Windows desktop does not appear correctly, and you receive a "The application failed to initialize properly (0xc00000005)" error message after you enable the Norton CleanSweep Smart Sweep feature in Windows XP Service Pack 2 (873155)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2 (SP2)
Important This article contains information that shows you how to help lower security settings or how to turn off security features on a computer. You can make these changes to work around a specific problem. Before you make these changes, we recommend that you evaluate the risks that are associated with implementing this workaround in your particular environment. If you implement this workaround, take any appropriate additional steps to help protect your system.

SYMPTOMS

You may experience both the following symptoms when you restart your Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2)-based computer, or when you log off and then log on the computer. These symptoms occur after you turn on the Smart Sweep feature in Norton CleanSweep:
  • You receive the following error message:
    Explorer.exe - application Error

    The application failed to initialize properly (0xc00000005).
    Click OK to terminate the application.
  • The Windows desktop does not appear correctly and you cannot run Windows.

CAUSE

This issue may occur if all the following conditions are true:
  • You are running Windows XP SP2 on an AMD Athlon 64-based computer.
  • You have the Data Execution Prevention (DEP) switch (/noexecute) enabled in the Boot.ini file.
  • You have Norton CleanSweep configured to automatically load and monitor installations when Windows starts.

WORKAROUND

To work around this issue, turn off DEP in Windows, remove Norton SystemWorks, and then turn on DEP. To do this, follow these steps:

Warning This workaround may make your computer or your network more vulnerable to attack by malicious users or by malicious software such as viruses. We do not recommend this workaround but are providing this information so that you can implement this workaround at your own discretion. Use this workaround at your own risk.
  1. Start Windows in safe mode. To do this, follow these steps:
    1. Start the computer, and then press the F8 key after the Power On Self Test (POST) is completed.
    2. On the Windows Advanced Options Menu, use the ARROW keys to select Safe Mode, and then press ENTER.
    3. Use the ARROW keys to select your Windows XP installation, and then press ENTER.
    4. Log on to the computer, and then click Yes to work in safe mode.
  2. Click Start, click Run, type cmd in the Open box, and then click OK.
  3. Change to the root directory of the hard disk where Windows is installed. Typically, this is drive C. To do this, type c:, press ENTER, type cd\, and then press ENTER.
  4. Type attrib -s -h boot.ini, and then press ENTER to remove the hidden attribute and the system attribute from the Boot.ini file.
  5. Click Start, click Run, type notepad c:\boot.ini, and then click OK. The Boot.ini file opens in Notepad.
  6. Under [operating systems], copy the operating system path of your Windows installation, and then paste it under [operating systems].
  7. In the newly-pasted operating system path, remove the following switch:

    /noexecute=optin

  8. Save your changes to the Boot.ini file, and then quit Notepad.
  9. Restart the computer.
  10. On the startup menu, use the ARROW keys to select the second operating system item where you removed the /noexecute=optin switch from the path, and then press ENTER.
  11. Log on to Windows, and then remove the Norton CleanSweep program. For additional information about how to remove Norton CleanSweep, contact the program vendor. For information about how to contact Symantec, click the appropriate article number in the following list to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

    65416 Hardware and software vendor contact information, A-K

    60781 Hardware and software vendor contact information, L-P

    60782 Hardware and software vendor contact information, Q-Z

  12. Restart the computer, and then use Notepad to edit the Boot.ini file. Remove the second operating system path that you added in step 6.
  13. Restore the hidden attribute and the system attribute to the Boot.ini file. To do this, follow these steps:
    1. Click Start, click Run, type cmd in the Open box, and then click OK.
    2. Change to the root directory of the hard disk where Windows is installed.
    3. Type attrib +s +h boot.ini, and then press ENTER.
    4. Type exit, and then press ENTER.
  14. Restart the computer.

MORE INFORMATION

For additional information about the /noexecute switch in Windows XP SP2, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/maintain/sp2mempr.mspx

The third-party products that this article discusses are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding the performance or reliability of these products. Microsoft provides third-party contact information to help you find technical support. This contact information may change without notice. Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy of this third-party contact information.
For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

289022 How to edit the Boot.ini file in Windows XP

Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:8/26/2004
Keywords:kbstartup kberrmsg kbBug kbtshoot kbprb KB873155 kbAudEndUser kbAudITPRO
©2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.