Hi all, Please help me. I have Windows XP and explorer.exe keeps crashing. I get the "Explorer.exe encountered a problem and needs to be closed" message, and when I click either on Close or on Send report, it closes, taskbar and everything disappears, then it comes back and the error message pops up again. If I drag the error message and put it somewhere on the screen where it doesn't disturb me, I can click on the icons on the desktop, but I can't click on the taskbar (when mouse is moved over the taskbar it becomes a hourglass). I ran virus scans, spyware scans, chkdsk, defragment, none of these found any problem. If I click on error report, it lists lots of DLLs, kernel32.dll and about 60 others. Does anyone know what causes this? Can it be fixed without reinstall? yours, Peter

I experienced the same problem several months ago; I solved it by reinstalling XP. Now I am having an entirely different problem, now there is two explorer.exe processes running and that is causing a problem with browsing the hard drive (the mouse slows down to a crawl when I right click a file or folder, It does this on and off and if various folders). If you want me to, I will be happy to email you a copy of my explorer.exe file, and then you will be able to replace yours with it while in safe mode. If you want me to email it to you, email me your email address at dotyhousemoving@aol.com

Gandalf, (Coughing sound>>>>Gandolf? I know. FRODO lives!!! Sorry got carried away. You've been hacked. run adaware, spyblaster, and cwshredder. You may have to repair IE which you can find by typing "Repair IE in google. To: Narrowpathpilgrim From: Widelaneapotheosis Use task manager to kill unneeded processes, Learn to use MSconfig to kill some the startups, or get yourself a startup manager. Post your HJT file in Security and Virus for analysis. Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go.

Could be a Trojan , see if this helps . http://cexx.org/dlder.htm

If I use the task manager to terminate the explorer.exe process then explore.exe it hides the taskbar, icons, Etc. and everything disappears. I use the registry and another startup manager called “Code Stuff Starter” instead of msconfig to manage my startups. Here Is a List of Startups. Note that some of the programs have been closed since startup; consequently they are not on the running process list. Logfile of HijackThis v1.97.7 Scan saved at 1:49:50 PM, on 3/24/2004 Platform: Windows XP SP1 (WinNT 5.01.2600) MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP1 (6.00.2800.1106) Running processes: C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe C:\Program Files\AVPersonal\AVGUARD.exe (ANTIVIRUS) C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\AOL\ACS\acsd.exe (ISP) C:\Program Files\AVPersonal\AVWUPSRV.exe (ANTIVIRUS) C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\dcfssvc.exe C:\Program Files\Olympus\DeviceDetector\DM1Service.exe (AUDIO RECORDER DRIVER) C:\Program Files\FileZilla Server\FileZilla Server.exe (SERVER) C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\VS7DEBUG\MDM.exe C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL$MICROSOFTBCM\Binn\sqlservr.exe C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\ZONELABS\vsmon.exe (FIREWALL) C:\WINDOWS\wanmpsvc.exe C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.exe C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.exe C:\Program Files\AVPersonal\AVGNT.exe (ANTIVIRUS) C:\Program Files\PestPatrol\PPControl.exe (ANTISPY) C:\PROGRA~1\ZONELA~1\ZONEAL~1\zlclient.exe (FIREWALL) C:\PROGRA~1\PESTPA~1\PPMemCheck.exe (ANTISPY) C:\PROGRA~1\PESTPA~1\CookiePatrol.exe (ANTISPY) C:\Program Files\PC KR\PCKeyRecorderDeluxe.exe (KEY LOGGER) C:\program files\regprot\regprot.exe (REGISTRY MONITER) C:\Program Files\ScreenArt\WillowRd.exe (SCREEN SAVER) C:\Program Files\WinRoll\winroll.exe (WINDOW ROLLUP PROGRAM) C:\Program Files\Stickies\Stickies.exe (REMINDING PROGRAM) C:\WINDOWS\System32\ctfmon.exe C:\WINDOWS\System32\DllHost.exe C:\Program Files\Microsoft office\OFFICE11\WINWORD.exe (MICROSOFT WORD) C:\WINDOWS\msagent\AgentSvr.exe C:\Documents and Settings\DotyHouseMoving.COMPUTER.000\Desktop\Program setup files\anti-Spyware\HijackThis.exe (HIJACK THIS) R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Bar = http://www.digitalfan.com/search R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://www.digitalfan.com/search R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://google.com/ R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant = http://www.digitalfan.com/search R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page = R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page = O2 - BHO: (no name) - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Reader\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll O2 - BHO: IE Privacy Keeper - Last IE Window Detector - {1201333E-BAD9-481C-BCF5-6904498CF85B} - C:\Program Files\UnH Solutions\IE Privacy Keeper\IEPKbho.dll O2 - BHO: (no name) - {4A2AACF3-ADF6-11D5-98A9-00E018981B9E} - C:\Program Files\NewDotNet\newdotnet4_85.dll O2 - BHO: LBBHO - {EFD84954-6B46-42f4-81F3-94CE9A77052D} - C:\WINDOWS\lbbho.dll O3 - Toolbar: &Radio - {8E718888-423F-11D2-876E-00A0C9082467} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\msdxm.ocx O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVGCtrl] C:\Program Files\AVPersonal\AVGNT.exe /min O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [PestPatrol Control Center] C:\Program Files\PestPatrol\PPControl.exe O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Zone Labs Client] C:\PROGRA~1\ZONELA~1\ZONEAL~1\zlclient.exe O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [PPMemCheck] C:\PROGRA~1\PESTPA~1\PPMemCheck.exe O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [CookiePatrol] C:\PROGRA~1\PESTPA~1\CookiePatrol.exe O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [OpenOffice.org 1.1.0] C:\Program Files\OpenOffice.org1.1.0\program\quickstart.exe O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [PCKeyRecorder] C:\Program Files\PC KR\PCKeyRecorderDeluxe.exe /run O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [RegProt] c:\program files\regprot\regprot.exe /start O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ScreenArt] C:\Program Files\ScreenArt\WillowRd.exe O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Elprime Clock] C:\Program Files\Elprime Clock\uclock.exe O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [WinRoll] "C:\Program Files\WinRoll\winroll.exe O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [TClockEx] C:\Program Files\TClockEx\TCLOCKEX.exe O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Stickies] C:\Program Files\Stickies\Stickies.exe O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\System32\ctfmon.exe O6 - HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Restrictions present O6 - HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Control Panel present O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MI1933~1\OFFICE11\EXCEL.EXE/3000 O9 - Extra button: Research (HKLM) O9 - Extra button: Related (HKLM) O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Show &Related Links (HKLM) O10 - Hijacked Internet access by New.Net O10 - Hijacked Internet access by New.Net O10 - Hijacked Internet access by New.Net O10 - Hijacked Internet access by New.Net O10 - Hijacked Internet access by New.Net O12 - Plugin for .PDF: C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\PLUGINS\nppdf32.dll O16 - DPF: {01FE8D0A-51AD-459B-B62B-85E135128B32} (DD_v4.DDv4) - http://www.drivershq.com/DD_v4.CAB

Here is the logfile check list . http://homepage.ntlworld.com/dvk01uk/tutorial.htm http://www.help2go.com/article153.html http://hjt.wizardsofwebsites.com/ http://www.spywareinfo.com/bhos/ http://www.spychecker.com/program/bholist.html http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/htlogtutorial.html#r http://www.computercops.biz/postt6393.html http://www.google.com/search?q=spyware+list

I have just picked up a machine that has a similar problem. When I boot xp all i get is a back ground and thats it. I can access task manager and everything seems fine except theres no explorer.exe running (hence no icons only background) Unfortunately I don't have time to mess about finding the cause so I have saved all the files i need (as a slave drive in my machine) and done a low level on the drive (just to be sure!) Trouble I have now is my customer has lost his serial key. Any ideas on how i can re-install and get a genuine replacment key????