this program has performed an illegal operation

I have read other posts that are similar to mine but none seem to match my problem exactly. I do not understand computers so I apologize if this has already been answered.
I keep getting this message come up that says "Rhis program has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down. If problem persists contact vendor" This box comes up whenever i click on an icon on my desktop and pretty much anytime I go from one window to the next. I have checked for viruses and have done scan disks. I deleted the programs that I thought may have caused this (KaZaA, cereal box games etc) and reinstalled windows. Problem still there. I have the details if they will help.

 

Yes, that would help.

 

These are the details.


EXPLORER caused an invalid page fault in
module KERNEL32.DLL at 017f:bff8ac13.
Registers:
EAX=00000000 CS=017f EIP=bff8ac13 EFLGS=00000246
EBX=00000000 SS=0187 ESP=04aeec2c EBP=028c9088
ECX=028c9088 DS=0187 ESI=028c916c FS=4d4f
EDX=819d7865 ES=0187 EDI=028c9088 GS=0000
Bytes at CS:EIP:
a1 10 9d fc bf 50 e8 96 95 fe ff ff 76 04 e8 35
Stack dump:
bff8abfa 028b3641 028c916c 028c9088 046bb0c4 04aeec5c 028c056a 00000000 028b0000 00000001 028c8018 028c8018 04aeec7c 028c09b7 028b0000 00000000

 

Hi rain_on_me
Welcome to the boards! You're sure about that error.....it's not "IEXPLORE ".....rather than "Explorer "?

Daizy

 

When you say you deleted the programs.......did you infact mean you uninstalled (through control panel)......or delete?

Have you run Ad-aware?

Daizy

 

In addition to confirming the exact error ( "Explorer" or "IExplore "?) and checking for spyware and adware as Daizy suggests:

1. Close all background programs except for Explorer and Systray. Either r-click and exit using the system tray icons or Ctrl/Alt/Delete to 'end task' on each. Then see if you still have the problem.

2. Try reducing hardware acceleration as explained in the following post (from a groups.google search)
=======copy/paste============

From: Jim Eshelman (newsgroups@aumha.org)
Subject: Re: page fault in module kernel32
Newsgroups: microsoft.public.win98.performance
View: Complete Thread (2 articles) | Original Format
Date: 2001-10-30 09:22:01 PST

"Einstein" <shightower1@hvc.rr.com> wrote in message
news:#ykkKiLYBHA.160@tkmsftngp03...
> When ever I right click on a icon on the desktop I get the following
> message: Explorer caused an invalid page fault in module Kernel32.dll at
> 017f:bff711be. How can I correct this without losing any data. I am
> currently running windows 98se. I would appreciate any assistance or
> suggestions. Thank you

KERNEL32 errors are a whole category of their own. I'll give you some links
for digging more deeply into the problem, but I can tell you right now that
017f:bff... memory rangers pertain to video functioning. Make sure you have
the newest drivers, as a start. Also, go into System Properties |
Performance and crank the graphic acceleration down a notch or two, then
reboot. If this solves the problem, then your computer is sending data to
the video card too fast for this particular card to handle. Consider a new card, if that's the case.

Besides that, here are the sites I most recommend for addressing KERNEL32
error conditions. I suggest you look at them in the order listed:
http://www.aumha.org/a/k32harp.htm
http://www.all-windows.com/kernel32.html
http://www.aumha.org/howto.htm

--
Jim Eshelman MS-MVP
My most common newsgroup answers can be found at:
The Windows Support Center www.aumha.org
Online newsletter "The E-List" at: www.aumha.org/elist.htm

=======end copy/paste=========

Possibly a few more details might help such as:

your Windows version (Win98, Win98se?)
Internet Explorer version (IE5.5? IE6?)
What changes you made to your system before this problem began (installed programs?)
What programs are running when this happens (do a Ctrl/Alt/Delete and list what you see)

In my own case, I had a program running at startup called "Aptiva Desktop Customization) that animated my desktop icons and Start menu. It caused the Explorer error in kernel32,dll when I used Windows Explorer for tasks such as renaming or moving my personal files and folders. Once I disabled this program, the problem disappeared.

 

I actually deleted them from my desktop and then removed the programs.

 

"Also, go into System Properties |
Performance and crank the graphic acceleration down a notch or two, then reboot." How do I do this??



(I tried the first suggerstion of ending all the tasks except explorer and systray but it didn't work.)

 

This could be a very big cause of your problems if you did not use Add/Remove Programs in the Control Panel.

Have you followed through on Daizy's link concerning Ad-Aware? This is important as Kazaa put spyware/adware on your computer, and it is still there.

Do the Ad-Aware first, then this registry cleaner.

Go here and get a copy of Regcleanr, install it. When it opens, you will see some entries pertaining to the software you deleted. remove those. Then go to Tools\Registry Cleaner, select Do them All. It would be safe to remove the entries it finds. This program makes a backup of everything it removes.


Open the Control Panel, open System Properties, click on Performance, then click on Graphics. You will then see a slider bar, move it to the left one notch, then reboot.

 

How goes the battle rain on me? Any progress yet?

Daizy