I have a Sony Picturebook (model PCG-C1VP) running Windows XP Home
edition.  FREQUENTLY, every few minutes, Windows Explorer crashes on
me, saying it "has encountered a problem."  I've run Windows Update
and XP is current.  I've run Ad Aware and made sure I have no spyware.
 I've turned off Sony's Jog Dial.  My BIOS is current.  This happens
sometimes when I've got a couple of windows open and I'm nowhere near
the keyboard.  It is VERY annoying and it lowers the value of my
investment in this computer.  Sony's Web site had nothing on point.

Windows Explorer restarts every time, after an annoying pop-up and
inability to do anything for a minute or two. Windows asks for
permission to send an error report to Microsoft.  I've done this
dozens of times.  So far, Bill Gates hasn't called with a solution.

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Request for Question Clarification by joseleon-ga on 10 Feb 2003 11:05 PST

Hello:
  When you say, "nowhere near the keyboard" means you are not using
your computer and it crashes? If so, try disable the screensaver,
maybe you have problems with video drivers.

Regards.

---

Clarification of Question by richwig-ga on 10 Feb 2003 11:12 PST

No, no, there's no screen saver involved.  I mean I get the error when
I am actively using the computer, or, sometimes, if I have a few
windows open and for a minute or two there is no keyboard or mouse
activity.  I didn't say I "wasn't using the computer"; I mean quite
literally that I just take my hands away for a couple of minutes and
even then Explorer crashes.

Conversely, I can be actively typing in a window, or switching among
tasks, and also experience the failure.

---

Request for Question Clarification by clouseau-ga on 10 Feb 2003 11:29 PST

Hi richwig,

Just to be sure, you do mean Windows Explorer and not Internet Explorer...correct?

Is there anything more to the error message? Any details might be helpful.

-=clouseau=-

---

Clarification of Question by richwig-ga on 10 Feb 2003 12:39 PST

Yes, I meant what I said, Windows Explorer. IE is no less stable on
this computer than any other one I use.  Windows Explorer crashes
every few minutes.  When Windows Explorer crashes, the entire task bar
at the bottom of the screen goes away, as do desktop icons.  After the
error dialog pops up, a minute or so later, Windows Explorer has
restarted.

This is close to the error message (reciting from memory but I've seen
it many times):

"Windows Explorer has encountered a problem and needs to close."

It also asks permission to send an error report to Microsoft.  I do
not recall an error code or any useful details.

I don't know if it's relevant, but I do have the feature enabled that
hides the task bar so I can see more on screen.  You see the task bar
again when you cursor over where it was. I have enabled that feature
on other computers with no problems.

I will now fire up the laptop in question to verify the error message.
 This should only take a few minutes.  :-)

---

Request for Question Clarification by clouseau-ga on 10 Feb 2003 12:41 PST

Thanks for the clarification.

I'm compiling an answer for you right now, but if there is an error
number or ANY other details, do let me know.

-=clouseau=-

Hello richwig,

Thank you for your question. 

There are some discussions of this very problem on the Internet.

Annoyances.org
http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxp/t1040079064

This thread solves the problem with a running of Spybot to find the
culprit as Ad-aware did not. There is a new version of Ad-aware
released late last week, however that may be helpful in finding tough
to find spyware.

Microsoft Knowledgebase
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=293623

"SYMPTOMS

You may receive the following error message in Windows Explorer,
Internet Explorer, or MSN Explorer:

Microsoft Internet Explorer has encountered a problem and needs to
close. We are sorry for the inconvenience."

Although XP is not mentioned in this article, do check to see if any
of the related programs that can cause this error pertain to you.

And:

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=276393

Worth reading as Internet Explorer is so tied in to the operation of
Windows Explorer that there may be good information for you here.

expertsXexchange has the following article:
http://www.experts-exchange.com/Operating_Systems/WinXP/Q_20435153.html

"Q:  I use WinXP Professional, just installed SP1 (as part of an
attempt to fix this problem...but it didn't work)

Starting yesterday afternoon, just randomly, it seems, while my
computer was running, this problem popped up.

"Windows Explorer encounters a problem and needs to close" whenever I
try to do anything as mundane as opening a folder, any folder, whether
I'm following a shortcut or not.  Simply double-clicking My Computer
on the desktop will do this.  Then I tell it whether or not to send
the error report, Explorer seemingly restarts (screen goes blank, then
the taskbar and desktop icons reappear), but the problem remains..."

"A:  WOOHOOOOO!!!

I solved the problem by doing the following simple thing:
Install ADAWARE!  (www.download.com)

Apparently the reason for this problem is a malfunctioning "IE
search-hijacker", which screws explorer.exe up.
Install adaware, and let it find the bad guys, and boom, you have a
working computer! :).."

So, we now have two sources with similar problems that seem to be
caused by tough to find spyware.

I do suggest getting the latest Ad-aware from www.lavasoft.de and the
latest Spybot from http://security.kolla.de/ . These may just solve
the problem for you.

I also searched Google Groups for discussions of this error:

This thread suggests using the repair process (as opposed to restore)
for XP:
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&threadm=eIAB6vtmCHA.1912%40TK2MSFTNGP10&rnum=2&prev=/groups%3Fq%3D%2522windows%2Bexplorer%2522%2B%252BXP%2B%252B%2522encountered%2Ba%2Bproblem%2522%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8%26selm%3DeIAB6vtmCHA.1912%2540TK2MSFTNGP10%26rnum%3D2


This thread attributes the problem to a program called "FlashTrack" :
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&threadm=003e01c2a651%24ddd34ed0%2489f82ecf%40TK2MSFTNGXA01&rnum=11&prev=/groups%3Fq%3D%2522windows%2Bexplorer%2522%2B%252BXP%2B%252B%2522encountered%2Ba%2Bproblem%2522%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8%26selm%3D003e01c2a651%2524ddd34ed0%252489f82ecf%2540TK2MSFTNGXA01%26rnum%3D11

This page offers suggestions if you do have FlashTrack installed:
http://allentech.net/parasite/FlashTrack.html


This Knowledgebase article:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;q255758

Attributes the problem to Norton CleanSweep:

Error Message: Explorer.exe Has Generated Errors and Will Be Closed by
Windows

SYMPTOMS
After you upgrade to Windows 2000 from an earlier Windows operating
system, you may receive the following error message after you first
log on:

Explorer.exe has generated errors and will be closed by Windows. Dr
Watson will run and create a log file.
When this error message occurs, no desktop is displayed or the desktop
is blank. You can press CTRL+ALT+DELETE to start Task Manager. If you
do so, you may notice that Explorer.exe is consuming close to 100
percent of the available resources.

CAUSE
This behavior can occur if Norton CleanSweep was installed in the
previous operating system.

You might check to see if you have this installed, even though the
article mentions Windows 2000. XP is very similar in many ways.


This thread attributes the problem to Xupiter:
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&threadm=eA5ffANuCHA.1844%40TK2MSFTNGP09&rnum=24&prev=/groups%3Fq%3D%2522windows%2Bexplorer%2522%2B%252BXP%2B%252B%2522encountered%2Ba%2Bproblem%2522%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8%26selm%3DeA5ffANuCHA.1844%2540TK2MSFTNGP09%26rnum%3D24

It offers very good information for tracking down spyware.

This thread echoes your frustration:
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&threadm=ZdBQ9.518320%24WL3.134222%40rwcrnsc54&rnum=26&prev=/groups%3Fq%3D%2522windows%2Bexplorer%2522%2B%252BXP%2B%252B%2522encountered%2Ba%2Bproblem%2522%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8%26selm%3DZdBQ9.518320%2524WL3.134222%2540rwcrnsc54%26rnum%3D26

"After installing SP1 on Windows XP Pro, every time I try to view or
access the WINDOWS folder, I get the "Windows Explorer has encountered
a problem and needs to close" message. After exhaustive searching
Microsoft's support site as well as the internet, I found absolutely
no answers to this problem!
I began to wonder if this is the first computer in the world to have
this problem. I finally broke down and re-installed XP which fixed the
problem.

Then I installed SP1 a second time, however opting to archive the old
files so I could uninstall it if I had a problem again. Lo and Behold,
the exact same problem returned after installing SP1 again! So I
uninstalled SP1 and
the problem went away."

SP1 is a repeating theme for this problem, as well. If you have this
installed, you may wish to unistall and see if it cures the problem.
Then await SP2 or see this hotfix for SP1:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q329692

"Explorer.exe May Generate an Application Error When You Close a
Folder

The information in this article applies to:
Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition SP1"

"SYMPTOMS
Windows may not respond when you try to open or close a folder by
using Windows Explorer. When this occurs, you may be able to restart
Explorer.exe to cause Windows Explorer to work correctly again.

RESOLUTION
A supported fix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only
intended to correct the problem that is described in this article.
Apply it only to systems that are experiencing this specific problem.
This fix may receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not
severely affected by this problem, Microsoft recommends that you wait
for the next Windows XP service pack that contains this fix."

Another reoccurring theme with this problem is the version installed
of MVC42.dll as shown in this thread:

http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&threadm=086301c2c688%24d6cdf930%24d2f82ecf%40TK2MSFTNGXA09&rnum=43&prev=/groups%3Fq%3D%2522windows%2Bexplorer%2522%2B%252BXP%2B%252B%2522encountered%2Ba%2Bproblem%2522%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8%26selm%3D086301c2c688%2524d6cdf930%2524d2f82ecf%2540TK2MSFTNGXA09%26rnum%3D43


Search Strategy:

"windows explorer" +XP +"encountered a problem"

These types of problems are usually well discussed and well documented
on the Internet and in Usenet Groups. The small amount of information
and the few choices of cause lead me to believe that is it a conflict
with spyware on your machine or a problem with SP1 as a second
possibility.

I know that I have given you quite a lot to read and consider, but in
short, I would obtain the latest versions of Ad-aware and Spybot (and
check for updates after installing them) and see if that doesn't find
the problem. If not, try uninstalling SP1. Then read the threads above
in depth if you still experience the problem and do let me know what
you find.

I hope my research will lead you to solving this annoying problem. If
a link above should fail to work or anything require further
explanation or further research, please do post a Request for
Clarification and I will be pleased to assist further.

Regards,

-=clouseau=-