Windows Explorer

[Wadeer]

Does anyone know of an after market equivalent to Windows Explorer. The one
that shipped with XP seems currupted because it keeps crashing at the least
opportune moment. Or if you know of a fix short of re-installing XP that
would be great also.

 

[Unknown]

Do you mean Internet Explorer by chance??????

 

[Wadeer]

No, its also called "My Computer" It's used to display files and folders and
usually crashes, or at least it does on most computers that runs XP that I
have used

 

[glee]

It doesn't on any of the computers I use or work on...and that's quite a
few. There are obviously other problems with the computers you see it
happen on. You've given absolutely no information about the system.

You should start by checking for malware. Here are some links that
Robear often posts:

Run the Windows Live Safety Center's 'Protection' scan (only!):
http://onecare.live.com/site/en-us/center/howsafe.htm

Now run a thorough check for hijackware, including posting requested
logs in an appropriate forum, not here.

Checking for/Help with Hijackware:
• http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
• http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/tshoot.html
• http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k/Malware_Defence.htm
• http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Removing_Malware

Chances are you will need to seek expert assistance in
http://spywarehammer.com/simplemachinesforum/index.php?board=10.0,
http://www.spywarewarrior.com/viewforum.php?f=5,
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/cleanup,
http://www.bluetack.co.uk/forums/index.php,
http://aumha.net/viewforum.php?f=30 or other appropriate forums.

 

[Olórin]

Could do with more detail on what you mean by "crashes". Do you get any
error messages? If so, please post the text.

Is it perhaps that Windows Explorer "freezes" when you browse only certain
folders, or folders containing certain files or types of files? Or that the
process "explorer.exe" fails in some way?

It might be worth having a look in the various Event Viewer logs for any
clues at the time of the "crashes" (Start > Run > eventvwr.msc).

 

[Wadeer]

I get the normal Windows Error box, "Sorry for the inconvience but Windows
must shut down this application. Would you like to send a report? Yes or
No". This occurs frequently on my desktop unit which I use as my server, much
less frequently on my laptop.

 

[Olórin]

In your shoes, if I:

- had up to date AV and other malware apps and had run full scans with them
(see "glee's" post, which you haven't replied to)

- were up to date with OS patches

- had run a chkdsk and an "sfc /scannow" to no effect

- found no clues in the Event Logs (as I suggested last time) and

- this wasn't happening just with certain folders or file types (also asked
last time, still no feedback)

then I think I'd be looking at reinstalling from scratch. But to answer your
first question, I tend use the free version of xplorer² instead of Windows
Explorer, because I like its dual-pane feature
(http://zabkat.com/x2lite.htm). There are plenty of other easily sought-out
free (and pay-for) replacements for Windows Explorer out there; perhaps
start at Snapfiles
(http://www.snapfiles.com/Freeware/system/fwfilemanagement.html). But I'd
still be worried about these crashes' occurring "frequently" - like Glen, it
doesn't happen to me, either.