Explorer.exe repeatedly quits unexpectedly in Windows XP (883791)



The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows XP Professional
  • Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP1
  • Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
  • Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition SP1

Important This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SUMMARY

You may experience symptoms when you try to install Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 Release Candidate 2 or certain critical updates.

MORE INFORMATION

CASE 1

Symptoms

When you try to install Microsoft Windows XP SP2 Release Candidate 2, you may receive an error message that is similar to the following:
Application name has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience.
If the error message remains visible, and if you want to see the data that the error report contains, click the Click Here link at the bottom of the message box. You may see error signature information that is similar to one of the following:
 Application name  Application version  Module name  Module version  Offset
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Shmgrate.exe      5.1.2600.2149        Shlwapi.dll  6.0.2800.1400   000241c9

 Shmgrate.exe      5.1.2600.2155        Shlwapi.dll  6.0.2800.1552   000241c9

 Runonce.exe       6.0.2900.2149        Shlwapi.dll  6.0.2800.1400   000241c9

 Runonce.exe       6.0.2900.2149        Shlwapi.dll  6.0.2800.1552   000241c9

 Update.exe        5.5.21.0             Shlwapi.dll  6.0.2800.1400   000241c9

 Update.exe        5.5.21.0             Shlwapi.dll  6.0.2800.1552   000241c9
Additionally, other offsets are possible.

Note After you click OK to all the error messages, Explorer.exe quits unexpectedly, automatically restarts and then quits unexpectedly again. Additionally, you receive the following error message:
Explorer.exe has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience.
If the error message remains visible, and if you want to see the data that the error report contains, click the Click Here link at the bottom of the message box. You may see error signature information that is similar to one of the following:
 Application name  Application version  Module name  Module version  Offset
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Explorer.exe      6.0.2800.1106        Shlwapi.dll  6.0.2800.1552   000241c9

Cause

This problem may occur when you try to install Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 Release Candidate 2 and one of the following conditions is true:
  • You installed the critical update that is described in the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

    867801 MS04-025: Cumulative security update for Internet Explorer

  • You installed the critical update that is described in the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base and the Shlwapi.dll file (version 6.0.2800.1514) was not correctly installed:

    839645 MS04-024: A vulnerability in the Windows shell could allow remote code execution

Workaround

Warning Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using another method. These problems might require that you reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk.

To work around this problem, follow these steps:
  1. Press CTRL+ALT+DEL, and then click Task Manager.
  2. On the Applications tab, click New Task.
  3. In the Open box of the Create New Task dialog box, type regedit, and then click OK.
  4. Locate and then click the following subkey:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

  5. With the subkey specified in step 4 selected, right-click the UseDesktopIniCache DWORD value in the right pane, and then click Modify.
  6. In the Value data box, type 0, and then click OK.
  7. Quit Registry Editor.
  8. Restart your computer.
  9. Install Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 Release Candidate 2.

CASE 2

Symptoms

When you do any one of the following and then restart your computer, you receive an error message:
  • You experience the problem that is described in the "Symptoms" section of Case 1.
  • You install the critical update that is described in the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article:

    867801 MS04-025: Cumulative security update for Internet Explorer

  • You install the critical update that is described in the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article, and the Shlwapi.dll file (version 6.0.2800.1514) is not correctly installed:

    839645 MS04-024: A vulnerability in the Windows shell could allow remote code execution

You receive the following error message:
Explorer.exe has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience.
If the error message remains visible, and if you want to see the data that the error report contains, click the Click Here link at the bottom of the message box. You may see error signature information that is similar to one of the following:
 Application name  Application version  Module name  Module version  Offset
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Explorer.exe      6.0.2800.1106        Shlwapi.dll  6.0.2800.1552   000241c9
Note After Explorer.exe quits unexpectedly, Explorer.exe automatically restarts and then immediately quits unexpectedly again. Additionally, you receive the same error message and error signature that you received earlier.

Cause

This problem occurs after you install and make active the hotfix that is described in the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article:

840309 Browsing the My Documents folder on a network share with Windows Explorer from a Windows XP-based computer takes longer than expected

Workaround

Warning If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

To work around this problem, follow these steps:
  1. Press CTRL+ALT+DEL, and then click Task Manager.
  2. On the Applications tab, click New Task.
  3. In the Open box of the Create New Task dialog box, type regedit, and then click OK.
  4. Locate, and then click the following subkey:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

  5. With the subkey specified in step 4 selected, right-click the UseDesktopIniCache DWORD value in the right pane, and then click Modify.
  6. In the Value data box, type 0, and then click OK.
  7. Quit Registry Editor.
  8. Install the hotfix that is described in the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article:

    871260 An update rollup is available for Internet Explorer versions 5.x and 6.0

  9. Restart your computer.
  10. Click Start, click Run, type regedit in the Open box, and then click OK.
  11. Locate, and then click the following subkey:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

  12. With the subkey specified in step 11 selected, right-click the UseDesktopIniCache DWORD value in the right pane, and then click Modify.
  13. In the Value data box, type 1, and then click OK.
  14. Quit Registry Editor.

MORE INFORMATION

The Error Reporting dialog box appears when an error occurs that causes a fatal event in the program. The dialog box includes a button that the user clicks to send the information about the fatal event to Microsoft. Microsoft gathers information about these types of events in a database to try to identify the cause. For more information about the Microsoft Data Collection Policy, visit the following Microsoft Web site: For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

283768 Description of the end user privacy policy in application error reporting when you are using Office


Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:9/13/2006
Keywords:kbprb kbtshoot kberrmsg kbBug KB883791 kbAudEndUser