Explorer has generated errors and will be closed!

[JGarner]

I have reformatted and reinstalled Win2000 ver 5.00.2195 (Service Pack 4), but constantly get the error: "Explorer has generated errors and will be closed by Windows...".

In Event Viewer, it alternately gives the Dr. Watson error, "The application, explorer.exe, generated an application error The error occurred on 09/01/2004 @ 18:38:03.245 The exception generated was c0000005 at address 77C72A84 (Ordinal169)". Event: 4097.
                               ....Appl
0008: 69 63 61 74 69 6f 6e 20   ication
0010: 65 78 63 65 70 74 69 6f   exceptio
0018: 6e 20 6f 63 63 75 72 72   n occurr
0020: 65 64 3a 0d 0a 20 20 20   ed:..  
0028: 20 20 20 20 20 41 70 70        App
0030: 3a 20 65 78 70 6c 6f 72   : explor
0038: 65 72 2e 65 78 65 20 28   er.exe (
0040: 70 69 64 3d 39 33 32 29   pid=932)

then the Winlogon error: "The shell stopped unexpectedly and Explorer.exe was restarted". Event 1002.

Following this, all Windows Explorer/My Computer windows close - no other application windows are affected. This happens about 2 or 3 times an hour, on an average.

Happens when I:

- cut and paste files in Explorer
- close Explorer windows

Anyone?? I want to fix this thing once and for all. Thanks.

[GX1_Man]

Check your RAM with Memtest86 - google for it. It's free and thorough. Let's rule out this variable first, before we needlessly waste time on anything else.

[JGarner]

Yes, I did use Memtest86 recently and the RAM is in perfect shape.

Thanks for responding.

[Windows98]

Did you interrupt the installation? Did you recently installed another application? Maybe you should just reformat and start over again and see what happens. Are you using service pack 4?

[JGarner]

Did you interrupt the installation? Did you recently installed another application? Maybe you should just reformat and start over again and see what happens. Are you using service pack 4?

No. The installation went smoothly to completion. Well, this has been going in for almost an year. As I have installed numerous applications since then, I have no idea. I already reformatted and reinstalled Win2K twice, to no avail. The laptop is using SP4. You know, I have an older desktop PC with Win98SE - hums like a well-oiled machine! That operating system is truly one of the best unlike Win95 and ME. I am now, starting to think it would be even better than this piece of garbage! And, I always used to think Win2K was so stable...and I have posted this message in so many computer newsgroups and to think there is not a single person who knows why this is happening. I did a search for the error and came up with dozens of items - but no definitive solution has been provided, though extensively discussed.

I appreciate the efforts of whoever responds.

[Windows98]

Well, In Windows 98 If there are numerous application that uses the internet it connects to explorer.exe Well Since the installation seems to be failing for some reason.. Do you install anything after finish installing Windows 2000? Or does it ahppen as soon as it is done installing? Maybe you should erase your hard drive to RAW http://www.killdisk.com then using your startup disk, aka bootdisk you can fdisk and format C /s Or yoiu can install Windows 98 and Upgrade to 2000. That should work to.

[Fed]

Are you installing all the antivirus, antispyware & firewall protection before logging on to the net. It only takes seconds to get infected.

[JGarner]

Well, In Windows 98 If there are numerous application that uses the internet it connects to explorer.exe Well Since the installation seems to be failing for some reason.. Do you install anything after finish installing Windows 2000? Or does it ahppen as soon as it is done installing? Maybe you should erase your hard drive to RAW http://www.killdisk.com then using your startup disk, aka bootdisk you can fdisk and format C /s Or yoiu can install Windows 98 and Upgrade to 2000. That should work to.

Thanks. I will do that.

[JGarner]

Are you installing all the antivirus, antispyware & firewall protection before logging on to the net. It only takes seconds to get infected.

Yes, I am. Learnt it once the hard way:).

[Fed]

Happens when I:
 
 - cut and paste files in Explorer
 - close Explorer windows  

It still sounds like a ram thing to me.
How about trying the Microsoft one for a few hours.
http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp

[JGarner]

It still sounds like a ram thing to me.
How about trying the Microsoft one for a few hours.
http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp

Sure, I'll try anything. If this doesn't work, I am going to change the OS and see if it does it, still. If so, I will have determined hardware problems

Thanks.

[JGarner]

It still sounds like a ram thing to me.
How about trying the Microsoft one for a few hours.
http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp

Okay, I ran the Microsoft utility for a whole pass and, actually, did the extended (17) tests. Not a single problem with the RAM. In fact, after I started using the utility, I remembered running the same one early this year and coming up with same results.

[Fed]

Do a clean install of w2k (from a w2k fan)  

[JGarner]

Thanks. Will reinstall W2K.

[Fed]

Keep us posted.