Windows Explorer DEP problems fixed by uninstalling Media Player 1

[Guest]

A new HP laptop with XP Pro SP2 suddenly started giving me DEP error messages
for Windows Explorer. Anything that used Explorer would hang the system, and
having Explorer on the QuickLaunch tray basically hung XP at boot.

I tried disabling DEP for Explorer, but that just postponed the problem
until the first time Explorer or My Computer was launched, when I'd get
"Windows Explorer has encountered a problem and needs to close. We're SO
sorry."

HP tech support thought I'd have to use their recovery program, which would
have resulted in unacceptable data loss. Not a good morning.

Thinking back on what had changed on the system (auto updates turned on.
Hmm.), I recalled okaying a Media Player update. Sure enough, uninstalling
WMP 11 (rolling back to preinstalled version 10, actually) fixed things
completely.

Now you know.

-Bill

 

[Rock]

A new HP laptop with XP Pro SP2 suddenly started giving me DEP error
messages
for Windows Explorer. Anything that used Explorer would hang the system,
and
having Explorer on the QuickLaunch tray basically hung XP at boot.

I tried disabling DEP for Explorer, but that just postponed the problem
until the first time Explorer or My Computer was launched, when I'd get
"Windows Explorer has encountered a problem and needs to close. We're SO
sorry."

HP tech support thought I'd have to use their recovery program, which
would
have resulted in unacceptable data loss. Not a good morning.

Thinking back on what had changed on the system (auto updates turned on.
Hmm.), I recalled okaying a Media Player update. Sure enough,
uninstalling
WMP 11 (rolling back to preinstalled version 10, actually) fixed things
completely.

Why would you be concerned about data loss? Do you not have a backup
solution in place such that there is always a current full and complete
backup of important data? Any backup solution must be consistent with your
needs as to how much data you can bear to loose, and how much time you can
bear to be non functional. This might mean backing up important files once
a week, or imaging the system daily.

I suggest you look at a drive imaging program such as Acronis True Image or
Norton Ghost, to save compressed images of the drive to an external USB
connected hard drive. This is a low cost but very effective backup/recovery
solution.

 

[Guest]

Two days later, the problem is back - not the DEP error itself, but the
"Windows Explorer has encountered a problem" one. I'll start with MSCONFIG
and load services and startup items one-by-one until I get a sense of the
true culprit.

-Bill

====================

 

[Guest]

Rock -

For "unacceptable data loss" I should have written "pain in the butt data
recovery" -- pulling things piece by piece out of incremental backups written
daily to a USB drive such as you mention.

In Safe Mode, I was able to XCOPY all my data files to another USB drive, so
the data is no longer the issue -- the issue is WHY the DEP and related
errors began and how to make them go away. And I see I'm in good company here.

-Bill

=============

 

[Rock]

Rock -

For "unacceptable data loss" I should have written "pain in the butt data
recovery" -- pulling things piece by piece out of incremental backups
written
daily to a USB drive such as you mention.

In Safe Mode, I was able to XCOPY all my data files to another USB drive,
so
the data is no longer the issue -- the issue is WHY the DEP and related
errors began and how to make them go away. And I see I'm in good company
here.

I just did a recovery with Acronis True Image to a differential image. An
entire drive with 4 partitions was restored. It was a one step operation
that took just over an hour, nothing pain in the butt about it. Just select
the drive to be restored and the date to restore to, then wait for it to
finish.

Sorry that I can't help you with the continuing problems you're having with
DEP and Windows Explorer.