explorer.exe problem

Hello and thanks for the help in advance…… I'm running a win2k OS, 1.5gig Ram, 250gig hard drive, and lots of other stuff. Problem is….I was on the internet browsing around (IE latest version, complete updates installed), when my hard drive just shut down. I got the error STOP 0x00000077….stack_dump_ ……..and then windows froze. I attempted to reboot my system….no luck. Upon windows log on, I get to the desk top, but then get the error Error: explorer.exe has created a fault and will now be shut down. No programs load, nothing on the desk top is present. I have run windows in safe mode, and have run a virus scan, nothing was found. I then tried to run the recovery console and ran a fixboot, fixmbr, and chkdsk /p…..nothing is working for me to resolve this problem. What can I do know to fix this? Thanks, Erik

You may already have consulted this MS trouble-shooting information.
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechn…m.mspx?mfr=true

Since you are able to navigate around and perform applications (virus scan) in SAFE Mode.
And Since you have access via Recovery Console….
That may rule-out problems with hardware, or at least localize it to instances when Normal Windows attempts to load.

I'd tend to wonder if you have some corrupted operating system files in Windows.
Unfortunately, you can only run System File Checker (sfc /scannow) when in Normal Mode.
Therefore, if you rule out the other "causes" listed by MS, you may benefit from a Repair Installation from Recovery Console.

Since you have a "serious" problem, you may want to back up important documents and files before performing any more tests.
Repair Installation is "supposed" to be "non-destructive", but still a good idea to back up documents and files.

If you have another machine, you could install this Hard Drive (configured as Slave) into a known-good machine. That would allow you to save documents and files before performing repairs.
Or if you are comfortable using a bootable pre-windows environment, like Bart's PE or the UltimateBootDisk, you could fire up your machine via bootable CD to perform your documents and files backup, and also do additional diagnosing and repair in the same way.

Sounds like the "problem" just started occuring "out of the blue" without any physical changes (new hardware) or configuration changes (new application software) ? If so, it's probably not a bad IDE connection or poorly seated PCI card or RAM Stick. Instead, if it's Hardware, then some piece of Hardware has gone faulty on you. Failing RAM, Failing IDE ribbon, Failing CPU. But the "most likely" cause would be "heat". Second most likely is failing Power Supply.

So crack open that case and inspect for dirt/dust bunnies, especially clogged air-intake at the bottom-front of your machine, and accumulation of dirt/dust on the HeatSink cooling fins of your CPU and Video Card. Blow out the dirt/dust with compressed air. While you have the case open, inspect for bulging capacitors, and poorly seated PCI cards. Also check the IDE ribbons. Make sure all your Fans are running freely and vigorously……… but don't keep your machine powered up with the case open for more than a minute or two because of cooling issues.

Best Regards

You mention you are running the "latest version" of IE. Do you mean IE 7.0 ? If that means IE 7.0 (beta or RC1) there were a ton of problems with it. People are still having problems with IE 7.0 the full-release version, and I generally recommend that folks stay with 6.0 for a while yet, until more of the bugs get worked out of IE 7.0. So if you recently accepted a MS Automated Update, it could have "gone bad". Or you could have suddenly found yourself running IE 7.0 and found problems immediately upon browsing…. "your windows froze".

Win2k can only have up to IE6……I wouldn't susspect a faulty power supply, it's new with in the last 7 months. Also the case has 4 fans running and a temp controller to shut it down if it gets too hot.

OK then. It's back to safe-guarding your documents and files, then probably a Repair installation. Your Hard Drive manufacturer will also have a "Drive Fitness" or "Drive Health" utility that can be downloaded and saved to Floppy or CD and then Run from Boot, to give you more information about the condtion of that Hard Drive.

Yup, that's pretty much what I thought…..suckage! I've already started re-formatting my hard drive and adding different partitions to it. Thanks very much for the quick help, Erik