Explorer can only sort columns once

Hello,

First post here. I've been having this issue for a while and haven't yet found the cause. I assume it's due to a system file issue, since i've received the "Windows file replaced by unrecognized versions" popup on several occaisions in the last few months. However, this popup asks for the Windows XP Professional SP3 Installation Disc, which any idiot can tell you doesn't exist for me -- I installed from an XP2 disc and Microsoft's SP3.iso doesn't work for this (I tried).

That rant aside, the issue is this -- let's say I search for "File.ext" and get a bunch of results. I sort by Name. Great, it works! I sort by Name again to switch between Ascending/Descending. Nothing happens. Nothing continues to happen - each subsequent sort action flips the arrow/carrot icon, but no changes display or are performed.


Any ideas are appreciatied,
DK

 

Using a program like nLite, you can easily slipstream SP3 to your SP2 disc & burn it to disc, or follow the method Arie posted at the beginning of this section
Hope that might be of help
Jac

 

Thank you for the reminder on that. I have slipstreamed SP2 in the past, which didn't work out so well. However, it's been long enough that I don't remember what type of installation it was (OEM, Reseller, etc.) and what the exact problem was that made the disc non-usable

I will try to created a slipstreamed SP3 disc in the next few days and will let you know.


Windows hasn't asked about the unrecognized file versions since the last major changes (graphics card drivers, etc.) -- is there a way to find records of which files changed versions?
I am hessitant to run SFC /scannow because i'm not generally a fan of automated recovery systems overwriting whatever they see fit. I seem to remember that if you run SFC, it can actually overwrite your current files with older files (overwriting, say, SP3 files with original Windows install files). Is that correct or no?

 

w00t. And thank you for educating me on that... I am (was?) probably just being paranoid and OCD, as per usual.

I'll run the SFC when I get home, after slipstreaming SP3 since i'm sure it'll ask for those files again.

PeteC-- are you aware of such errors / notifications being a false positive? i.e. a system file was replaced by a valid and non-malicious program?

 

***Update:

Slipstream of SP3 completed successfully. I now have a Windows XP Pro SP3 install disc. Sweet! Thank you both for the info and assistance on this.

However, after running SFC /scannow, the only files replaced were files pertaining to my ATI Radeon AIW 9800pro driver(s) -- once those files were replaced, I had to uninstall my Omega drivers, wipe all ATI drivers with help of ATI's Uninstall Tool, restart a bunch of times, install the ATI WDM and main drivers, then tweak a few settings and restart several more times. Go figure

The sort issue still persists, so i'll look into the Shell fix / troubleshooting. I know I have a handful or more of programs that have some type of Shell extension(s), so it's pretty likely one of them is causing this issue.

Thanks again! I'll LYK what I find out.
--DK

 

Well, this is awesome. after the shenanigans with having to uninstall and reinstall my ATI gfx drivers about 6 times due to SFC /scannow, I am now getting constant BSOD's. Getting them at different times - on boot, on login, when running certain apps, during Safe Mode, all sorts of stuff. I doubt this was caused by anything other than the SFC scan... I hadn't had a BSOD in ages before all of this started. I don't even think i'm going to be able to get back to normal unless i reinstall. If I install Windows XP SP3 from this disc I just made, over the top of my current installation, what will I lose? Honestly I just need to get things stable enough so that I can backup all my data, format, and start fresh.

Oh, for the record I ran the ATI Uninstall Utility in Safe Mode and am still getting BSOD's Sucky.


EDIT: You acn see why I was hessitate and doubtful of using SFC If my memory serves correctly, massive issues come along with running SFC most of the time, becaues it can make stupid decisions about what to overwrite.