2 explorer.exes, CDROM Doesn't refresh

Hey all

Recently rebuilt XPsp1, all updates, infs, dx, drivers all in the right order blah blah blah.

I'm having two problems. For one, a second instance of Explorer.exe opens in task manager anytime I use my quick launch shortcuts (shortcuts to folders/drives). I'm POSITIVE I don't have a virus - as I know 2 explorer.exes means virus 99% of the time. If I end that explorer.exe, the window closes, but the explorer main stays up fine. If I cose the window manually, the second explorer.exe stays until reboot. What the heck?

Second problem is this: My Toshiba 1712 does NOT refresh when I insert a new CD (autorun disabled). Example: I'll have data CD 1 in the drive. It will open, copy etc. just fine. I hit eject, and insert data CD 2, I'll refresh the open CDROM window and the contents will stay the same. THEY WILL EVEN COPY. This is confirmed - XP still sees CD1s contents, and copies THEM! The drive fires up and everything. This shocks me. One thing I didn't try: I didn't copy the entire 'ghost' contents of CD1 (while in actuality CD2 is in the drive) to my HD and check integrity. My guess is, the data would be completely inaccurate and garbage. It's strange having CD 2 in the drive, SEEING cd1s contents still, and COPYING cd1s contents to the HD with FULL CDROM activity and everything.

This is what I have to do to remedy this - let's say I'm installing a game. Insert CD1, (copying....done) Open the tray, put the second CD in, and AS the tray is closing, F5 (refresh) the "My Computer" window or JUST as the drive is spinning up. You know, so My Computer freezes for a sec. This 'forced refresh' works. If I do not do this, it will still see the previous CD.

I have all the latest INF drivers, and controller drivers. I have a virtual drive installed - I tried disabling that to no avail. I bet 100 bucks this problem is related to my second instance of explorer.exe.

Like I said, I bet the data integrity would be crap, but I cannot believe windows still SEES and THINKS it's copying CD1s data while CD2 is in. The filenames and sizes copy over the same! I have never seen this.

Thanks for reading pals.

Reformat... You will be chasing your tail trying to troubleshoot a problem like the 2 explorer thing. I almost guarantee reformatting would be a quicker solution.

What did you do that made you certain you do not have a virus?

Having to refresh the CDROM view in order to bring up new files does not seem abnormal... The file copying must be due to the files actually existing in temp files.

As I started, you should reformat - you have OS issues it sounds like.

Hey IMOG

I'm probably going to reformat this weekend. I just finished tweaking the smack out of XP which is why I was trying to figure out a workaround. Oh well, no biggie.

I'm positive I don't have a virus because I monitor every received byte of data with a magnifying glass and a pot of coffee. Besides, when the second instance explorer.exe is ended, it closes the window that caused it. Both explorer.exe instances come from the same executable - there isn't another explorer.exe ANYWHERE in my win - win/sys folder, or on machine at all in fact.

Course refreshing isn't abnormal, but my case is insane. If I refresh with the new CD in, it DOES NOT show the new files. It shows the old ones and copies them as well. It can't be from temp files, it does this if no data is extracted from the initial CD.

I'll insert CD1 into the empty drive, see it's contents, remove the CD (leaving the CDROM window open), insert the second CD, wait a sec, F5 the CDROM window, and the contents are the same. They also copy the same.

Fix:
I'll insert CD1 into the empty drive, see it's contents, remove the CD (leaving the CDROM window open), insert the second CD, F5 the CDROM window AS THE CDROM TRAY IS CLOSING, watch it freeze blankly for a sec, and it works.

Pah. I'll probably just reformat. Thanks for your reply.