Updated and now Windows Explorer is unuseable!! ??

Hi, I can't remember what update it was...but one of the automatic updates
installed on my computer, weeks ago...and now, every time I try to browse
through a folder, using any form of explorer, or internet explorer, or even
the run dialog, it crashes and my entire desktop refreshes...dr watson
crashes every now and then too. This is unacceptable...I don't see how I'm
supposed to get my work done when I cant get to any of the files on my
computer without the desktop crashing. I've been reporting the problem
through microsofts error report system for a month or so now and I still have
yet to see this issue resolved. I'd like a solution asap.

Which version of Windows are you running ? If XP SP2, open Add/Remove
Programs in the Control Panel. Put a check mark at the top next to
" Show updates ". Scroll down towards the bottom and check, by the date,
which updates were installed " weeks ago ".
Make a note of them and post them into your reply so that someone may be
able to assist you.

MowGreen [MVP 2003-2006]
===============
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
===============

trainsofthoughtcollide wrote:

> Hi, I can't remember what update it was...but one of the automatic updates
> installed on my computer, weeks ago...and now, every time I try to browse
> through a folder, using any form of explorer, or internet explorer, or even
> the run dialog, it crashes and my entire desktop refreshes...dr watson
> crashes every now and then too. This is unacceptable...I don't see how I'm
> supposed to get my work done when I cant get to any of the files on my
> computer without the desktop crashing. I've been reporting the problem
> through microsofts error report system for a month or so now and I still have
> yet to see this issue resolved. I'd like a solution asap.

Yes, I'm running Windows XP, with SP2. I had already removed an update that
supposedly caused this, due to a tip I saw in another thread on the matter,
but it failed to correct the issue. I also tried doing a system restore, to
go back before the update was installed, but to no avail. The system would
restart, and tell me that it could not be brought back to the restore point.
If I remember correctly, the update reffered to was KB908531, but I honestly
can't be sure.

Regardless, here is a list of the updates I've recieved during April, when
the problem arose:

1. Security Update For Windows XP (KB911567) 4/19/2006
2. Security Update For Windows XP (KB912812) 4/19/2006
3. Security Update For Windows XP (KB911562) 4/19/2006
4. Update For Windows XP (KB908531) 4/27/2006
5. Update For Windows XP (KB900485) 4/27/2006

I've installed the last Genuine Advantage Tool update and 2 others so far
this month...on 5/5/2006, 5/12/2006, and 5/13/2006.

Hope that helps.






"MowGreen [MVP]" wrote:

> Which version of Windows are you running ? If XP SP2, open Add/Remove
> Programs in the Control Panel. Put a check mark at the top next to
> " Show updates ". Scroll down towards the bottom and check, by the date,
> which updates were installed " weeks ago ".
> Make a note of them and post them into your reply so that someone may be
> able to assist you.
>
> MowGreen [MVP 2003-2006]
> ===============
> *-343-* FDNY
> Never Forgotten
> ===============
>
> trainsofthoughtcollide wrote:
>
> > Hi, I can't remember what update it was...but one of the automatic updates
> > installed on my computer, weeks ago...and now, every time I try to browse
> > through a folder, using any form of explorer, or internet explorer, or even
> > the run dialog, it crashes and my entire desktop refreshes...dr watson
> > crashes every now and then too. This is unacceptable...I don't see how I'm
> > supposed to get my work done when I cant get to any of the files on my
> > computer without the desktop crashing. I've been reporting the problem
> > through microsofts error report system for a month or so now and I still have
> > yet to see this issue resolved. I'd like a solution asap.
>

Did Windows come with your computer or did you buy a retail CD?
Who put your computer together? What kind of firewall do you have?
Which anti-virus do you use? Which spyware sleuth do you use?
Is there an unasked question you ought to volunteer to answer?

Might as well spill the beans on that box, because it's unusual -
not saying unique, but just not lots of users with your symptoms.

"trainsofthoughtcollide" < m> wrote in message
news:AA987C67-D3DC-4D09-B2AE-...
> Yes, I'm running Windows XP, with SP2. I had already removed an update that
> supposedly caused this, due to a tip I saw in another thread on the matter,
> but it failed to correct the issue. I also tried doing a system restore, to
> go back before the update was installed, but to no avail. The system would
> restart, and tell me that it could not be brought back to the restore point.
> If I remember correctly, the update referred to was KB908531, but I honestly
> can't be sure.
>
> Regardless, here is a list of the updates I've received during April, when
> the problem arose:
>
> 1. Security Update For Windows XP (KB911567) 4/19/2006
> 2. Security Update For Windows XP (KB912812) 4/19/2006
> 3. Security Update For Windows XP (KB911562) 4/19/2006
> 4. Update For Windows XP (KB908531) 4/27/2006
> 5. Update For Windows XP (KB900485) 4/27/2006
>
> I've installed the last Genuine Advantage Tool update and 2 others so far
> this month...on 5/5/2006, 5/12/2006, and 5/13/2006.
>
> Hope that helps.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> "MowGreen [MVP]" wrote:
>
>> Which version of Windows are you running ? If XP SP2, open Add/Remove
>> Programs in the Control Panel. Put a check mark at the top next to
>> " Show updates ". Scroll down towards the bottom and check, by the date,
>> which updates were installed " weeks ago ".
>> Make a note of them and post them into your reply so that someone may be
>> able to assist you.
>>
>> MowGreen [MVP 2003-2006]
>> ===============
>> *-343-* FDNY
>> Never Forgotten
>> ===============
>>
>> trainsofthoughtcollide wrote:
>>
>> > Hi, I can't remember what update it was...but one of the automatic updates
>> > installed on my computer, weeks ago...and now, every time I try to browse
>> > through a folder, using any form of explorer, or internet explorer, or even
>> > the run dialog, it crashes and my entire desktop refreshes...dr watson
>> > crashes every now and then too. This is unacceptable...I don't see how I'm
>> > supposed to get my work done when I cant get to any of the files on my
>> > computer without the desktop crashing. I've been reporting the problem
>> > through microsofts error report system for a month or so now and I still have
>> > yet to see this issue resolved. I'd like a solution asap.
>>

Well, I suppose I could go into that detail. However, I seem to remember a
few people here having the problem..I was waiting to see a solution, but the
only one given was to uninstall the update. Regardless of the other software
on my computer, I've NEVER had a problem like this until this windows update.
Not in the 10+ years I've been using windows on a PC. I was running windows
2000 professional, and bought the XP professional/SP2 boxed upgrade from
Office Max. Install went smoothly, didn't have any problems...and I've been
upgraded for around 6 months now. Never had a problem till mid-april, and I
haven't had anything new on it except for the updates. As for a firewall,
spyware, and antivirus software, I'm covered in all those areas by Norton
security suite 2006. As for who put the computer together, I did, years ago,
and have upgraded various parts since...but I haven't added any hardware to
it in quite some time. I'm on a pentium P4 @ 2.8 ghz.

I'll have to search the forum here and find the other poster that had a
similar issue.

"Michael Jennings" wrote:

> Did Windows come with your computer or did you buy a retail CD?
> Who put your computer together? What kind of firewall do you have?
> Which anti-virus do you use? Which spyware sleuth do you use?
> Is there an unasked question you ought to volunteer to answer?
>
> Might as well spill the beans on that box, because it's unusual -
> not saying unique, but just not lots of users with your symptoms.
>
> "trainsofthoughtcollide" < m> wrote in message
> news:AA987C67-D3DC-4D09-B2AE-...
> > Yes, I'm running Windows XP, with SP2. I had already removed an update that
> > supposedly caused this, due to a tip I saw in another thread on the matter,
> > but it failed to correct the issue. I also tried doing a system restore, to
> > go back before the update was installed, but to no avail. The system would
> > restart, and tell me that it could not be brought back to the restore point.
> > If I remember correctly, the update referred to was KB908531, but I honestly
> > can't be sure.
> >
> > Regardless, here is a list of the updates I've received during April, when
> > the problem arose:
> >
> > 1. Security Update For Windows XP (KB911567) 4/19/2006
> > 2. Security Update For Windows XP (KB912812) 4/19/2006
> > 3. Security Update For Windows XP (KB911562) 4/19/2006
> > 4. Update For Windows XP (KB908531) 4/27/2006
> > 5. Update For Windows XP (KB900485) 4/27/2006
> >
> > I've installed the last Genuine Advantage Tool update and 2 others so far
> > this month...on 5/5/2006, 5/12/2006, and 5/13/2006.
> >
> > Hope that helps.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > "MowGreen [MVP]" wrote:
> >
> >> Which version of Windows are you running ? If XP SP2, open Add/Remove
> >> Programs in the Control Panel. Put a check mark at the top next to
> >> " Show updates ". Scroll down towards the bottom and check, by the date,
> >> which updates were installed " weeks ago ".
> >> Make a note of them and post them into your reply so that someone may be
> >> able to assist you.
> >>
> >> MowGreen [MVP 2003-2006]
> >> ===============
> >> *-343-* FDNY
> >> Never Forgotten
> >> ===============
> >>
> >> trainsofthoughtcollide wrote:
> >>
> >> > Hi, I can't remember what update it was...but one of the automatic updates
> >> > installed on my computer, weeks ago...and now, every time I try to browse
> >> > through a folder, using any form of explorer, or internet explorer, or even
> >> > the run dialog, it crashes and my entire desktop refreshes...dr watson
> >> > crashes every now and then too. This is unacceptable...I don't see how I'm
> >> > supposed to get my work done when I cant get to any of the files on my
> >> > computer without the desktop crashing. I've been reporting the problem
> >> > through microsofts error report system for a month or so now and I still have
> >> > yet to see this issue resolved. I'd like a solution asap.
> >>
>
>
>

Yeah, I just did a search on problems related to the KB908531 update and
there's a TON of people that it has causes problems for. Everything from my
problem to having HP Manufactured hardware on your computer, to right
clicking on the desktop freezing. These problems go back to the day it was
released from today...it hasn't been dealt with in a months time?

"trainsofthoughtcollide" wrote:

> Hi, I can't remember what update it was...but one of the automatic updates
> installed on my computer, weeks ago...and now, every time I try to browse
> through a folder, using any form of explorer, or internet explorer, or even
> the run dialog, it crashes and my entire desktop refreshes...dr watson
> crashes every now and then too. This is unacceptable...I don't see how I'm
> supposed to get my work done when I cant get to any of the files on my
> computer without the desktop crashing. I've been reporting the problem
> through microsofts error report system for a month or so now and I still have
> yet to see this issue resolved. I'd like a solution asap.

trainsofthoughtcollide
< m> wrote:

> Yeah, I just did a search on problems related to the KB908531 update
> and there's a TON of people that it has causes problems for.
> Everything from my problem to having HP Manufactured hardware on your
> computer, to right clicking on the desktop freezing. These problems
> go back to the day it was released from today...it hasn't been dealt
> with in a months time?

908531 was re-released on April 25th, with fixes specifically for (a) HP
Share-to-Web software, and (b) nVidia graphics drivers. No other fixes were
made, and the revised 908531 won't even download and install unless your
system is detected as having either of those potential interactions.

A specific indicator of trouble with 908531 was the presence of (possibly
multiple instances of) verclsid.exe in the Task Manager process listing. If
you see verclsid.exe stuck in the Task Manager process list, then you have a
problem associated with 908531. (You are bound to see verclsid.exe on hard
disk of course, that is not the problem).

There were problems with 908531 also with HP Multimedia keyboards, but that
is being fixed with an HP update for their keyboard software.

If you do not see verclsid.exe stuck in the process list of Task Manager,
then you do not have a problem with 908531 and you need to look elsewhere
for your problems.

--
Robin Walker [MVP Networking]

Thank you Robin, I'll have to check the task manager and see if it's
running. The process sounds familiar.

"Robin Walker [MVP]" wrote:

> trainsofthoughtcollide
> < m> wrote:
>
> > Yeah, I just did a search on problems related to the KB908531 update
> > and there's a TON of people that it has causes problems for.
> > Everything from my problem to having HP Manufactured hardware on your
> > computer, to right clicking on the desktop freezing. These problems
> > go back to the day it was released from today...it hasn't been dealt
> > with in a months time?
>
> 908531 was re-released on April 25th, with fixes specifically for (a) HP
> Share-to-Web software, and (b) nVidia graphics drivers. No other fixes were
> made, and the revised 908531 won't even download and install unless your
> system is detected as having either of those potential interactions.
>
> A specific indicator of trouble with 908531 was the presence of (possibly
> multiple instances of) verclsid.exe in the Task Manager process listing. If
> you see verclsid.exe stuck in the Task Manager process list, then you have a
> problem associated with 908531. (You are bound to see verclsid.exe on hard
> disk of course, that is not the problem).
>
> There were problems with 908531 also with HP Multimedia keyboards, but that
> is being fixed with an HP update for their keyboard software.
>
> If you do not see verclsid.exe stuck in the process list of Task Manager,
> then you do not have a problem with 908531 and you need to look elsewhere
> for your problems.
>
> --
> Robin Walker [MVP Networking]
>
>
>
>

TaurArian found a silver bullet in dial-a-fix. In case verclsid.exe wasn't
causing your problem, you might want to prep for DAF and then run it.

http://wiki.djlizard.net/Dial-a-fix - you'd want 0.57.7 stable. Since you're
running XPsp2pro you don't need full or medium - light's all right.

Performing the Integrity checklist before running dial-a-fix is important.

>>>> trainsofthoughtcollide wrote:
>>>>> I'd like a solution asap.