Guest KevinQ Posted September 2, 2008 Posted September 2, 2008 Since the installation of SP3, Windows Explorer has started acting strangely. I'm not sure what triggers it, but it seems to be network-related, possible when the system is accessed rather than when it goes looking. The symptoms are the appearance of multiple dektop entities in the folder pane (an example: http://Quitt.net/ExplorerBug/TooManyDesktops.png ), and explorer not being able to find or access some subdirectories. Close the explorer window and open a new one, and everything's fine for a while. Sometimes days, sometimes minutes. This has happened on every one of my XP systems, includeing XP 64-bit. Yes, I have scanned for malware with numerous scanners, and nothing is found. If it's critical to the investigation, I even have a virtual machine that exhibits the problem. As far as I can tell, there are no other symptoms, no extraneous disk or network activity, and no extra processes. I don't claim that this is a SP3 problem, but there may be an interaction between it and other things on my system. Can I buy a clue? -- #include <standard.disclaimer> _ Kevin D Quitt USA 91387-4454 96.37% of all statistics are made up
Guest KevinQ Posted September 2, 2008 Posted September 2, 2008 RE: Bizarre problem with Explorer For what it's worth, clicking on the icons, from top to bottom, yields: My Computer My Documents My Network Places Recycle Bin -- #include <standard.disclaimer> _ Kevin D Quitt USA 91387-4454 96.37% of all statistics are made up
Guest PA Bear [MS MVP] Posted September 3, 2008 Posted September 3, 2008 Re: Bizarre problem with Explorer Free unlimited installation and compatibility support is available for Windows XP, but only for Service Pack 3 (SP3), until 14 Apr-09. Chat and e-mail support is available only in the United States and Canada. Go to http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?gprid=1173 | select "Windows XP" then select "Windows XP Service Pack 3" -- ~Robear Dyer (PA Bear) MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Desktop Experience - since 2002 AumHa VSOP & Admin http://aumha.net DTS-L http://dts-l.net/ KevinQ wrote: > Since the installation of SP3, Windows Explorer has started acting > strangely. I'm not sure what triggers it, but it seems to be > network-related, possible when the system is accessed rather than when it > goes looking. > > The symptoms are the appearance of multiple dektop entities in the folder > pane (an example: http://Quitt.net/ExplorerBug/TooManyDesktops.png ), and > explorer not being able to find or access some subdirectories. Close the > explorer window and open a new one, and everything's fine for a while. > Sometimes days, sometimes minutes. > > This has happened on every one of my XP systems, includeing XP 64-bit. > Yes, > I have scanned for malware with numerous scanners, and nothing is found. > If > it's critical to the investigation, I even have a virtual machine that > exhibits the problem. > > As far as I can tell, there are no other symptoms, no extraneous disk or > network activity, and no extra processes. I don't claim that this is a > SP3 > problem, but there may be an interaction between it and other things on my > system. > > Can I buy a clue?
Guest Alan Posted September 3, 2008 Posted September 3, 2008 Re: Bizarre problem with Explorer Hi Kevin, For what it's worth, I've been having multiple desktop folders showing up in Windows Explorer ever since my first XP Gold PC back in 2001. I don't think it has anything at all to do with SP3. I just googled "windows explorer multiple desktop entries" and I see that you and I are not the only ones who are experiencing this. At http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/59952-45-multiple-desktop-icons-windows-explorer there is another poster who reports having a similar problem. And, if you go to Reply # 22 at http://forums.techguy.org/windows-nt-2000-xp/549345-solved-explorer-tree-display-curiosity-2.html a poster states: "There's a bug which may occur if you have the desktop toolbar enabled on your taskbar. It can cause these multiple desktop icons to appear." Alan "KevinQ" <KevinQ@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:F878B452-3371-41AE-95DD-C8A40A59913F@microsoft.com... > Since the installation of SP3, Windows Explorer has started acting > strangely. > I'm not sure what triggers it, but it seems to be network-related, > possible > when the system is accessed rather than when it goes looking. > > The symptoms are the appearance of multiple dektop entities in the folder > pane (an example: http://Quitt.net/ExplorerBug/TooManyDesktops.png ), and > explorer not being able to find or access some subdirectories. Close the > explorer window and open a new one, and everything's fine for a while. > Sometimes days, sometimes minutes. > > This has happened on every one of my XP systems, includeing XP 64-bit. > Yes, > I have scanned for malware with numerous scanners, and nothing is found. > If > it's critical to the investigation, I even have a virtual machine that > exhibits the problem. > > As far as I can tell, there are no other symptoms, no extraneous disk or > network activity, and no extra processes. I don't claim that this is a > SP3 > problem, but there may be an interaction between it and other things on my > system. > > Can I buy a clue? > > -- > #include <standard.disclaimer> > _ > Kevin D Quitt USA 91387-4454 96.37% of all statistics are made up >
Guest KevinQ Posted September 4, 2008 Posted September 4, 2008 Re: Bizarre problem with Explorer I contacted Microsoft's SP3 support and got no joy. On the other hand, I seem to have found a solution (I say 'seem' because sometimes it went days without it happening). Curiously, I just happened on it in an unrelated thread. Go to http://pcbutts1.com/downloads/tools/tools.htm and get the "Windows Explorer shell fix" - which amounts to a batch file. It just reregisters the appropriate DLLs with some twists I haven't bothered (yet) to understand. Thank you, Sohtyaelehtreklats. Why don't I get notifications when I have 'Notify me of replies' checked? -- #include <standard.disclaimer> _ Kevin D Quitt USA 91387-4454 96.37% of all statistics are made up
Guest KevinQ Posted September 4, 2008 Posted September 4, 2008 Re: Bizarre problem with Explorer "Alan" wrote: .... > And, if you go to Reply # 22 at > http://forums.techguy.org/windows-nt-2000-xp/549345-solved-explorer-tree-display-curiosity-2.html a > poster states: "There's a bug which may occur if you have the desktop > toolbar enabled on your taskbar. It can cause these multiple desktop icons > to appear." I just reread you post - I had missed this. This is indeed the missing link - I've only recently started using the desktop toolbar. HAH! Still - that fix is holding, so we'll see if I have to remove the toolbar. Thanks to all for responding. -- #include <standard.disclaimer> _ Kevin D Quitt USA 91387-4454 96.37% of all statistics are made up > Alan > > "KevinQ" <KevinQ@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message > news:F878B452-3371-41AE-95DD-C8A40A59913F@microsoft.com... > > Since the installation of SP3, Windows Explorer has started acting > > strangely. > > I'm not sure what triggers it, but it seems to be network-related, > > possible > > when the system is accessed rather than when it goes looking. > > > > The symptoms are the appearance of multiple dektop entities in the folder > > pane (an example: http://Quitt.net/ExplorerBug/TooManyDesktops.png ), and > > explorer not being able to find or access some subdirectories. Close the > > explorer window and open a new one, and everything's fine for a while. > > Sometimes days, sometimes minutes. > > > > This has happened on every one of my XP systems, includeing XP 64-bit. > > Yes, > > I have scanned for malware with numerous scanners, and nothing is found. > > If > > it's critical to the investigation, I even have a virtual machine that > > exhibits the problem. > > > > As far as I can tell, there are no other symptoms, no extraneous disk or > > network activity, and no extra processes. I don't claim that this is a > > SP3 > > problem, but there may be an interaction between it and other things on my > > system. > > > > Can I buy a clue? > > > > -- > > #include <standard.disclaimer> > > _ > > Kevin D Quitt USA 91387-4454 96.37% of all statistics are made up > > > > >
Guest KevinQ Posted September 4, 2008 Posted September 4, 2008 RE: Bizarre problem with Explorer OK, this is the last post*. One of my machines ended up showing the problem, so I just removed the desktop toolbar. All the others are holding steady and working as expected. -- #include <standard.disclaimer> _ Kevin D Quitt USA 91387-4454 96.37% of all statistics are made up "KevinQ" wrote: > Since the installation of SP3, Windows Explorer has started acting strangely. > I'm not sure what triggers it, but it seems to be network-related, possible > when the system is accessed rather than when it goes looking. > > The symptoms are the appearance of multiple dektop entities in the folder > pane (an example: http://Quitt.net/ExplorerBug/TooManyDesktops.png ), and > explorer not being able to find or access some subdirectories. Close the > explorer window and open a new one, and everything's fine for a while. > Sometimes days, sometimes minutes. > > This has happened on every one of my XP systems, includeing XP 64-bit. Yes, > I have scanned for malware with numerous scanners, and nothing is found. If > it's critical to the investigation, I even have a virtual machine that > exhibits the problem. > > As far as I can tell, there are no other symptoms, no extraneous disk or > network activity, and no extra processes. I don't claim that this is a SP3 > problem, but there may be an interaction between it and other things on my > system. > > Can I buy a clue? > > -- > #include <standard.disclaimer> > _ > Kevin D Quitt USA 91387-4454 96.37% of all statistics are made up >
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