Windows Explorer Crashes!!!

I am having trouble creating, deleting, or editing directory names throught Windows Explorer. I can md and rd through an MSDOS window but each time I try to use the Explorer interface, it crashes. It crashes going through explorer and going through an open application (ie File, Open, Create New Folder). This just started a few days back. I am up to date on SPs, AV, etc. My W2K cds were lost during one of my moves so a repair is out of the question. Any help you can provide will be appreciated!

 

Your event logs should have more detail and that would certainly help in trying to diagnose and suggest a fix for you.

start => run => eventvwr.msc and OK then when you find a related event, open it, click on the icon below the updown arrows (sends a text copy to your clipboard) and paste that here.

Note that it may not be possible to fix the problem without a 2K install CD though. No way to tell at this point.

 

If you don't have the CD a reinstall of SP4 may help.

 

Based on this symptom, i would think that the problem is a malfunctioning shell extension.
This is relatively painless to test for. Download ShellExView and use it to disable all non-microsoft extensions (you can sort by manufacturer). Disable them, reboot and see if your problem is resolved. If so, then start enabling them a few at a time until you get your culprit.

This is a pretty common problem, and easy enough to fix. If using shellexview raises some questions, please ask, we can walk you through it

Post back with your results, if its not a column handler holding the handle, there are some other things to look at