Windows task bar freeze

G

Guest

I have a new (as of earlier this year) Dell Dimension DM051 with XP Media
Center. I install security updates automatically from Microsoft and run
McAfee Security Center.

A couple of times a week, the task bar will lock up. It seems to be
triggered by an attempt to open a new window -- e.g., a new IE window or a c
drive folder.

It just happened, and the event right before it happened was that I double
clicked on a folder on my c drive. Last time, it was when I clicked on IE
icon to open a new session. Each time, the desired app hangs, not responding.
The task bar freezes... no response to a click even on the Start menu.
Clicking on any desktop icon does nothing because the other characteristic of
this issue is the inability to create any kind of a new window in the active
user account.

I can do CtlAltDel and get the task window. From there, I can switch to any
active task (except the unresponsive one). I can use that app just fine as
long as I don't try to open a new window. For example, I can switch to an
active IE window and navigate just fine as long as a link doesn't try to
create a new window. Then, that IE window hangs.

Luckily, I can usually use the task window to switch to the data-rich apps I
am working on and safely save and close them. Then, I can log out of the
current user account. When I log back on (does not require a reboot),
everything is fine.

Oh, yeah, after I logged back on, I clicked on the properties for the c
drive and ran the "error" tool. It found nothing wrong with the drive.

Looking in the Event Viewer, I see a whole string of MsInstaller warnings
followed by a Messenger Service Information entry:

The description for Event ID ( 4 ) in Source ( (MSN/Windows) Messenger
Service ) cannot be found. The local computer may not have the necessary
registry information or message DLL files to display messages from a remote
computer. You may be able to use the /AUXSOURCE= flag to retrieve this
description; see Help and Support for details. The following information is
part of the event: 倀礀䀀礆.

And, a Service Control Manager error:

The IPSEC Services service terminated with the following error:
The attempted operation is not supported for the type of object referenced.

Not sure if these entries are the relevant ones, but they might be clues to
someone.
 
G

Guest

BTW, I did find this apparently-related suggestion posted elsewhere on this
newsgroup, but neither cause applies to me (I did a search on the HP file
referenced in the "cause" just in case, because I do have an HP
print/fax/scan/copy):

Problems in Windows Explorer or the Windows shell after you install
security update MS06-015
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/918165

================================
 
G

Guest

So... any suggestions for how to track down what app might be causing the
problem for me, if what I am seeing does relate to kb/918165?
 

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