Start button and taskbar locked up

[LPgurl_08]

Hi, I need help bad!! I keep getting this message that "Windows Explorer has encountered a problem and needs to close." I've sent an error report, but everytime I click "don't send," it clears my desktop and then all of the icons and things come back, but the message pops up again. I can't get into my start menu or anything. Please help!!

[Big Booger]

First this error can be caused by many different issues. The most recent issue where I found this error to sprout from is referenced below.

Did you by chance install the AVI fix posted in this thread:

http://www.techzonez.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9916

If so, I have outlined how to remove it so that you may not get this problem.

I am assuming you are using windows XP and not longhorn. Which version home or pro?

Could be a ram or other hardware issue as well... but that is a bit more cumbersome to check out.



Check Recent Software Installations & Event Viewer:
Have you installed any software recently that might possibly be causing this issue?
If so remove that software, restart and see if the problem goes away.

Have you checked the error logs in your administrative tools of XP? (control panel, administrative tools, event viewer) that should give you quite a bit of detailed information. Sort it by date and try to find the exact time and date when the issue happened and you should see an error there. If so, please post that error so that we can help you further.

Virus/Spyware:
Another solution is to run a virus scan and check for adware and spyware:

http://www.techzonez.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9739

Check that great thread by our very own Egghead!
:D

Try Repairing Internet Explorer:

If you get this issue when you try to use Internet Explorer, could be it is corrupted:

try repairing IE... copy the entire line after Run > into the Run window.. and then 'OK' or enter

Start > Run > rundll32 setupwbv.dll,IE6Maintenance "C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\Setup\SETUP.EXE" /g

or

Start > Run > rundll32.exe setupapi,InstallHinfSection DefaultInstall 132 C:\windows\inf\ie.inf

Reinstall IE:
-------------

Description of the Internet Explorer Repair Tool
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=http://support.microsoft.com:80/support/kb/articles/Q194/1/77.asp&NoWebContent=1

How to Reinstall or Repair Internet Explorer and Outlook Express in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=318378

or

Repair Internet Explorer 6
http://www.theeldergeek.com/repair_ie6.htm

How to Uninstall Internet Explorer 6
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=293907

System Restore:

Try System Restore.. Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Restore.. Restore it to a date previous to the problem...

THat would be my last suggestion before doing a reformat.

Hope that helps and welcome to TZ!

[LPgurl_08]

Thanks, I fixed it!

[Big Booger]

What was the specific issue that you were having?
:D Glad to see it is resolved.

[LPgurl_08]

I don't know what the 'specific' thing was that messed it up, but I do know that the problem started right after I installed the trial version of Photoshop(I think it was Photoshop, it was some photo thing made by Jasc). After I did system restore, it was okay, so I don't know exactly what it was.

[Big Booger]

Ahh, you're suspicion might well be the culprit. :D Any hoot, glad it tis fixed. Any other questions or if you got an answer, stick around! TZ welcomes all newcomers.
:)