IE6 problem with pngfilt.dll

[Gene3]

(I'm running XP Home SP2 with IE6.)

While accessing the netflix.com and blockbuster.com websites with several
windows open, I encountered a fatal error: "Internet Explorer has
encountered a problem and needs to close...". This is rare for me. My IE6
has been rock solid for the last 6+ months.

Faulting application iexplore.exe, version 6.0.2900.2180, faulting module
pngfilt.dll, version 6.0.2900.3121, fault address 0x000049b5.

0000: 41 70 70 6c 69 63 61 74 Applicat
0008: 69 6f 6e 20 46 61 69 6c ion Fail
0010: 75 72 65 20 20 69 65 78 ure iex
0018: 70 6c 6f 72 65 2e 65 78 plore.ex
0020: 65 20 36 2e 30 2e 32 39 e 6.0.29
0028: 30 30 2e 32 31 38 30 20 00.2180
0030: 69 6e 20 70 6e 67 66 69 in pngfi
0038: 6c 74 2e 64 6c 6c 20 36 lt.dll 6
0040: 2e 30 2e 32 39 30 30 2e .0.2900.
0048: 33 31 32 31 20 61 74 20 3121 at
0050: 6f 66 66 73 65 74 20 30 offset 0
0058: 30 30 30 34 39 62 35 0d 00049b5.
0060: 0a .

After a little research, I see that I have about a dozen copies of
pngfilt.dll in different versions in the MS update folders dating back to a
2002 version (6.0.2800.1106). It has been involved in a malware exploit, I
believe, perhaps other problems. My current active version of pngfilt.dll
(6.0.2900.3121) came in MS Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer
6 for Windows XP (KB933566) which I installed on June 12, 2007.

Is this a known problem with the latest version of the file/MS update?

If the fatal IE6 error becomes bothersome, my notion is to revert to the
last prior version of pngfilt.dll which is stored in my MS update folder for
May 8, 2007. Is that a reasonable idea?
Gene

 

[Robert Aldwinckle]

....

After a little research, I see that I have about a dozen copies of
pngfilt.dll in different versions in the MS update folders dating back to a
2002 version (6.0.2800.1106). It has been involved in a malware exploit, I
believe, perhaps other problems. My current active version of pngfilt.dll
(6.0.2900.3121) came in MS Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer
6 for Windows XP (KB933566) which I installed on June 12, 2007.

Is this a known problem with the latest version of the file/MS update?

If the fatal IE6 error becomes bothersome, my notion is to revert to the
last prior version of pngfilt.dll which is stored in my MS update folder for
May 8, 2007. Is that a reasonable idea?
Gene

Is there a specific URL which can reliably reproduce the crash?

Do you have access to a system using IE7?

Apparently there is a newer version of pngfilt.dll used with it:

<example OS="XPsp2" Browser="IE7">
F:\WINDOWS\system32>filever pngfilt.dll
--a-- W32i DLL ENU 7.0.5730.11 shp 44,544 10-17-2006 pngfilt.dll
</example>

E.g. you might see a different symptom of whatever it is causing
yours on an otherwise identical system.


Typically crashes in common modules are due to interference caused by
incompatible third-party modules further back in the call stack.
So a better diagnostic tack could be trying to eliminate all such factors.
E.g. that is the basis behind diagnoses which use the Manage Add-ons
tool and the suggestions in the Clean-boot troubleshooting KB articles.


HTH

Robert Aldwinckle
---

 

[Gene3]

Is there a specific URL which can reliably reproduce the crash?

No. It has only happened once, while I was playing around at blockbuster.com
and netflix.com.

Do you have access to a system using IE7?

No. I tried IE7 a couple of times in the distant past, but didn't like it,
so uninstalled it. In those instances I also used a restore point to make
sure it was removed completely.

Apparently there is a newer version of pngfilt.dll used with it:

<example OS="XPsp2" Browser="IE7">
F:\WINDOWS\system32>filever pngfilt.dll
--a-- W32i DLL ENU 7.0.5730.11 shp 44,544 10-17-2006 pngfilt.dll
</example>

Maybe so, but I don't have it on my system, and I don't have IE7 (only IE6).

E.g. you might see a different symptom of whatever it is causing
yours on an otherwise identical system.

Typically crashes in common modules are due to interference caused by
incompatible third-party modules further back in the call stack.

I don't know what that means. My only source of IE6 and updates, the
pngfilt.dll file and updates of it, has been from MS updates. If there's an
error, they caused (provided) it. I don't have any third-party modules,
insofar as I'm aware.

So a better diagnostic tack could be trying to eliminate all such factors.

What factors, exactly?

E.g. that is the basis behind diagnoses which use the Manage Add-ons
tool

I don't have any Add-ons to IE6, insofar as I'm aware, at least none that
I've added intentionally - just whatever MS updates has provided for updates
to IE6.