Windows Explorer crashes intermittently

[996GT2]

My secondary hard drive caught fire recently, so I replaced it with a WD SATA. However, even though Windows XP Pro SP2 wasn't installed on the secondary drive, something seems to have happened to my windows install...(which is on my primary Seagate drive). Basically, Windows explorer will crash intermittently, especially when I'm copying files to my computer from a DVD or other source. If I just leave explorer running in the background and have another window open (such as Firefox), explorer won't respond when I click the taskbar to un-minimize it and needs to be force ended via task manager. Also, my ZVM explorer, which is an explorer extension that allows me to manage files on my Creative Zen Vision M, has recently started to act up as well. Basically, I can transfer music and video files to my Zen, but cannot copy them back to my computer. These aren't DRM'd files, but rather just files I ripped from my own CD collection and the like.

I've tried to repair windows, but it wouldn't finish the repair. I have no clue how to fix these issues...can anyone help before I reinstall completely?

 

[cprince]

You will probably have to backup all your data, format, and reinstall windows.

 

[dclive]

Originally posted by: 996GT2
My secondary hard drive caught fire recently, so I replaced it with a WD SATA. However, even though Windows XP Pro SP2 wasn't installed on the secondary drive, something seems to have happened to my windows install...(which is on my primary Seagate drive). Basically, Windows explorer will crash intermittently, especially when I'm copying files to my computer from a DVD or other source. If I just leave explorer running in the background and have another window open (such as Firefox), explorer won't respond when I click the taskbar to un-minimize it and needs to be force ended via task manager. Also, my ZVM explorer, which is an explorer extension that allows me to manage files on my Creative Zen Vision M, has recently started to act up as well. Basically, I can transfer music and video files to my Zen, but cannot copy them back to my computer. These aren't DRM'd files, but rather just files I ripped from my own CD collection and the like.

I've tried to repair windows, but it wouldn't finish the repair. I have no clue how to fix these issues...can anyone help before I reinstall completely?

Uninstall ALL explorer extensions, including the Zune software, any features that pop up when you right-click on your desktop or a file on your desktop or in explorer, Divx, any codec packs, and any similar add-ins.

Then see if you can repro the problem.

Early versions of DIVX did this with SP2. It's not uncommon or hard to troubleshoot - you just have to uninstall the right thing.

 

[robisbell]

okay, what was the cause for the drive catching on fire, exactly? that's a big clue as to what has happened.

 

[996GT2]

Originally posted by: robisbell
okay, what was the cause for the drive catching on fire, exactly? that's a big clue as to what has happened.

uh, it was a Maxtor drive...one of many that were known to have a chip catch on fire during use. The chip in question had "smooth" labeled on it, and if you google you can see others who have had the exact same issue with the drives catching on fire.