"windows explorer has stopped working" 1 minute after buying a new machine

[william.hooper]

Ok, I just bought a £2,000 sony laptop (that's $4,000 US). I started
it up... waited for the first use setup process to go through...
selected uk keyboard etc... then changed the explorer view to classic
and tried to drag and drop windows explorer from accessories to the
top of the start menu and it crashed.

I am not kidding this was the first thing I ever ever did with this
new machine. Now I know Vista is a pile of junk but for gods sake this
is going to far.

What do I do know? Call Sony five minutes after turning on the
machine?

Does anyone know a fix for this?

 

[pvdg42]

Ok, I just bought a £2,000 sony laptop (that's $4,000 US). I started
it up... waited for the first use setup process to go through...
selected uk keyboard etc... then changed the explorer view to classic
and tried to drag and drop windows explorer from accessories to the
top of the start menu and it crashed.

I am not kidding this was the first thing I ever ever did with this
new machine. Now I know Vista is a pile of junk but for gods sake this
is going to far.

What do I do know? Call Sony five minutes after turning on the
machine?

Does anyone know a fix for this?

Does this happen consistently every time you go through the same steps?

Does the possibility that there is an issue with the laptop itself, or with
the OEM's installation of Vista on that laptop not enter your mind? Why, on
an untested PC, do you assume it's Vista's fault?

Yes, you need to call Sony tech support, as *they* are responsible for both
their hardware *and* the OEM software they installed.
Or, given what you paid and how new the laptop is, I'd be returning the
laptop to the vendor and insisting on a replacement (if, of course, I could
demonstrate the problem to the vendor).

 

[KevinD]

Go trade it in on an HP.

 

[Steve Thackery]

Does anyone know a fix for this?

Take it back, of course!! Like when you buy a toaster, and it doesn't make
toast - you take it back.

Steve

 

[Phil]

Ok, I just bought a £2,000 sony laptop (that's $4,000 US). I started
it up... waited for the first use setup process to go through...
selected uk keyboard etc... then changed the explorer view to classic
and tried to drag and drop windows explorer from accessories to the
top of the start menu and it crashed.

I am not kidding this was the first thing I ever ever did with this
new machine. Now I know Vista is a pile of junk but for gods sake this
is going to far.

What do I do know? Call Sony five minutes after turning on the
machine?

Does anyone know a fix for this?

Does this happen consistently every time you go through the same steps?

Does the possibility that there is an issue with the laptop itself, or
with the OEM's installation of Vista on that laptop not enter your mind?
Why, on an untested PC, do you assume it's Vista's fault?

Yes, you need to call Sony tech support, as *they* are responsible for
both their hardware *and* the OEM software they installed.
Or, given what you paid and how new the laptop is, I'd be returning the
laptop to the vendor and insisting on a replacement (if, of course, I
could demonstrate the problem to the vendor).

You Bill Gates ?
Jesus wept man - you're ranting at the bloke after he's asked for advice.
Don't be such a prat., podge42


Bill - maybe a driver. Maybe just do a system restore (I doubt its even
necessary) and reboot.
Try again, and I'll bet it'll go straight in.
This kind of thing happens to me all the time.
Currently it's "No audio

 

[william.hooper]

OK so I just got home and downloaded the updates from both msft and
sony and it did not work. Literally this lap top is a few hours old
and I have installed nothing. I am having the following problems:

(1) Drag and drop any items in my classic start menu and windows
explorer crashes with the message "windows explorer has stopped
working". Searching the msft tech formus I find dozens of posts about
this problem but no solutions except disabling Account Control which
is not acceptable to me.

(2) The wireless network does not properly auto reconnect after a
reboot. It finds the internet connection but explorer can find no
connetion to the web. I have to manually close and reopen the wireless
network connection to get it back alive.

(3) It takes about 5 minutes to shut down with the disc light flashing
every single time.

It's 7pm here and Sony tech support has already gone home.

Jesus I think this is absolutely shocking. Clearly the Vista Build is
totally screwed. We are talking the absolutely top of the range Sony
VGN-AR31S.

I am going to format and reinstall another copy of Vista (no point in
restoring the system to the factor state) and see if I can get it to
work. The trouble is this thing is packed with stuff like blue ray
video playback using a special version of WinDVD and an intergrated
analogue/digital TV tuner card. Tue to form the Sony web site bundles
applications into packs so I have little idea which installs will
contain these two things.

Microsoft has really gone awol on Vista and Sony, who can't write
software to save their lives, are totally insane to ship this
horrorific install.

 

[Phil]

Take it back, of course!! Like when you buy a toaster, and it doesn't
make toast - you take it back.

Steve

True - but what if it's just a simple mistake ?
Whats the harm in a little asking "Have I got this right ?"
Better than looking a total pleb when a snot-nosed teen assistant opens it
up and does exactly whats caused the problem - only this time theres NO
problem ?

 

[william.hooper]

from now please can only intelligent computer litterate people with
something to add that might solve my problem post to this page.

 

[Malke]

from now please can only intelligent computer litterate people with
something to add that might solve my problem post to this page.

Something is wrong and it isn't the operating system. While new
computers with Vista preinstalled aren't exactly thick on the ground in
my area, I've set up 6 of them in the last two weeks and aside from the
stupid Roxio error on the Dells (and that is easily fixed), there have
been absolutely no problems. It's probably a hardware issue.

If you want to be completely sure, do a restore to factory condition. If
that doesn't fix it (and of course if the hardware is wonky it won't),
immediately take your laptop back. It is annoying, but it is not
uncommon for new hardware to fail immediately or very soon after you get
it. You should not mess around with this but should simply return it and
get a new machine.


Malke

 

[Isaac Hunt]

OK so I just got home and downloaded the updates from both msft and
sony and it did not work. Literally this lap top is a few hours old
and I have installed nothing. I am having the following problems:

(1) Drag and drop any items in my classic start menu and windows
explorer crashes with the message "windows explorer has stopped
working". Searching the msft tech formus I find dozens of posts about
this problem but no solutions except disabling Account Control which
is not acceptable to me.

(2) The wireless network does not properly auto reconnect after a
reboot. It finds the internet connection but explorer can find no
connetion to the web. I have to manually close and reopen the wireless
network connection to get it back alive.

(3) It takes about 5 minutes to shut down with the disc light flashing
every single time.

It's 7pm here and Sony tech support has already gone home.

Jesus I think this is absolutely shocking. Clearly the Vista Build is
totally screwed. We are talking the absolutely top of the range Sony
VGN-AR31S.

I am going to format and reinstall another copy of Vista (no point in
restoring the system to the factor state) and see if I can get it to
work. The trouble is this thing is packed with stuff like blue ray
video playback using a special version of WinDVD and an intergrated
analogue/digital TV tuner card. Tue to form the Sony web site bundles
applications into packs so I have little idea which installs will
contain these two things.

Microsoft has really gone awol on Vista and Sony, who can't write
software to save their lives, are totally insane to ship this
horrorific install.

I run Vista on a 2 yr old Vaio & don't have the problems you have.
I would always reinstall from the restore discs on receipt of a new
computer, just incase it's been used as a display unit etc.
Read the news story yesterday of the 11 yr old taking their laptop into a PC
World store for a new HDD & getting a "new" HDD installed full of animal
porn?

Clear it & start again.

Your machine should out perform my vaio by a long way.

 

[william.hooper]

jesus you are all stupid or what? For the nth time this occured
seconds after i turned it on.. Ie after it had run through the setup.
its in factory install condition. i can demonstrate how their default
build is screwed. and installing updates makes no difference. now
maybe not so many people use the classic menu and drag and drop menu
items so they didn't notice before. but its got other problems as
well. SONY ARE SHIPPING A SCREWED INSTALL OF VISTA ON THIER FLAGSHIP
ULTRA EXPENSIVE LAPTOP. It's not totally sony's fault - we all know
Vista is a can of worms and half the world is in trouble. But this
case is especially amazing.

 

[william.hooper]

by the way... i will go into the sony center on tottenham court road
tomorrow and demo it. they are the only shop in london with the model
on display. just change the start menu to classic style and try and
drag and drop a menu / shortcut to a new folder on the menu. it will
crash. knowing vista and seeing the many many posts on windows tech
groups many will have this problem on other machines as well.

 

[Isaac Hunt]

jesus you are all stupid or what? For the nth time this occured
seconds after i turned it on.. Ie after it had run through the setup.
its in factory install condition. i can demonstrate how their default
build is screwed. and installing updates makes no difference. now
maybe not so many people use the classic menu and drag and drop menu
items so they didn't notice before. but its got other problems as
well. SONY ARE SHIPPING A SCREWED INSTALL OF VISTA ON THIER FLAGSHIP
ULTRA EXPENSIVE LAPTOP. It's not totally sony's fault - we all know
Vista is a can of worms and half the world is in trouble. But this
case is especially amazing.

Best of luck in sorting your problem.
Insulting folks trying to help you will just alienate you.

 

[pvdg42]

from now please can only intelligent computer litterate people with
something to add that might solve my problem post to this page.

Take the faulty product back and have it replaced. That's the practical fix.
Is that not what you'd do with a new and faulty television, MP3 player or
GPS navigation system?

 

[pvdg42]

You Bill Gates ?
Jesus wept man - you're ranting at the bloke after he's asked for advice.
Don't be such a prat., podge42

Starting with an illogical rant against Vista, when it's obvious that there
are numerous possibilities to be investigated, isn't the best way to "ask
for advice".

My opinion stands. Take the faulty product back to the vendor and get an
exchange or refund.

 

[LaRoux]

I know the answer but I don't think I measure up to your high standards so
I'll just keep it to myself.

 

[Steve Thackery]

from now please can only intelligent computer litterate people with
something to add that might solve my problem post to this page.

Ooooh hooooh! In a snotty mood today, aren't we?

How many times do you need to be told to take it back? It isn't fit for
purpose. Your rights are clear.

Thack

 

[Michael Chare]

OK so I just got home and downloaded the updates from both msft and
sony and it did not work. Literally this lap top is a few hours old
and I have installed nothing. I am having the following problems:

(1) Drag and drop any items in my classic start menu and windows
explorer crashes with the message "windows explorer has stopped
working". Searching the msft tech formus I find dozens of posts about
this problem but no solutions except disabling Account Control which
is not acceptable to me.

If it is clear that others are having the same problem, and the difficutly
is somehow tied to your hardware then I would suggest asking for your money
back.

I would try a system restore if the laptop comes with that option, likely
you can trigger it off by pressing some button when the machine boots. If
the problem persists that would proove that the build is screwed, and you
could demonstrate to whoever you bought it from.

If you are particularly keen on the PC hardware, you might be able to get
Sony to supply a copy of XP

 

[Hugh Wyn Griffith]

Well stop insulting people just because you don't like what they are
saying.

 

[Hugh Wyn Griffith]

Since you know what's wrong and what to do about it what's your
problem?

There's no need to call people stupid -- it tells us more about you
than about them.

And buying in Tottenham Court Road was never much of a recommendation,
except for Heal's <g>