Blank Desktop with Invalid Page Fault

I am using Windows98 Second Edition on a Gateway GS400. I recently attempted to cleanup my hard drive by removing programs I was no longer using and to get rid of addware, spyware and other non-essentials. One of the things I tried to remove was a program named "sidefind ". I later found that "sidefind" is an addware program that can create windows problems. When I restarted my computer the wallpaper was displayed as normal but no login dialog box came up. After a few moments the following error message appeared: "EXPLORER This program has peformed an illegal operatoin and will be shut down. ......" When I clicked (my mouse does work) on "Details" the following was displayed: "Explorer caused an invalid page fault in module Explorer.exe at 017f:00401f31 ". I was not able to get beyond this error.

I used my ZIP100 Norton's Rescue Disk in attempt to recover. I was able to get a login dialog box with only one of four original login names. I was able to login and perform Norton functions. I tried to restore the files that I had removed and deleted, but Norton's indicated that it could not find any recently deleted files. That does not make sense to me.

I tried numerous remedies found on support.microsoft.com, some of which appeared to address my identical symptoms, but with no success. I can boot to Safe Mode and DOS Command Mode. I can access the hard drive and my CD Rom Drive. But I cannot get to a start-up window with icons or a start menu.

Any suggestions???

 

Welcome to the BBS,

Suggest you get HijackThis http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/downloads.html.
It is small enough to unzip onto a floppy disk.

Start the computer in Safe Mode and copy the file to a folder from where you can run it.

If it shows entries for "Sidefind" you should be able to safely check those for removal. That may get your computer running again. Otherwise go back into Safe Mode, make a HijackThis "log" and post it here. Also state if you see references in the list that may relate to programs/files you deleted.

Search this forum for "msconfig" for what it does and ways to use it. You can run msconfig in Safe Mode.

In future, use spyware removal tools, eg. Sypbot and Adaware to safely remove spyware and their registry links. These programs make back-ups so that you can restore your system if problems arise.

Matt

 

Hijackthis does not work!!

Thanks Matt,

I did download Hijackthis to another computer and put it on a floppy disk.

Since I cannot get anything going in Windows, even in Safe Mode, I booted to Command Prompt Only. I had no problem copying Hijackthis to my hard drive. But when I executed it from DOS it quickly informed me that "Hijackthis could not run in DOS ".

So I modified c:\windows\system.ini and replaced "Shell Explorer.exe" with "Shell Winfile.exe ". I rebooted, logged in, and Winfile came up as expected. I selected file, run and choose Hijackthis. It seemed to run in the background, but never opened a window, never gave me a dialog box. It displayed the hour glass for about 15 seconds and then returned me to Winfile.

Did Hijackthis make a log in background? Is this the way Hijackthis works? If so, where can I find the log?

Considering that I cannot run anything in windows, what do you suggest?


Thanks,

Howard

 

Howard, if you are having problems in Safe Mode it would mean that there are some basic problems with the system.

I have not seen the "no windows opening" problem before.

I would reinstall Windows. Run setup and reinstall Windows to the C:\Windows folder. It has always gotten me back to "working destop" state. You then need to do the "mopping-up" and remove malware or clean up the registry so that it is fully functional again.

Matt

 

Thanks Matt,

Can you give me some tips on what I need to do to "Clean up the Registry "?

If I re-install Windows using Set-up will I still be able to use application software on my hard drive? It is all there, I can browse it using "Winfile ". Apparently some files needed to get windows up and going either have been deleted or have been corrupted.

Is there any type of diagnostic program I can run from the DOS Command Prompt that will help me identify what files are missing or corrupt?

Thanks,

Howard

 

You shouldn't have any problems with applications unless the registry is at the heart of the problem.

I use Norton Utilities, but I vet everything it wants to change. I don't let it automatically do anything, sometimes it wants to change paths to completely different programs or delete keys to install CDs. There is a free program from Microsoft called Regclean that should work just the same, but vet everything and only remove links to things you know are wrong (like previously uninstalled programs).
When you get going again, post back with the HijackThis log. Someone may be able to help you to remove any baddies.

Diagnostics program...Windows reinstall would be the best.

Hope you have some luck
Matt

 

Desktop is empty

Desktop is empty and giving illegal massage 0177:00401f31 same massage in safe mode

 

Have a look at this. If you have any questions about it, post back. Don't let the name of the article fool you. Your error is listed in the symptoms. It also mentions a blank desktop in both normal and safe mode as one of the symptoms.

Error Message: Explorer Caused an Invalid Page Fault in Module Browseui.dll

 

Desktop is empty

THANKS I went to c:/scanreg /restore and it works windows working ok does any thing as need to done

 

Glad to hear you got it fixed. As for whether or not anything else needs to be done, if windows is running fine and you don't notice any problems I'd say no.