explorer.exe crashing in Windows XP 1

[emmpeethree]

It happens for no reason... not sure why, but every so often (much more often now) explorer.exe (not the browser, iexplorer.exe) begins to crash

(well, it starts taking up 99% of my cpu, and 120 megs of ram until all my system resources are gone)

my harddrive light goes crazy... sometimes i can't even open the task manager because it's so slow.

sometimes it happens when i try to open a file, sometimes just when im opening a folder others, when i move the mouse over my desktop.

i've reinstalled windows many times, problem keeps coming back (yes, full install)

i've used compatabilty tests, all my hardware is compatible, same with software.

i haven't installed any new software lately but the problem is back after another guy on the site helped me, he had me disable some DNS thing in system management, worked for over a month smoothly wihtout crashes, now it seems to be back... btw, just did virus scan with updated software, nothing found...

i'm stumped, any ideas?

 

[PAndersen]

If you are able to start MSCONFIG , you might try to disable one or more startup programs and services, some of which are probably consuming most of system resources.

 

[linney]

How much RAM have you got? 256MB seems to be the minimum for XP to run smoothly.

Have you checked in Event Viewer for any Application or System Errors?

Have you tried searching for the last post about DNS which you say, "fixed it for a while" and trying the fix again?

Besides searching for virus have you considered a Trojan or Worm? Virus checkers don't always detect these.

Here's a couple of things to look at also.

HOW TO: Set Performance Options in Windows XP (Q308417)

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q308/4/17.asp

Try disabling any unrequired services that are running in background.

http://www.blkviper.com/WinXP/servicecfg.htm

 

[lasombra]

I had also the Problem, that my Explorer ever crashed, escpecaly when i copied or moced files.
(ex. the error with WinXP: "Faulting application explorer.exe, version 6.0.2600.0, faulting module shell32.dll, version 6.0.2600.0, fault address 0x00081b06&quot

I've installed a programm named "Splitfile", which allows split files into different packages. After deinstallation of it, I never had that problem.

 

[ineedhelp2]

I have a similiar problem where the explorer.exe takes up 99% of my cpu too. This problem also causes my taskbar to load about half-way and then pauses to where I cant even click on it, but it still lets me click on other things on my desktop until about 10min. later it crashes. My hardrive light doesnt go crazy though. Ive also ran scan disk and norton ant virus but it said everything was ok not 1 problem. I was thinking about formating the hard drive and then re-installing windowsXP but once I read that emmpeethree already unistalled and reinstalled windowsXP and didnt do anything ive had second thoughts. If anyone could help me ide appreciate it thx.

 

[guidobik]

I do not know the solution for sure but i've read it should be solved after installing sp 1 on xp.

However you can simply workaround the problem by closing explorer.exe in the process section of the taskmanager, as soon as you notice the de-increase in recources. Then simply open explorer.exe again with the new task button in the taskmanager and the problem is solved.... for the time being..

 

[ashleys]

I have what I think is a related problem.

When drilling down into my E: drive Explorer goes into a hung state using 99% CPU /15Mb RAM) when attempting to open a 3rd level folder. e.g. e:\level2\level3
Also when using "Up" button to return from Level2 to root level (all I get is animated torchlight).

Clues:
MS Office 2000 file open dialogs also hang when attempting to access E: drive (but not other drives).

Problem does not affect other drives.

Files within the problem drive are still there, they can be accessed from "recently used" lists or via shortcuts referring to the file or a program associated with a file (e.g. Outlook > outlook.pst)

"Windows Explorer" seems unaffected.

Thought problem might have been because E: was set as target of "My Documents" but reverting to normal "My Documents" location made no difference.

Problem has recurred through two re-installations of Win XP.

No problems when drive is accessed from Windows 98 boot (machine boots to XP, Win98 or Linux)

E: is a logical drive in an extended partition for what it's worth.

Help!

 

[firewolfrl]

chkdsk /f on all drives/partitions
there are some virus's out there that disable your virus scanner.(makes it look like the virus scanner is still working)
goto the norton web site and download the tools for the symptoms you are having.
run those tools in safemode

does the error happen in safe mode?
if it does you have a corrupted partition and need to replace it and the MBR

if it doesn't you have a program corrupting your explorer.exe

try
insert windows XP Cd to CD drive
SFC /scannow

that will repair corrupted system files

If NTFS
disable index services on all the partitions

good luck!

 

[ashleys]

Many thanks to firewolfrl.

sfc /scannow did the trick.

Unfortunately it is not very forthcoming as to what it actually found and what it did about it.

 

[linney]

There might be some information in the Event Viewer as to what files SFC replaced.

 

[ashleys]

Follow up on my post of Dec 6, 2002.

This solution may help others.

I eventually gave up on WinXP and returned to Win2k only to find Win2k similarly afflicted. Win98 was not affected

I eventually tracked problem down to presence of a dummy file named "brasil.pif" on the affected partition. It had been created and placed in "My Documents" on this partition to try and block recurring Opaserv virus infections. (Just "dummy file" and a whole lot of x's)

Remove file (or just remove .pif from name) and problem goes away - re-instate file and problem comes back

No reference to brasil.pif found anywhere in registry.

go figure!

PS. Opaserv has been kept away with help from Tiny Personal Firewall .

 

[TekKnowGeek]

This is a Worm!!!

An interesting forum thread on the topic can be found here:

http://www.computing.net/security/wwwboard/forum/2788.html

Take particular not of this comment:
This is a variant of OPASERV
Removing this virus is easy.

First run regedit and remove scrsvr.exe and brasil.pif from registry.

Now Boot in DOS mode, remove scrsvr.exe and brasil.pif from windows directory.

open win.ini file in windows directory.
search for scrsvr.exe and brasil.pif
remove the lines containing any of this filename.

Disconnect network cables and restart windows. Now you are free from this worm.

 

[scholar24]

opaserv only affects unpatched windows 98 shares and replicates accross network looking for other 98 shares. chances are that every computer in a network will need to be cleaned and have anti-virus installed (i used norton) before it stops replicating.


scholar24