Explorer.exe page fault in module <unknown>

[mncduffy]

Each time I boot the computer, login, I am met with the following:
EXPLORER.EXE
This program has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down.
[Details]
EXPLORER caused an invalid page fault in module <unknown> at 0000:000000032.

I select [Close]

And then I am met with the following:

SAVE
This program has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down.
[Details]
SAVE caused an invalid page fault in module <unknown> at 0000:000000032.

I am stumped... Please Help

[andyms18a]

HI mncduffy
welcom to the forums

you need to reinstall windows over the top of itself to fix this problam boot with a boot floppy and put your windows cd in the drive then change to the cd drive and type setup
if you now how to navegate in dos ignor the rest of this
when the computer starts from the floppy drive you will get an A: prompt type E: and hit enter i use E as an example so if you have one hard disk drive then the cd drive will be E but if you have moor then the cd drive will move down the list
you shod now have a screan that looks like this E:\> type setup and hit enter then follow the on screan instructions to do a repair install of windows
if that dont work get a copy of fprot ante virus and scan your hard drive from dos http://www.f-prot.com/download/download_fpdos.html
if the abbove dont fix your problam then you have a hardware fult eather RAM or hard drive

hope this helps post back if you need any moor help

[mncduffy]

I'm on it. I will let you know how it turns out...

[GaryRouth]

Hi mncduffy, Hi andy

If you decide to do an over-the-top, take a look at this thread first - you might want to rename the win.com file, so that you don't have to reinstall all your programs. http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=70846

Antivirus checking is always a good step in troubleshooting.

Andy mentioned Ram as a source of this kind of error - that's true: did you add or change the memory at all lately? or have any power surges? (if you had a hardware problem, though, you'd probably start seeing these errors in several different modules, not just explorer)

An over-the-top will probably do it: but you'll want to visit Windows Update right after and reinstall whatever Security Updates it finds.
___________
If you want to try something quick before the over-the-top, you could try a repair install of IE (from either Add/Remove in Control Panel, or Repair IE from the Tools menu in System Tools in Accessories)

Best of luck
. . . Gary

[andyms18a]

hi gary
you mention renaming win.com to do a repair install of windows and changing the windows folder name is mentiond on the link you have posted but i am just wondering if you have to do this as i have done hundrades of over the top installs and never changed dir or renamed win.com and all the program and data remaned affter the install and worked fine
do you now of any isues if you dont rename befor installing windows all so when i do an over the top it never asks me for the cd key all i get asked is if i want to keep my origanall files as a backup incase i want to uninstall windows but i all ways say no. hope this makes some sence to you i will watch for your reply and to mncduffy sorrey to ask a question in your post hope you dont mined and i hope we can fix your problam

best wishes
andy

[mncduffy]

Before reinstalling, I went to the Windows updtate web site and allowed the site to scan the computer and check which update were required. Several came back, so I let it go. The first update was to IE. ( sorry i didn't write it down, my finger is quicker than my mind ).
After the reboot, life was good; no more Explorer page fault errors.

Thanks everyone!

[andyms18a]

NICE ONE

glad you got it fixed

[GaryRouth]

mncduffy - Good work

andy - I've been doing it with renaming win.com for so long, I'm a little foggy on the details. I think it helps for those occasions when the reinstall disk is either not the same as the original, or is perhaps an OEM disk (it keeps the installation from stopping at the first check and complaining "Windows is already installed on this computer. . .) I picked up that procedure over the years from tidbits from Hal and reboot posts. I'll bet either of them knows exactly why (I suppose if I had a little more time tonight, I could check in one of my Windows books, or over at the MS website - but tomorrow is the 1st day of school for my kids - so I guess I've got to get back to "schooltime schedule" myself!)

Waiting for some cool air, too, to help us out of this heat here in Southern Cal :)
. . . Gary

[andyms18a]

Originally posted by GaryRouth
mncduffy - Good work

I think it helps for those occasions when the reinstall disk is either not the same as the original, or is perhaps an OEM disk (it keeps the installation from stopping at the first check and complaining "Windows is already installed on this computer. . .) . . . Gary

that explains it when we do a reinstall of 98 we use a work shop cd and we allways match the instald version ie first or second and the cds we use are full retaill not the oem type thanks for the reply have fun with the kids school and for the heat problam my doctor says cold beer works well. i have a nice desk top fan and the ice bucket in front of the fan full of beer hic hic
have fun
andy