Constant explorer.exe crashes 3

[guitarzan]

I have an HP Pavilion dv6500 notebook (Vista Home Premium) that I cannot get to boot much past the login screen; Before the desktop even finishes displaying, I get "Windows explorer has stopped working". If I click "Restart the program", it still fails, with only a "Close the program" option. "Problem details" show as below:

Problem Signature:
Problem Event Name: InPageCoFire
Error Status Code: c000009c
Faulting Media Type: 00000003
Damaged file name: iertutil.dll
OS Version: 6.0.6002.2.2.0.768.3
LocaleID: 1033

Safe Mode does exactly the same thing. Following some links on Google, I tried Safe Mode with Command Prompt, ran system restore (rstrui.exe), and selected a restore point from before the problem began. It seemed to process (got the "Please wait while your Windows files and settings are being restored... after a few minutes the notebook rebooted itself), but still have the same behavior.

In Safe Mode with Command Prompt, I was able to run "regedit" and disable UAC, but that didn't help either.

I can't do a repair install, as all I have is a restore DVD which will restore an image only. I wouldn't have a problem with reformatting/reloading, except at the moment I have no way to back up all the data.

Any ideas how to resolve the problem? Or even, how to get the data off?

Thanks in advance!

 

[linney]

Try running ChkDsk to check your drive for errors. Right-click your Drive icon/ Properties/ Tools/ Error Checking. Try it first by not checking either box (Read-only mode) to see if it flags any hard drive or file problems. If it does, start by ticking both boxes, in any further rerun.

The hard drive manufacturer will have free diagnostic software that is bootable, or that may even run from within Windows, that will thoroughly check the condition of your hard drive.


How to Use the Memory Diagnostics Tool in Vista

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/65361-memory-diagnostics-tool.html

Startup Repair.

Startup Repair is a Windows recovery tool that can fix certain problems, such as missing or damaged system files, that might prevent Windows from starting.

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Wi...809f-ed90-415f-a83f-89b42108b3551033.mspx#EFF

Startup Repair: frequently asked questions

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/5c59f8c1-b0d1-4f1a-af55-74f3922f3f351033.mspx

See this if you have no install DVD.

Windows Vista Recovery Disc Download

http://neosmart.net/blog/2008/windows-vista-recovery-disc-download/

See if there are any clues in these.

http://www.google.com.au/search?q=I...ss&ie=&oe=&redir_esc=&ei=tCySTbqlJNHCcdG0tYkH

See if something like BartPE can run on your machine and get your data off. You might be able to make use of BartPE (a mini XP self contained on a bootable CD and run from CD).

http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/

 

[BadBigBen]

Disk error causes a program to crash in Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, or Windows Vista

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/884070

and then I'd suggest that you run a full diagnostic on the OS drive, using the manufacturers tools...

Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[aich69]

You could also get your data off using a USB external caddy plugged in to another PC. You would need to take the disk out of the laptop and pop it in the caddy. You'll also need to know if it is IDE or SATA although you can buy caddies that cater for both now. I would recommend a place to buy but I don't know your location.

All other advice from linney and BigBadBen is top notch as usual and trying BartPE might be the way to go before resorting to hard disk removal as you can do it now rather than have to wait to go shopping.





I used to have a handle on life... but it broke. Cpt. Red Bull

 

[guitarzan]

Thanks for the responses. I was able to get BartPE working, recognized my USB drive and got the data off. Ran chkdsk, no problems.

I downloaded the western digital "Data Lifeguard Diagnostic for DOS" for the drive (Scorpio blue wd2500bevs), but it just hangs when I run it... that is, I type the executable (DLGDIAG5.EXE)...

getting frustrating, I think im just going to make sure I have all the data, then wipe / reload and try the diagnostics after

 

[BadBigBen]

guitarzan,

use the one called "Data Lifeguard Diagnostic for DOS (CD)", as that is a bootable CD, from which the program should run automatically... ;-)

http://support.wdc.com/product/download.asp?groupid=702&lang=en

Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[guitarzan]

BadBigBen

I tried that one also... I agree it should just run automatically... and it should also run after being copied onto the hard drive and being run from there... but it doesn't (?)

Has me concerned that it is a dying hard drive... but this is a replacement drive that's not much more than a year old.

I will reload from the Image DVD this weekend, and the first thing I will do is see if the diagnostic runs

 

[BadBigBen]

but this is a replacement drive that's not much more than a year old.

age of drive has no meaning... at work we had a spanking new drive fail within hours of installing the OS...

besides the laptop, I gather you have a standard PC, why not attach the drive directly to said PC, and run the DIAG software on the PC instead of the Laptop, to test the drive...



Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[guitarzan]

BadBigBen,

I didn't have any way to connect the notebook drive to another PC.

So, I backed up all data, restored the image, and now everything is fine. Except, still could not boot off that WD diagnostic CD, got same errors as before:

Unable to locate the License Agreement file, DGLICE.TXT
Cannot load the file A:\COMMAND.COM
Insert Correct disk and Strike any key

Even though the disc was bootable (worked on my pc), and the cd drive on the notebook seemed fine (Bart PE had no problem)...

Anyway, all of that is odd and doesn't make me feel good, but I was able to run the Windows version of the diagnostic, and it found no problems with the drive

 

[guitarzan]

WOW... what a difference 30 minutes makes.

I installed AVG, updated it and ran a full scan, then rebooted...Now, I see the Vista logo for a few seconds, then BSOD that says "UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME" STOP: 0x000000ED. Safe Mode freezes at AVGIDSEH.SYS

Google searches suggest renaming some AVG core files may fix the issue... except that now when I go to BART PE and run the "A43 File Management Utility", that utility takes many minutes to load, and clicking on C: takes many more minutes, and shows me nothing. so, dead drive I'm guessing. Explains a lot of things, anyway!

 

[BadBigBen]

Sorry to hear that...

I would run a memtest, e.g. MemTest86+ or the one build into Vista), just to make sure that the memory is in working order (also for your own peace-of-mind)...

do you remember what the second parameter was on the 0x000000ED error?

try an alternative AntiViral solution... e.g. Avira...



Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[guitarzan]

Thanks for the replies. The full stop error is:
*** STOP: 0x000000ED (0x84D2F668, 0xC000009C, 0x00000000, 0x00000000)

Will run a MemTest later today...

 

[BadBigBen]

do let us know how the memtest turns out...

but my guess is that the drive is definitely damaged... I would replace it and go from there...


Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[linney]

STOP OX000000ED or UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME

Occurs if Windows if unable to access the volume containing the boot files. But if you get this message while updating TO Vista, check that you have compatible drivers for the disk controller and also re-check the drive cabling, and ensure that it is configured properly. If you're reusing ATA-66 or ATA-100 drivers, make sure you have an 80-connector cable, and not the standard 40-connector IDE cable. See KB297185 and KB315403."


GUIDE : Windows Vista 'Stop Errors' or 'The Blue Screen Of Death'

http://www.winvistaclub.com/t3.html

The fact that the AVG file is the last file shown when loading in Safe Mode cannot be used as a guaranteed diagnostic hint, as the machine has more than likely loaded that file and is crashing after that file has loaded (another cause). I see probably the same file listed in Safe Mode on a machine that also runs AVG.

 

[guitarzan]

Ran Memtest86... two passes, no problems found.

Then just for the heck of it, I ran the "System Recovery" (F11 at boot prompt), which re-installs the image... and that worked ?!?!

I installed SP1, then SP2, then AVG, and no problems so far... Will do the hard drive test next (the full extended one this time)...

 

[guitarzan]

OK I feel better now... confirmed that the drive is dying, will look to replace it. Thanks to all for the help!