I have had enough of this CRAP! I reformat and still have the same trouble!!!!!!

[JoJoGunn]

My previous posts were about a problem with Windows Explorer, and not
being able to use the directory tree in the left pane, after it's been
open for a while.

After getting some ideas about what the problem might be, I
reformatted the HD today and started to reinstall things. Would you
believe that in the midst of some of the preliminary installs, from
files on a DVD.............. I GOT THE SAME FREAKING PROBLEM WITH
WINDOWS EXPLORER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When I click on the folders in the directory tree, they won't open, I
get a message saying the path statement is wrong and the files aren't
available. When I close Explorer and start a new instance of it, it
works for a while then does the same damned thing.

I would sure appreciate anyone's help at this point. I don't intend to
waste any more time installing apps until this thing is fixed once and
for all.

The OS is XP Pro, the machine is a Gateway, with a 120GB HD, 1GB RAM,
Soundblaster Audigy card, NVIDIA ti 4600 graphics card, Sony DRU 500
DVD burner, Lite On CD burner.

Thank you ..... I am about to go back to my old Athlon 1.8 Ghz machine
that never gave me any of this crap.

JJ

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

You failed to mention if you installed all the Critical Updates,
including SP1. Visit the Windows Update website and download
all the Critical Updates, then perform the following before attempting
to install your programs. Also, make sure you have the latest drivers
installed for all your hardware, such as your video and sound cards.

Description of the Disk Cleanup Tool in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;310312&Product=winxp

How to Perform Disk Error Checking in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;315265&Product=winxp

HOW TO: Analyze and Defragment a Disk in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;305781&Product=winxp

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

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


| My previous posts were about a problem with Windows Explorer, and not
| being able to use the directory tree in the left pane, after it's been
| open for a while.
|
| After getting some ideas about what the problem might be, I
| reformatted the HD today and started to reinstall things. Would you
| believe that in the midst of some of the preliminary installs, from
| files on a DVD.............. I GOT THE SAME FREAKING PROBLEM WITH
| WINDOWS EXPLORER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
|
| When I click on the folders in the directory tree, they won't open, I
| get a message saying the path statement is wrong and the files aren't
| available. When I close Explorer and start a new instance of it, it
| works for a while then does the same damned thing.
|
| I would sure appreciate anyone's help at this point. I don't intend to
| waste any more time installing apps until this thing is fixed once and
| for all.
|
| The OS is XP Pro, the machine is a Gateway, with a 120GB HD, 1GB RAM,
| Soundblaster Audigy card, NVIDIA ti 4600 graphics card, Sony DRU 500
| DVD burner, Lite On CD burner.
|
| Thank you ..... I am about to go back to my old Athlon 1.8 Ghz machine
| that never gave me any of this crap.
|
| JJ

 

[Shenan Stanley]

My previous posts were about a problem with Windows Explorer, and not
being able to use the directory tree in the left pane, after it's been
open for a while.

After getting some ideas about what the problem might be, I
reformatted the HD today and started to reinstall things. Would you
believe that in the midst of some of the preliminary installs, from
files on a DVD.............. I GOT THE SAME FREAKING PROBLEM WITH
WINDOWS EXPLORER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When I click on the folders in the directory tree, they won't open, I
get a message saying the path statement is wrong and the files aren't
available. When I close Explorer and start a new instance of it, it
works for a while then does the same damned thing.

I would sure appreciate anyone's help at this point. I don't intend to
waste any more time installing apps until this thing is fixed once and
for all.

The OS is XP Pro, the machine is a Gateway, with a 120GB HD, 1GB RAM,
Soundblaster Audigy card, NVIDIA ti 4600 graphics card, Sony DRU 500
DVD burner, Lite On CD burner.

Thank you ..... I am about to go back to my old Athlon 1.8 Ghz machine
that never gave me any of this crap.

Sounds like you have a hard drive or controller issue. Could also be bad
memory.

 

[Dave]

Does this happen if you use the CD burner instead of the DVD?
As someone mentioned earlier, it could be RAM. I would recommend taking
your system apart or at least remove a stick of RAM then reseat it,
followed the by next stick of RAM. After the RAM, I would do the ribbon
cables, remove a plug only to plug it back in. Next would be your molies
(power plugs for your devices).

 

[D.Currie]

My previous posts were about a problem with Windows Explorer, and not
being able to use the directory tree in the left pane, after it's been
open for a while.

After getting some ideas about what the problem might be, I
reformatted the HD today and started to reinstall things. Would you
believe that in the midst of some of the preliminary installs, from
files on a DVD.............. I GOT THE SAME FREAKING PROBLEM WITH
WINDOWS EXPLORER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When I click on the folders in the directory tree, they won't open, I
get a message saying the path statement is wrong and the files aren't
available. When I close Explorer and start a new instance of it, it
works for a while then does the same damned thing.

I would sure appreciate anyone's help at this point. I don't intend to
waste any more time installing apps until this thing is fixed once and
for all.

The OS is XP Pro, the machine is a Gateway, with a 120GB HD, 1GB RAM,
Soundblaster Audigy card, NVIDIA ti 4600 graphics card, Sony DRU 500
DVD burner, Lite On CD burner.

Thank you ..... I am about to go back to my old Athlon 1.8 Ghz machine
that never gave me any of this crap.

JJ

If it happens that soon, I'd suspect hardware. Memory or something relating
to the hard drive would be the first two guesses.

 

[JoJoGunn]

If it happens that soon, I'd suspect hardware. Memory or something relating
to the hard drive would be the first two guesses.

Thanks to both of you for your attention.. do you think that if a HD
controller or bad memory was to blame that I'd have trouble elsewhere
in using the machine?

Prior to the format the only difficulty I had was a message when
"explore.exe" would crash. Other than that the machine ran fine with
NO other difficulties. Could it do this with a bad controller or bad
memory?

Thanks very much,

JoJoGunn

 

[Malke]

Thanks to both of you for your attention.. do you think that if a HD
controller or bad memory was to blame that I'd have trouble elsewhere
in using the machine?
Absolutely.

Prior to the format the only difficulty I had was a message when
"explore.exe" would crash. Other than that the machine ran fine with
NO other difficulties. Could it do this with a bad controller or bad
memory?

Yes.

Malke

 

[Stephan]

Hi,
I can appreciate your frustration.
I agree with the others suggestion that it sounds like a
memory problem.

How old is the machine?
if it is recent enough, you might check Gateway's service out.

When's the last time you cracked the case?
you might actually have a heat related problem.

If you are comfortable around electronis assembly,
I would suggest opeing the case, and just loook before you stat moving
things around
Are cables blocking the air flow over anything?
is the prosessor heat sink clogged with dust?
are the ventilation holes clogged with dust?
what about the memory.. is it covered in yuck?

I use a 3" soft bristle paint brush and the thin attachment to my vacuum
to clean out the systems I come across. be careful that you don't know any
connectors,
jumpers, etc off. They usually are attached pretty well, but I have read
posts from others
who found out the hard way that they weren't

after cleanning, I would set up the system without the cover in place.
do ALL the fans go on? hmmmm....
run it a bit. does explorer still mess up???
If yes, shut down and unplug everything. (EXPESSIALLY THE POWER CORD!!!!!!)
find a nice, comfortable place (like a table)
and lay the system on its side.
have your brush and a clean cotton cloth handy
ground yourself to the box by laying your hands on metal parts of the case.
be cautions of edges, they don't deburr them and they can be sharp.
(where are those red splotches coming from?? oh, ME! MEDIC! lol )
remove the memory. brush out the connector (be gentle, but through)
wipe the metal contacts off with the cloth. reinstall. make sure the memory
is properly and totaly seated, just like before you started.

now give it a try. maybe it'll start now.
be sure to keep the cables clear of the processor, memory, fans, etc.
as much as possible.
btw... if you want to try, you could always plug a new mem into this unit to
see if
it is the problem.
or, if you have two sticks, try swapping them. if the problem goes away,
then REPLACE the sticks. one of them is bad

good luck,
Stephan


ps: help aside, and personal opinion....
a simple "This really agrivates and frustrates me" is more than enough
to get your point across, and sounds so much nicer than resorting to
shouting and "anger words".



My previous posts were about a problem with Windows Explorer, and not
being able to use the directory tree in the left pane, after it's been
open for a while.

After getting some ideas about what the problem might be, I
reformatted the HD today and started to reinstall things. Would you
believe that in the midst of some of the preliminary installs, from
files on a DVD.............. I GOT THE SAME FREAKING PROBLEM WITH
WINDOWS EXPLORER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When I click on the folders in the directory tree, they won't open, I
get a message saying the path statement is wrong and the files aren't
available. When I close Explorer and start a new instance of it, it
works for a while then does the same damned thing.

I would sure appreciate anyone's help at this point. I don't intend to
waste any more time installing apps until this thing is fixed once and
for all.

The OS is XP Pro, the machine is a Gateway, with a 120GB HD, 1GB RAM,
Soundblaster Audigy card, NVIDIA ti 4600 graphics card, Sony DRU 500
DVD burner, Lite On CD burner.

Thank you ..... I am about to go back to my old Athlon 1.8 Ghz machine
that never gave me any of this crap.

JJ

 

[D.Currie]

Thanks to both of you for your attention.. do you think that if a HD
controller or bad memory was to blame that I'd have trouble elsewhere
in using the machine?

Prior to the format the only difficulty I had was a message when
"explore.exe" would crash. Other than that the machine ran fine with
NO other difficulties. Could it do this with a bad controller or bad
memory?

Thanks very much,

JoJoGunn

Yes. If it was completely dead, it would be obvious, but if you've got a
component that just slightly "off" you can get some very odd results. I'm
betting its the memory at this point.

 

[JoJoGunn]

Hi,
I can appreciate your frustration.
I agree with the others suggestion that it sounds like a
memory problem.

<snip helpful info>

Hello all, Stephan thanks for your intensive help file on cleaning and
tightening all the connectors! Yes I agree I was PO'd when I typed the
first message I hope this one is more to your liking

I have done little else but run CHKDSK a few times, I was hoping to
see the log it creates but where is it? I tried searches for *.*log
but came up empty. I used the switch to allow it to fix any HDD errors
but I'd like to see if in fact it did fix any.

Right now since running chkdsk I have not been able to get explorer to
act up. But it may if I keep playing with it, I'll keep you posted.

Thanks again to all,

JJ

 

[Big Mac]

That is precisely why I bought a new computer recently and gave the
old troublesome one away (learned a valuable lesson) - it wasn't
really that old, but was a "bargain basement" job that only had a 3
month warrantee. The new one is with a 1 year warrantee (like any
good company offers), and then I added two more years. It has 6 AM to
12 PM seven days a week voice tech help. (And I've already used it
twice).

This guy's 1 gig with DVD r/w and XP Pro system config sounds like a
new system and it should be under warrantee (unless it is an older
system and the new stuff is added).

Gateway, being so respected and all, and a large company, should have
tech help whether the system is under warrantee or not. If not, I
have lost some respect for them.