Unstable Windows XP Load - Explorer.exe failure

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hakwuzhere

n00b
Joined
Apr 11, 2005
Messages
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Ok, so heres the back story, my current PC's Epox 8RDA+ MB fried on me a few months ago and was under warranty. I finally got it replaced and put it back into my Antech Sonata case, while booting the computer for the first time, the Antech PS shot fire out of its arse. Got a new power supply, and Ive loaded windows on my new HDD 3 times.

Heres the system spec

Epox 8RDA+
Athalon XP 2500+
2 x 512 crucial PC2700
Radeon 9700Pro
WD ATA100 74gb 8mb HDD
Maxtor ATA133 30gb HDD
Lite-On 16x DL DVDRW

After I get through patching to SP2 I begin loading utilities... every time I get through all the utils, Windows explorer crashes and doesnt load. If I log off current user and log back in, explorer will load, but it wont off of a boot.

Heres what Im loading on.

Nero 6.x
Daemon Tools
Windowblinds
Desktop X
Winpatrol
Azereus
Java Runtime
Radeon Catalyst Drivers
CDisplay
Fast Stone
Firefox
WinRAR
Acrobat
Nvidia Nforce2 Driver

I think thats it.... Ive been using Windowblinds and DesktopX for about a year now, and Ive configured them for multiple systems. I know the problem points to them for whats going on, but I havent gotten the system to the point that I want to run an image off of and burn it to DVD (Ghost still the best utility for this?)

Could it be my copy of Windows is whats causing me the issues? Ive used this copy a few times (only on the computer I purchased it for of course) But it seems to be flaking out on me...

(Just a quick update, finally got the thing working by eliminating Windowblinds/DesktopX and it worked fine for about 3 days, then I loaded my Logitech Bluetooth Wireless desktop on it, and bam! same problem, it boots and explorer crashes. If I log off current user, end program on Explorer.exe and log back in, Explorer loads fine.)

What could be making this system unstable? Im fully updated on Windows.
 
Gee, is everyone here as puzzled as me over this?... or did I post too late at night to get some views? ;)
 
Yep, Ive reinstalled 4 times, and rebuilt it 2 of those 4 times. And yes, it boots to safe mode ok... the funny thing, is as soon as I start disabling things, it boots fine... but sometimes its one thing, other times its another... it seems to be if I stop any item from loading at startup.. .it will boot fine, but when I deinstall that software it still crashes explorer.exe....

ARRRGGGG!!!! Im really thinking of learning Linux (even though I dont have the time)
 
Do you install that entire list at the same time, or do you reboot between installations?

I'd start from scratch and use the scientific method. My guess is that one of those things is hosing you either due to incompatibility with SP2 or another utility, or perhaps multiple installations try to update the same system files.

Can you live for a while without everything reinstalled (e.g. leave off Daemon Tools for a few days)?
 
Yea, actually, I repeated the process, and rebooted after each app install. A friend of mine pointed out that it sounds like its either a memory or a mobo issue... I guess my corsair ram might be going bad... :/
 
hakwuzhere said:
Yea, actually, I repeated the process, and rebooted after each app install. A friend of mine pointed out that it sounds like its either a memory or a mobo issue... I guess my corsair ram might be going bad... :/
Click to expand...

If you have the low latency Corsair modules you might try manually adjusting the timings. My Gigabyte motherboard couldn't seem to handle the default 2.5-2-2-5 and was barfing occasionally. I loosened them up to 2.5-3-3-6 and haven't had a problem since. I realize I could probably tune them back down a little, but I value the stability I'm getting over a few 3DMark points, especially considering how seldom I actually do any benchmarking (other than when I'm building a new system that is.)
 
Erm, I meant Crucial.. Ive done a bit of reading on memory timings and such.... and I know where to adjust them in my bios... but how do they work? I definately remember reading that if you mess up memory timings its like bad mojo for you and your family for many generations to come....
 
1. If it's a crash or bluescreen please post the dump files somewhere I can get at them.
a) Bluescreen dumps are stored in C:\windows\minidump
i) If you have full dumps set up it's stored at C:\windows\memory.dmp
b) Crash dumps are stored at:
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Microsoft\Dr Watson\user.dmp
i) Unless you changed the path by running drwtsn32
2. Notify up front any tweaking or changed you have made.
a) Services turned off
b) Pagefile turned off
c) OverClocking
d) Etc. More Information the better
Click to expand...

Well, I read through your recommendations right after I posted this... but is an error log created in XP when you shutdown and it brings up the end program messagebox? If it does, maybe Im not clear on where to get at it...

Im not bluescreening, or freezing up... explorer.exe just will not load properly 2 out of 3 times (this load) When I see my wallpaper pop up, I can see part of the start bar, but no explorer functionality.. at that point I ctrl-alt-del and go to log off user... then I log back in, and explorer starts fine.

The system is not overclocked at all, everything is default settings system specs pasted from first post:
Ok, so heres the back story, my current PC's Epox 8RDA+ MB fried on me a few months ago and was under warranty. I finally got it replaced and put it back into my Antech Sonata case, while booting the computer for the first time, the Antech PS shot fire out of its arse. Got a new power supply, and Ive loaded windows on my new HDD 3 times.

Heres the system spec

Epox 8RDA+
Athalon XP 2500+
2 x 512 crucial PC2700
Radeon 9700Pro
WD ATA100 74gb 8mb HDD
Maxtor ATA133 30gb HDD
Lite-On 16x DL DVDRW

After I get through patching to SP2 I begin loading utilities... every time I get through all the utils, Windows explorer crashes and doesnt load. If I log off current user and log back in, explorer will load, but it wont off of a boot.

Heres what Im loading on.

Nero 6.x
Daemon Tools
Windowblinds
Desktop X
Winpatrol
Azereus
Java Runtime
Radeon Catalyst Drivers
CDisplay
Fast Stone
Firefox
WinRAR
Acrobat
Nvidia Nforce2 Driver
Click to expand...

This time around, I stopped when I felt that the computer was atleast usable (its been a complete PITA to wipe and reload the hard drive 4 times now). Heres whats installed (explorer began crashing immediately after I installed my logitech bluetooth cordless desktop which was not included on any of the previous installs)

Nero 6.x
Azereus
Java Runtime
Radeon Catalyst Drivers
CDisplay
Fast Stone
Firefox
WinRAR
Acrobat
Nvidia Nforce2 Driver
Logitech Bluetooth Wireless Desktop Drivers

If there is a way for me to get a dump of the unstable explorer, just let me know how and Ill post it up.
 
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