the dialogue box disappears with no evidence
that a check has been scheduled, and I restart my computer, which gives no
evidence during the boot process that any kind of check is in fact being
performed. I have been through this cycle several times. What do I have to
do to actually schedule the disk check?

 

[Rick Rogers]

Hi,

Click the start button and type CMD. Right click the entry that appears in
the start menu and select 'run as administrator'. From the prompt, run
"chkdsk c: /r". You will get a message that the disk is closed and a prompt
to schedule it to run, type "y" to agree and hit <enter>. Exit the command
prompt and restart the machine.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the continued help. I did eventually get chkdsk to run by
rebooting into safe mode (I can't remember exactly which, the mode with the
various utilities.) From there I also ran the system restore to the last
point that I remembered not having the problem. Unfortunately this had no
effect, and the problem actually seems to be worse now (I cannot even save
files before it crashes out.) A recent post refers to the same problem; the
answerer advises rebooting in safe mode to solve the problem. Should this
suffice? At this point, the only thing that I can think to do is to totally
reinstall Windows (which, as I recall, will require reformatting my hard
drive and the reinstallation of my entire system.) Do I have any recourse
short of this desperate and time-consuming measure?

 

[Rick Rogers]

Hi,

At a point, the amount of energy and time expended trying to resolve an
issue outwieghs the alternative, which is to simply start over. It appears
you may have reached that point, so bite the bullet, backup your data, and
do a clean install.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com