explorer.exe error with mp3 files

efer · 12-05-2004, 04:27 PM

about a week ago I found my desktop in a so called formated stage. The desktop was the windows blue, all the shortcuts were gone, the start menu had almost nothing in it, etc. (I think the power went out, and the computer just restarted but I wasn't home so I don't know)
All the files were there, nothing was missing. After a restart the computer said the there's a problem with the user (windows 2000 pro), I went to Manage, tried to do something and eventually created a new user and just copied the files from the old user to this one (from Documents and Settings), I have no idea if it was a smart thing to do but it's the only thing I could think of at the time. After that everything went back to normal. That is until I found another problem:
I can't delete/move/rename mp3 files from windows explorer, I can play them just fine with an mp3 player, and I can also delete them from such player (I use a file-manager/playlist plugin for winamp). I can't even right click the files.
I get an "explorer.exe has generated errors and will be closed by windows" error, and then windows kinda restarts (everything on the desktop dissapears for a few seconds, and programs on the toolbar on the bottom right (sorry forgot the name) reloads.
I have no idea if the two are related, they just happened really close to each other.
Another thing, I ran an updated virus scan and all that, nothing was found.

hofflerb · 12-17-2004, 07:09 PM

I have been having this very same problem, exactly like you stated. I thought at first it was winamp or media player, but I reinstalled all of these and still have the same problem. I even scanned the ocmputer with AdAware and Spyboy SD, but got nothing. I have looked over the internet and can't find any solutions. Anybody got anything that might help?

g.w. · 12-17-2004, 11:08 PM

efer, hofflerb

Hi, not able to help, but able to commiserate. My problem started appx 1 month ago, biggest manifestation is inability to keep a secure sign on, going to my Yahoo e-mail, at least this one is what is causing the most grief. I also became unable to play AVI files at about the same time, don`t have or use many AVI files, but a friend forwarded 1, everyone else can play it but me. I`ve even gone out and downloaded some AVI`s and none play, get a need to download codec message, attempt, says I can`t. In the past I had no trouble with AVI files, and my selection to play them is intact on my Media Player options under the file types section.

I can, however, delete mine, just not play them. During this time all other file types associated with Media Player work fine. I too have scanned, gotten a clean bill of health here for my HJT log, cannot find a culprit, apparently clean system. But appears to be limping slightly. I`ve taken off all meaningful files while I was able, next gonna nuke this pup, and restart. Typing this as a suggestion to both of you if you have anything there worth keeping get it off onto a disk

Also recently having off and on desktop deletions, seems different with each restart as to what will be there, haven`t had any administrator difficulties to date, but possibly just lucky there.

I came to the Win 2000 area just to see if there was any info here, saw the post and not sure if is same problem, but seems we share a few similarities.

Have either of you 2 done an update at Winblows in the last 1 month/5 weeks? I did and since this update is when I started having some troubles, they seem to be growing. I`m not sure whats up, system is getting rocky, no apparent find of a bad guy, but things are amiss, acts like Win 95 used to before it went belly up.

good luck

g.w.

hofflerb · 12-18-2004, 03:56 PM

I was looking around more boards and eventually saw some people talking about the same problem with explore.exe. One guy said it was because of Spysweeper, a spyware program, and by disabling it he was able to edit all of his mp3s again. I have Adaware, and it was updated about the time my explorer started messing mp3s up. I don't know how to disable a program, though.

g.w. · 12-19-2004, 09:46 PM

hofflerb, not sure if this would be the problem. If you did a poll on this forum I`m guessing a lot of people also running Adware including myself, few of us are having a problem though. Win 2000 does bind the 3 of us having a problem, but I`m not a softwares Guru by a long shot.

On AdAware it is a software as opposed to a resident scanner (Antivirus/firewall), and I don`t think it exerts much influence on your system till you give it the go, by starting it. A fairly quick way to find out would to be uninstalling it? It has it`s own uninstaller, I`d use that as opposed to Winblows uninstaller. If it doesn`t fix the problem it`s a free, and relatively small/fast download to get it back.

I`m close to the point of nuking thius system and restarting on it. I`ll probably go through and delete some programs to see if any of my problems go away, but deep down I`m thinking is just a Winblows problem.

g.w.

hofflerb · 12-21-2004, 05:42 PM

I have already tried uninstalling and restarting after using both Adaware and Spybot SD, but the problem still happens. I think it is a problem with some appcompat file, because the error always says that it couldn't find some file that is different every time but always ends with appcompat.txt. I can't find anything to fix the appcompat problem, or if it is just explorer's fault. I too am about ready to put an axe though my computer cause i can't move or edit any files.

12-05-2004, 04:27 PM	#1 (permalink)
efer Registered User Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 4 OS: win2000 pro	explorer.exe error with mp3 files about a week ago I found my desktop in a so called formated stage. The desktop was the windows blue, all the shortcuts were gone, the start menu had almost nothing in it, etc. (I think the power went out, and the computer just restarted but I wasn't home so I don't know) All the files were there, nothing was missing. After a restart the computer said the there's a problem with the user (windows 2000 pro), I went to Manage, tried to do something and eventually created a new user and just copied the files from the old user to this one (from Documents and Settings), I have no idea if it was a smart thing to do but it's the only thing I could think of at the time. After that everything went back to normal. That is until I found another problem: I can't delete/move/rename mp3 files from windows explorer, I can play them just fine with an mp3 player, and I can also delete them from such player (I use a file-manager/playlist plugin for winamp). I can't even right click the files. I get an "explorer.exe has generated errors and will be closed by windows" error, and then windows kinda restarts (everything on the desktop dissapears for a few seconds, and programs on the toolbar on the bottom right (sorry forgot the name) reloads. I have no idea if the two are related, they just happened really close to each other. Another thing, I ran an updated virus scan and all that, nothing was found.

12-17-2004, 07:09 PM	#2 (permalink)
hofflerb Registered User Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Atlanta Posts: 10 OS: XP	Me too I have been having this very same problem, exactly like you stated. I thought at first it was winamp or media player, but I reinstalled all of these and still have the same problem. I even scanned the ocmputer with AdAware and Spyboy SD, but got nothing. I have looked over the internet and can't find any solutions. Anybody got anything that might help? Last edited by hofflerb; 12-17-2004 at 07:11 PM.

12-17-2004, 11:08 PM	#3 (permalink)
g.w. Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 154 OS: Win 2000 pro Trying XP Trying a few Linux distros also	hmmm efer, hofflerb Hi, not able to help, but able to commiserate. My problem started appx 1 month ago, biggest manifestation is inability to keep a secure sign on, going to my Yahoo e-mail, at least this one is what is causing the most grief. I also became unable to play AVI files at about the same time, don`t have or use many AVI files, but a friend forwarded 1, everyone else can play it but me. I`ve even gone out and downloaded some AVI`s and none play, get a need to download codec message, attempt, says I can`t. In the past I had no trouble with AVI files, and my selection to play them is intact on my Media Player options under the file types section. I can, however, delete mine, just not play them. During this time all other file types associated with Media Player work fine. I too have scanned, gotten a clean bill of health here for my HJT log, cannot find a culprit, apparently clean system. But appears to be limping slightly. I`ve taken off all meaningful files while I was able, next gonna nuke this pup, and restart. Typing this as a suggestion to both of you if you have anything there worth keeping get it off onto a disk Also recently having off and on desktop deletions, seems different with each restart as to what will be there, haven`t had any administrator difficulties to date, but possibly just lucky there. I came to the Win 2000 area just to see if there was any info here, saw the post and not sure if is same problem, but seems we share a few similarities. Have either of you 2 done an update at Winblows in the last 1 month/5 weeks? I did and since this update is when I started having some troubles, they seem to be growing. I`m not sure whats up, system is getting rocky, no apparent find of a bad guy, but things are amiss, acts like Win 95 used to before it went belly up. good luck g.w.

12-18-2004, 03:56 PM	#4 (permalink)
hofflerb Registered User Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Atlanta Posts: 10 OS: XP	Progress I was looking around more boards and eventually saw some people talking about the same problem with explore.exe. One guy said it was because of Spysweeper, a spyware program, and by disabling it he was able to edit all of his mp3s again. I have Adaware, and it was updated about the time my explorer started messing mp3s up. I don't know how to disable a program, though.

12-21-2004, 05:42 PM	#6 (permalink)
hofflerb Registered User Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Atlanta Posts: 10 OS: XP	Tried that I have already tried uninstalling and restarting after using both Adaware and Spybot SD, but the problem still happens. I think it is a problem with some appcompat file, because the error always says that it couldn't find some file that is different every time but always ends with appcompat.txt. I can't find anything to fix the appcompat problem, or if it is just explorer's fault. I too am about ready to put an axe though my computer cause i can't move or edit any files.

12-19-2004, 09:46 PM	#5 (permalink)
g.w. Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 154 OS: Win 2000 pro Trying XP Trying a few Linux distros also	hofflerb, not sure if this would be the problem. If you did a poll on this forum I`m guessing a lot of people also running Adware including myself, few of us are having a problem though. Win 2000 does bind the 3 of us having a problem, but I`m not a softwares Guru by a long shot. On AdAware it is a software as opposed to a resident scanner (Antivirus/firewall), and I don`t think it exerts much influence on your system till you give it the go, by starting it. A fairly quick way to find out would to be uninstalling it? It has it`s own uninstaller, I`d use that as opposed to Winblows uninstaller. If it doesn`t fix the problem it`s a free, and relatively small/fast download to get it back. I`m close to the point of nuking thius system and restarting on it. I`ll probably go through and delete some programs to see if any of my problems go away, but deep down I`m thinking is just a Winblows problem. g.w.