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Explorer.exe crashes randomly.

Discussion in 'Technical Discussion' started by RamiroR, Mar 2, 2012.

  1. RamiroR

    RamiroR

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    Hey guys, I hope you can help me out with this one, it's extremely frustrating because it not only crashes, but makes (I think) others program crash when using the "Open File" UI( More specifically, Autodesk Maya 2012).
    So basically, everything was going alright until one day I decided it was time to clean a little my install. I installed CCleaner and run it. After that Google Chrome wouldn't work anymore, I reinstalled it and it was working again.

    But then explorer.exe started to crash repeatedly. I can't reproduce the crash by doing something in particular, sometimes I am just browsing a folder full of TGA's and it crashes. Sometimes I press F5 while being on the desktop and it crashes. Sometimes just browsing random folders for a while will make it sooner or later crash.
    First I thought there was something wrong with QuickTime, but after uninstalling it, it still crashes. So I decided I would re-install the OS. For that I would use the Recovery Partition that I got when I got this computer (an ASUS K53S).

    I booted the partition, a "loading Windows" screen showed up, and then it showed an empty desktop. After some seconds of absolutely nothing, the computer resets itself. I don't know if something like this is covered by the warranty.

    So, what do you guys think I could do about it? I don't have any Windows 7 install disc to do a clean install. (And I am not going to buy one)
     
  2. Flygon

    Flygon

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    Replace the explorer.exe with a fresh one.

    I am seriously not kidding you. I had issues with Explorer crashing on me too, the contacts I had suspected a virus or malware. Try replacing your explorer.exe with this one. It worked for me.

    If that fails, though, we certainly establish it isn't the .exe being broken that's the cause. And, honestly, I doubt it is, the PC resetting is very suspect.
     
  3. dsrb

    dsrb

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    >replace an integral system file with a pseudonymous internet user's recommendation stored on a public-access hosting site

    Cool story! Would read again!

    :v:
     
  4. RamiroR

    RamiroR

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    Okay, I'll try looking for a version that matches mine. Thanks!


    Yeah I know, but I will try to do it safely. If something goes wrong I can just replace it back through Linux ;)
     
  5. dsrb

    dsrb

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    Heh, it should be fine in Flygon's case, as he doesn't seem to be a dick like that, but it's amusing nonetheless!
     
  6. RamiroR

    RamiroR

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    I just replaced it with that one. It didn't change anything, it still crashes. Now I discovered it crashes EVERYTIME if I update the desktop with F5 several times...
     
  7. Herm the Germ

    Herm the Germ

    Hmm, not bad. Well done, doctor! Member
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    MIDI-to-SMPS-conversions, mostly. Takin' requests, too.
    Hm, similar problems here but in XP; would anyone trustworthy happen to have an XP-version by any chance? :V
     
  8. RamiroR

    RamiroR

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    I came up with a solution. It might not be the best, but it works and so far I didn't get any crash. (And I tried hard to get one)
    There is a program named ShellExView. You have to disable non-Microsoft processes one by one until it works. (A method to test it, at least in my case, is to keep pressed F5 while being on the desktop, one of those refreshings will make it crash)
    I just disabled everything non-Microsoft for now. (Somethings broke because of that though, the volume icon doesn't show anymore, but I guess later I can see which process should be enabled)
     
  9. Chibisteven

    Chibisteven

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    Try to read the error codes you get and look up the numbers on Microsoft's site. I know one computer I had when it was on it's last legs, the error codes pointed to faulty ram and the computer was 7 years old and heavily used and on 24/7. Another thing is sometimes updating system bios can make it incompatiable with the manufactures recovery program (rare).

    Though if your system is reseting itself and not displaying an error, something is overheating. Keep in mind that reinstalling an operating is very intense on the system's processors, ram, and hard disks. Did you open the system and try removing dust or seeing if the fans are running?

    If your system is under warenty still, don't open it in case they sneak a warenity sticker, contact the manufacture.
     
  10. SteelBrush

    SteelBrush

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    Tramadol, Tamazepam and finding a reason to exist.
    If you suspect that it is over heating because of fan failure, turn the fan fail warning on in the bios. If you're able to do this your PC will emit a beep if any of the system fans or the CPU fan is no longer functioning.
     
  11. May be disc failure, it's usually covered by warranty. If your machine is under warranty, I suggest getting it serviced ASAP
     
  12. RamiroR

    RamiroR

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    It's still new (4 months old). I don't think its overheating, I do more intensive stuff and nothing happens. I REALLY hope it's not a disk failure, how can I make sure that the disc is failing? Is there a method to check that? I also first thought there might be bad sectors or something like that, but the SMART status shows everything okay.
     
  13. Sik

    Sik

    Sik is pronounced as "seek", not as "sick". Tech Member
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    being an asshole =P
    Or it's a bluescreen, since remember that now it just autoresets without showing the error message...

    Considering CCleaner caused this, maybe the registry is broken? =/
     
  14. Meat Miracle

    Meat Miracle

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    You can run a system file integrity check without the install disc. I think it was F8 at bootup and the startup recovery in there.
     
  15. Chibisteven

    Chibisteven

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    If the hard drive is defective it can sometimes fail quickly. I had hard drive fail on me after one year (brand new). The head got ripped off after several clicks of death. It had smart technology but I never got a warning about that.

    I think Smart's job is to report when enough sectors fail to be readable and writable that it gives a user a warning about eventual failure. Bad sectors. It can't give a warning if the drive fails to spin up all of the sudden (usually a drive that has worn bearings or it has been turned on and off too much) or if the head detaches itself (this pretty rare and usually happens with certain type of drives in servers or from a click of death that results in sudden failure), which would prevent the system from booting and if failure happens from come out of a standby state or when the operating system requests something the disk that was spun down in power save mode... You can get error message and other crap.
     
  16. RamiroR

    RamiroR

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    Then it might be that the HDD actually has problems. But it ONLY resets when getting to that desktop screen of the recovery partition, everything else works just fine. (Explorer.exe doesn't crash anymore) And in these four months I only had one blue screen and that was long ago. And it NEVER reset itself during normal usage.

    It really only happens when booting that recovery partition, which I believe to be corrupt, would the warranty cover something like this?
     
  17. Chibisteven

    Chibisteven

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    It might cover it. But anything can corrupt a file system, just say you never touched the recovery partition. Again talk to the manufacture. Some will sell recovery CD/DVDs and others require you to send it in or return it. To rule out though, does you hard drive make unusually sounds when trying to access it or makes none at all and hangs?
     
  18. RamiroR

    RamiroR

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    I just booted the recovery partition to see of there are any weird noises coming from the HDD. There aren't. So it might be a corrupted filesystem. Or... how likely is it, that it's not working because of having Linux with GRUB installed? Probably it didn't like reading a different MBR and crashed.