Explorer.exe and Iexplore.exe has generated errors and will be closed

Question

I can't bring up Explorer from My Computer, Network Neighborhood, or Start button. Also Control Panel and Recycle Bin show same error. Finally Internet Explorer has same error except Iexplore.exe has generated errors. I get an error window saying-

"Program Error", and the text
'Explorer.exe has generated errors and will be closed by Windows.
You will need to restart the program. An error log has been generated'.

The explorer.exe (desktop) is then being restarted automatically.

The Dr. Watson log file drwtsn32.log records this event
and the entry starts with:
"Application exception occurred:
        App: explorer.exe (pid=nnnn)
        When: (date / time)
        Exception number: c0000005 (access violation)"

In the "Event Viewer / Application Log" the event is listed as:
Event 1002: 'The shell stopped unexpectedly and C:\WINNT\Explorer.Exe was restarted.'

I've run all Windows 2000 Updates and SP4 available on my computer,
and I use Norton anti-virus program with the most recent Virus list of 1-7-2004..

I've had no problems with my computer until today. I've owned the thing since 2000. We connect to internet daily and can not recall any downloads or viruses to cause this major problem.

Does anybody have a solution to this problem ?

(This is the same/similar problem as [regards, Per Nermo] but mine seems worse and is not corrected with the video driver *.cpl file deleted from/not on my machine. I can't get to the internet or explorer to search. I've run repair from CD, but only get desktop back. Other apps such as Camedia, CD Creator, TaxCut, and Notepad work and I can browse disk. Microsoft apps seem hosed. After doing some searches I do not have the spyware some people report.

HELP- W2K without explorer or iexplore is very hard to work with!!!!

eleonghk · Answer

Have you resolved this issue yet??  I'm having the same problem and have tried almost all solutions recommended by others e.g. created new administrator account, uninstall zone alarm etc but have yet to solve my explorer.exe problem!

DonWright · Answer

Hey there,

have you resolved your problem yet? I have the same problem and also posted the following message on annoyances.org. Please let me know, if you will, find a solution.

thanks Don

Posted by DonWright [find other messages by DonWright]

After several attempts to solve the problem: "IEXPLORE.exe has generated errors and will be closed by Windows. You will need to restart the program. An error log is being created" I've tried going to the microsoft site and there a fix relating to ZoneAlarm, Quarterdeck, and incompatiable program however after much research doesn't solve the problem. I still can't open the internet explorer; any thoughts about this? Thanks in advance for your response! DW

fmearth · Answer

I had this problem also. Installed service pack 4 and no change. Disabled all startup items and still kept crashing. I finally installed and ran Adaware 6.0 which found a possible browser hijacker named WinShow. Quarantined all suspicious items and IE worked like a champ afterwards.

If you haven't tried Adaware before, I highly recommend it. Has saved my rear in a lot of tight situations including this one. Hope this helps.

Frank

gigfish · Answer

Thanks for the post Adaware 6.0 works like a charm... and its free.. sorted the problem i've been trying to fix for a week.   gigfish

eleonghk · Answer

Thanks for the advice fmttu!  Ad aware worked like a charm!  You're a life saver!!!

dway2k · Answer

It is very easy solve this problem, just turn off/disble THIRD PARTY BROWSER EXTENSIONS. To do this, go to CONTROL PANEL, click on INTERNET OPTIONS, go to ADVANCED, scroll down to the option that says ENABLE THIRD PARTY BROWSER EXTENSIONS (requires restart) and uncheck it. Then click OK and close out. Then run internet eplorer. This should fix your problem buddy. If you need further help, email me at dway2k@yahoo.com.
Good luck
-The guru

hotsun · Answer

I found a very odd fix. I hope this helps someone else. I kept getting 'IEXPLORE.exe has generated errors and will be closed by Windows...' too. I peeked at a bunch of forums on how to fix this, but none were helpful. I am using Windows 2000 and a lot of the fixes suggested did not apply to me. Clicking on the icons, shortcuts, and trying to start->run->IEXPLORE all had the same result, nothing. Only by rapidly hitting the icons did I get the error above; only when I had multiple IEXPLORE.EXE's in the task manager would the error come (along with DRWTSN32.EXE which was the error prompt) . But I noticed clicking on links in emails had a slightly different affect. The first time clicking on a link it would pull up a blank web screen very temporarily before disappearing. (Note - this would only work on a link once. I would have to search my emails for 'fresh' links). But as I said, it didn't work. For grins and giggles from the Start->Control Panel I clicked on the 'Windows 2000 support' link in that window. IT WORKED!!! The window changed to a web browser. This is not a complete fix but a temporary one. Email links do not work, my icons still do not work, but I have a full browser and am typing to you via that method. Again I hope this helps someone, drop me an email if you found this helpful!!! Peace. khodson@servicestarusa.net

Windows General

Explorer.exe and Iexplore.exe has generated errors and will be closed

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