Used online scanner and IExplorer Crashed

I used an online scanner to see if the reason my windows explorer crashes was due to a virus. I assume when it reached the file in question it shut down, causing the same error as usual. I tried disabling the shell extension but it only made my task bar and desktop disapear when i checked the file in question. Do you have any insight?

 

Why dont u try using your antivirus software to see if there is a virus?

 

I did try that there is some spyware but it only showed up on an online scanner.. not with adaware or spybot. Nothing shows up with norton antivirus either. And i tried disabling the shell extensions but it didnt work either.. there is one other debuging option i guess i should try that.. i posted because my desktop disappeared and i didnt think that i should revers the process

 

Leave the shell extensions alone.
These are more likely to cause context menu issues than the crash of Explorer.

If using the Google Desktop Search utility, remove and then upgrade if you choose.

 

Maybe i should be a little more insightful. Here is the whole problem:

I enter my "My Documents" folder and place my cursor over the folder "My DVD's" and the computer promps me with the message "Windows Explorer has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience. ". Then the whole folder closes along with any other Windows Explorer windows that are open. That is the whole shebang.

 

Where did the folder come from? Meaning, did you make this folder yourself or is it a "Special Folder" that some application added to the "My Document's" folder? Does this hover crash only occur on this one folder? Does it crash explorer no mater which way you try to access it? If using the "My Documents" desktop link to get access, try another method.

Any details on that explorer error? Look in event viewer:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308427

OR just type eventvwr.msc on the startmenu runline. Note: Must be user with admin rights.

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This "settings option tweak" may help, if you haven't already done this.

>Click the "My Computer" desktop icon
>From the menubar, Select Tools
>Select "Folder Options" then select the "View" tab
>Put a check in the option to "Launch folder windows in separate process" box and Apply

 

Ok i read that FAQ or what ever you would call. And i did find the error, its an application error. And yes that hover crash only happens on that single folder alone. I can browse or enter any other folder but that one. And if i hang too long over My DVDs folder it crashes. I was considering moving everything out of my documents and then deleting my documents .. and then recreating my documents.. what would u say to that?

Ive just noticed something. When i go to save something to my desktop i notice that the My Documents words are blue, not black like the other text.

 

Using regedit, navigate to:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{87D62D94-71B3-4b9a-9489-5FE6850DC73E}

Do a File, export

Then delete the key.

Reboot and test the DVD folder again.

If you have a software DVD player/utility installed, uncheck any File Associations it may attempt to handle by default; e.g. AVI, or other file extension types.

 

i dont know what regedit is.. :S

 

Then lets not go there.

Do check the second part of my tip above for File Associations taken by your DVD program.

 

i made a debug log and was going to send it to microsoft.. but i cant find the place to do so.. and the only dvd player i have is powerDVD and.. i dont know how to get rid of the associatons with it.. or do you mean real player and windows media player and what not? and Microsoft wants payment for support..

 

When you look at an .AVI file, or .MPG do you see a PowerDVD icon for the file in Explorer?

 

Quote the event viewer error for explorer, or copy and paste it in this post. To do so click to open the application error and click on the icon in the top right that looks like two pages of paper (one on top of the other). This copies the info to the clip board, where you can either paste it in your post or paste into notepad, where it can be copied and pasted into your post.

Do use the setting option tweak I suggested earlier. While the folder or task your doing will probably still crash, it may not take all the other explorer tasks windows with it.

Blue Text usually indicates or lets you know a file or folder is either compressed or encrypted. My Guess is your My Documents folder is compressed. Not to familiar with either since I do not use indexing, compression or use encryption, myself. My needs are simple. Note I do have various files and folders that are compressed for various reasons.

To use regedit:
On the startmenu run type regedit. Your registry will open.
The safest thing for you to do is
>click on the heading HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT. Once it is highlighted, use the >menubar and click on "Edit "
>click on "Find "
>Paste this bolded text on the typein line {87D62D94-71B3-4b9a-9489-5FE6850DC73E}
>it will go to the key needed. Once there, confirm that it is the hkey
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{87D62D94-71B3-4b9a-9489-5FE6850DC73E}
It will mention the default for avi file handling.
>While this key is highlighted, from the menubar:
>select File>export
>Give it a name you will recognize and save it to a safe place. It creates a backup of the reg hkey that will allow you to add this back into the registry should the need arise.
>Once the hkey is exported you can delete the key as suggested by Bill Castner.

It is the player whom you have allowed to or have designated as the default player for your dvd's, most likely Power dvd. You'll need to open the player its self and from the options there will be something that allows you to choose which files will be assigned/defaulted to the player. You need to uncheck all of the associations.

I wouldn't recreate the My Documents folder. Compression is another consideration but I will let those more familiar with the pit falls involved to comment on this. Moving or renaming the offending subfolder, "American Pie 1" is worth considering, however this may not be possible as it seems to be problematic at the moment. In fact, it has not been clearly defined whether this a folder or a file? Perhaps it is corrupt or part of an incomplete rip, copy or download. Have you tried other alternative routes to get to this folder or file?

NOTE: You may wish to wait on the suggestion below until other ideas have been tried. While the below suggestion is relatively easy, it may be a bit scary or nerve racking for a beginner. That said, here it is....
There are possible ways around this explorer crash when trying to work with the "My DVDS" folder. Purposely ending explore.exe (the explorer shell) may allow folder manipulation via the taskmanager (cntrl/alt/del)>Using Toolbar go to >File>new task>browse to folder My DVD'S and move subfolders or files out to a safe holding folder of your choice. When done you can start explorer.exe, once again, by taskmanagers "new task" runline and typing either explorer.exe or browse to *:\windows\explorer.exe (where * is the harddrive letter you have xp loaded on.) When found, click on it.

Safemode bootup may be another option.

 

To Bill,
Sorry Bill . I don't mean to keep stepping on your toes. Guess I should pay closer attention to what's going on, even while I'm tucked away typing, inside my own threads to posts. Either that, or gather thoughts on notepad prior to adding to a post.

 

Absolutely no problem.

You made much clearer than I the steps to do the registry edit, and I thank you.

 

Ann, i tried removing that registry file, and now "My Computer" wont open or "My Documents" i just click and the hour glass comes up and and disapears after a few seconds and then nothing happens

 

Open regedit again.

Navigate to:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}\shell\explorer

Is the key there?

 

i just imported the registlry key and restarte and it worked.. should i just remove agian. restart and then try.. ?
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Yes that file is there. My dvds is still messed up but my computer works now hehe

and it seems to me like power dvd doenst have any file assosiation.. all my files are associated with Real Player got any ideas bill or ann?

Yikes i moved that folder onto my desktop.. and all my icons disapeared.. i used alt+tab to get to this window.. the folder that has something to do withit is called Artificial intellegence and Nueral logic and algorithims or something like that should i use this file to repair the registry problems.. it seems to me like this problem has taken place from when i unistalled Azureus it says thereis problems with non existent asosciatons wit azureus with files like .torrent


Im using the program right now called registry booster .. its scanning my registry and saying there are some problems.. like 26 file associations errors.. it seems u guys have bee talking about file assoication could this be a problem related to my problem?

 

Hi AshesOfTheWake,
Azureus Bit torrent file sharing, P2P, IRC, <-all connected and from what I read Azureus has many plug-ins and at least one player. Don't know any details about this program but from what I read, while on site, I saw a huge potential for a multitude of problems. At this point I would like to suggest that you go to our security subforum, read the stickie at the top of page and start a post for help in our "Removing Spyware and Viruses" forum. If you have any problems or trouble understanding or doing anything in the stickie just append to your post in that forum. Again, at this point we must elliminate the possibility that you have been infected with a trojan, virus, malware etc.. In the least we need to return your system to a working safe stable state. A Hijacklog will help do this.

Please stop trying to clear up your problem by registry edits, restores or any other means, as this may make tracking or pinning down any critters, you may have, all the harder.

As a sidenote, what folder did you move to the desktop, that took out all icons? Have you moved this folder off your desktop? Just as curiousity, were torrents stored in the "My DVDs" folder? Are any files you have downloaded from this program stored in this folder. Did you use or dirrect Azureus download/upload access or sharing to your "My Documents" or "My DVDS" folder. Ah well... In the long run, it doesn't really matter as "pandoras box" was opened once you installed and used Azureus.