win xp -- windows explorer crashes when i right click icons

[drsomewhat]

I've been getting this really annoying problem the last week where my window explorer keeps crashing whenever i right click an icon in an explorer window. (All other icons i dont get this problem with) I'll get a message that windows explorer crashed, and then it starts up again, says submit error report/debug. Then if i do it again, sometimes nothing bad happens, but then id say 50% of the time it'll do the same thing.

This is really bugging me. :mad: If anyone has seen this before, lemme know what you did with it.

[drsomewhat]

seems that when i look at some of the details, it brings up the shell32.dll file

also, sometimes after this happens i cant even browse "My Computer"...

[redduc900]

I would suggest running Event Viewer (in order to access the error logs, and check for any critical errors)...Start | Run | Type eventvwr.msc and hit OK | Highlight "Application" and "System" independently in the LH pane | Right click any error message(s) (critical errors are in Red), and select "Properties" | Write down a couple of the latest error messages exactly as they appear (under the "Description" field), and post them in this thread.

Also, open the System Information tool by typing msinfo32 in the Run box | Expand "Components" | Highlight "Problem Devices", and look for any problems that might be listed there.

[drsomewhat]

thanks redduc, ill try this out when i get home

[drsomewhat]

No problem devices in msinfo32

in event viewer, under apps, i see some things like this (all critical errors):

"Faulting application explorer.exe, version 6.0.2800.1221, faulting module shell32.dll, version 6.0.2800.1556, fault address 0x00046983."

"Faulting application explorer.exe, version 6.0.2800.1221, faulting module , version 0.0.0.0, fault address 0x00000000."

"Faulting application explorer.exe, version 6.0.2800.1221, faulting module , version 0.0.0.0, fault address 0x00000000."

"Faulting application explorer.exe, version 6.0.2800.1221, faulting module , version 0.0.0.0, fault address 0x00000000."

"Faulting application explorer.exe, version 6.0.2800.1221, faulting module ntdll.dll, version 5.1.2600.1217, fault address 0x0001faaf."

all of these were logged within the same minute (around 6:54:52 PM) let me know if you need more info

[drsomewhat]

sometimes, it wont show those in event viewer, but regardless, itll always give me an "Information" one that says:

"The shell stopped unexpectedly and Explorer.exe was restarted."

[drsomewhat]

something else i found regarding btwdins:
"The description for Event ID ( 0 ) in Source ( btwdins ) cannot be found. The local computer may not have the necessary registry information or message DLL files to display messages from a remote computer. You may be able to use the /AUXSOURCE= flag to retrieve this description; see Help and Support for details. The following information is part of the event: Service started."


im going to do some spyware searches, see if they bring up anything

[redduc900]

Isn't btwdins.exe a BlueTooth file? Also, have you already tried lowering your OC...or just resetting the default clock speed to see if Explorer still crashes?

[drsomewhat]

ive found something out... im not the only one with the problem. some guys at pchintsandtips, or something like that, have the same exact problem. They cant see in event manager how they got it, but i think its quite a coincidence how its turning up on some of us right now, all in July. MS has some patch, I'm going to try it out (called Duser.dll) once a virus scan finishes.

I'm getting fed up with how MS hasn't worked on going for all these damn security exploits in their (P)OS...

[drsomewhat]

well then, the duser.dll update did nothing to help...

[redduc900]

Have you got a link to that update?

[drsomewhat]

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=329692

this is it, didnt help me tho

[drsomewhat]

everything i see ppl have done on these forums arent working for me.. i cant even copy the files off my HDD that i need so i can reformat!!

[drsomewhat]

strange... i deleted a half-life 2 tech demo movie that i had tried to play recently and it wouldnt open, and it seems like the problem went away... if it comes back, im ready to kill ms windows with a BFG9000


*edit --- dont speak so soon... sigh
*drsomewhat preps his BFG9000

this is seriously ****ing me off now

[redduc900]

I just found out these two MS updates can cause right click crashes...Update 817287 and/or 821557

More info: Right Click Crash
http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=9403
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;819101

[drsomewhat]

yeah, both of those articles didnt help -- im still getting the same exact problems...

PS thx a lot for helping me on this, its a real ****er, but i think together we can get it w/o necessarily reformatting

[redduc900]

Are you by chance using a program called Spy Sweeper?...or has any program you've installed recently added an entry to the right click menu?

[drsomewhat]

intersting you bring that up, i have recently installed spy sweeper when i wanted to try out the method of cleaning up spyware that overclockers had on the front page... you think this has something to do with it

this was the last thing i can think of that i have installed that integrated anything into the shell, so perhaps this is it... what do you think i should do?

[redduc900]

I know that by default, Spy Sweeper adds a spyware sweep option to the context (right-click) menus in Windows Explorer. Overriding the default and removing that option from the context menu should resolve the problem...hopefully.

[drsomewhat]

how do i do that? im looking at the spy sweeper options now, i cant find it

edit found it, lol

[redduc900]

There's an option there somewhere, but I don't remember where offhand. If you can't find the option, then I would suggest just uninstalling the program.

[drsomewhat]

i think its working, its not crashing anymore. thanks a million, redduc! i owe you big time.

[redduc900]

Not a problem...glad we got it sorted.

[Mr. Chambers]

wow, good call there redduc900. i was having the exact same problem, although it just started recently. i too use spysweeper, and have for months. i'm going to try to remove that right click menu option when i have a chance. thanks for the info!