Windows crashes whenever I try to delete files, etc.

Okay I know you guys are great so here we go.
I had installed a few programs, but I don't really know when this problem began, within the past 24 hours I think.
Whenever I try to delete/copy/paste, etc. files or folders in Windows Explorer it crashes.
I'm running Windows XP Home Edition with SP2 and as far as I know all the latest critical updates.

Here's the 2 varieties of errors I get from the Event Viewer:
Event Type: Error
Event Source: Application Error
Event Category: None
Event ID: 1000
Date: 30/03/2008
Time: 1:47:09 AM
User: N/A
Computer: Edited
Description:
Faulting application explorer.exe, version 6.0.2900.3156, faulting module shell32.dll, version 6.0.2900.3241, fault address 0x0004fbb0.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.
Data:
0000: 41 70 70 6c 69 63 61 74 Applicat
0008: 69 6f 6e 20 46 61 69 6c ion Fail
0010: 75 72 65 20 20 65 78 70 ure exp
0018: 6c 6f 72 65 72 2e 65 78 lorer.ex
0020: 65 20 36 2e 30 2e 32 39 e 6.0.29
0028: 30 30 2e 33 31 35 36 20 00.3156
0030: 69 6e 20 73 68 65 6c 6c in shell
0038: 33 32 2e 64 6c 6c 20 36 32.dll 6
0040: 2e 30 2e 32 39 30 30 2e .0.2900.
0048: 33 32 34 31 20 61 74 20 3241 at
0050: 6f 66 66 73 65 74 20 30 offset 0
0058: 30 30 34 66 62 62 30 0d 004fbb0.
0060: 0a

Event Type: Error
Event Source: .NET Runtime 2.0 Error Reporting
Event Category: None
Event ID: 1000
Date: 30/03/2008
Time: 1:42:33 AM
User: N/A
Computer: Edited
Description:
Faulting application explorer.exe, version 6.0.2900.3156, stamp 466fc588, faulting module shell32.dll, version 6.0.2900.3241, stamp 47216027, debug? 0, fault address 0x0004fbb0.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.
Data:
0000: 41 00 70 00 70 00 6c 00 A.p.p.l.
0008: 69 00 63 00 61 00 74 00 i.c.a.t.
0010: 69 00 6f 00 6e 00 20 00 i.o.n. .
0018: 46 00 61 00 69 00 6c 00 F.a.i.l.
0020: 75 00 72 00 65 00 20 00 u.r.e. .
0028: 20 00 65 00 78 00 70 00 .e.x.p.
0030: 6c 00 6f 00 72 00 65 00 l.o.r.e.
0038: 72 00 2e 00 65 00 78 00 r…e.x.
0040: 65 00 20 00 36 00 2e 00 e. .6…
0048: 30 00 2e 00 32 00 39 00 0…2.9.
0050: 30 00 30 00 2e 00 33 00 0.0…3.
0058: 31 00 35 00 36 00 20 00 1.5.6. .
0060: 34 00 36 00 36 00 66 00 4.6.6.f.
0068: 63 00 35 00 38 00 38 00 c.5.8.8.
0070: 20 00 69 00 6e 00 20 00 .i.n. .
0078: 73 00 68 00 65 00 6c 00 s.h.e.l.
0080: 6c 00 33 00 32 00 2e 00 l.3.2…
0088: 64 00 6c 00 6c 00 20 00 d.l.l. .
0090: 36 00 2e 00 30 00 2e 00 6…0…
0098: 32 00 39 00 30 00 30 00 [removed].
00a0: 2e 00 33 00 32 00 34 00 ..3.2.4.
00a8: 31 00 20 00 34 00 37 00 1. .4.7.
00b0: 32 00 31 00 36 00 30 00 [removed].
00b8: 32 00 37 00 20 00 66 00 2.7. .f.
00c0: 44 00 65 00 62 00 75 00 D.e.b.u.
00c8: 67 00 20 00 30 00 20 00 g. .0. .
00d0: 61 00 74 00 20 00 6f 00 a.t. .o.
00d8: 66 00 66 00 73 00 65 00 f.f.s.e.
00e0: 74 00 20 00 30 00 30 00 t. .0.0.
00e8: 30 00 34 00 66 00 62 00 0.4.f.b.
00f0: 62 00 30 00 0d 00 0a 00 b.0…..

I've tried System Restore, sfc /scannow, Last known good configuration and running CCleaner. Also the problem also happens in Safe Mode.

Any help would be great appreciated!

I removed some programs I installed/used just before I realised I had the problem. They were: EncryptionPad Eureka PublicKey The other one was Pacman something(it was related to encryption) but it was just a standalone program, just needed to run the file, not install. Ad-Aware SE Professional Adobe Flash Player ActiveX Adobe Reader 8.1.1 Adobe Shockwave Player Adventure Game Studio 3.0 Agatha Christie - And Then There Were None ATI - Software Uninstall Utility ATI Catalyst Control Center ATI Control Panel ATI Display Driver ATI HydraVision CCleaner (remove only) DriveImage XML DriverAgent Plugin for Netscape by TouchStone Software Enable S3 for USB Device EncryptionAndDecryption ffdshow (remove only) FireTune Genie Backup Manager Home Edition 5.0 GIMP 2.4.5 HijackThis 2.0.2 Hotfix for Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0 (KB932471) Hotfix for Windows XP (KB896344) Hotfix for Windows XP (KB914440) Hotfix for Windows XP (KB915865) Hotfix for Windows XP (KB926239) Hotfix for Windows XP (KB928388) Hotfix for Windows XP (KB929120) iVol IZArc 3.81 Java DB 10.3.1.4 Java™ 6 Update 4 JGsoft EditPad Lite 6.2.1 L&H TTS3000 British English Lavasoft VX2 Cleaner Macromedia Shockwave Player Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 Hotfix (KB928366) Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 Service Pack 1 Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0 Service Pack 1 Microsoft Compression Client Pack 1.0 for Windows XP Microsoft Internationalized Domain Names Mitigation APIs Microsoft National Language Support Downlevel APIs Microsoft Office Professional Edition 2003 Microsoft Script Debugger Microsoft User-Mode Driver Framework Feature Pack 1.0 Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Redistributable Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Redistributable Microsoft Web Publishing Wizard 1.52 Microsoft Windows Media Video 9 VCM MiniMinder 7.27 MozBackup 1.4.6 Mozilla Firefox (2.0.0.12) MSXML 4.0 SP2 (KB927978) MSXML 4.0 SP2 (KB936181) MSXML 6.0 Parser (KB933579) msxml4 Nero 7 Ultra Edition Panda ActiveScan Private Post Real Alternative 1.60 Recover My Files Recuva (remove only) Registry Mechanic 6.0 Revo Uninstaller 1.42 Security Update for Windows Internet Explorer 7 (KB937143) Security Update for Windows Internet Explorer 7 (KB938127) Security Update for Windows Internet Explorer 7 (KB939653) Security Update for Windows Internet Explorer 7 (KB942615) Security Update for Windows Internet Explorer 7 (KB944533) Security Update for Windows Media Player 10 (KB936782) Security Update for Windows Media Player 6.4 (KB925398) Security Update for Windows XP (KB890046) Security Update for Windows XP (KB893756) Security Update for Windows XP (KB896358) Security Update for Windows XP (KB896423) Security Update for Windows XP (KB896424) Security Update for Windows XP (KB896428) Security Update for Windows XP (KB899587) Security Update for Windows XP (KB899591) Security Update for Windows XP (KB900725) Security Update for Windows XP (KB901017) Security Update for Windows XP (KB901214) Security Update for Windows XP (KB902400) Security Update for Windows XP (KB904706) Security Update for Windows XP (KB905414) Security Update for Windows XP (KB905749) Security Update for Windows XP (KB908519) Security Update for Windows XP (KB911562) Security Update for Windows XP (KB911567) Security Update for Windows XP (KB911927) Security Update for Windows XP (KB912919) Security Update for Windows XP (KB913580) Security Update for Windows XP (KB914388) Security Update for Windows XP (KB914389) Security Update for Windows XP (KB917344) Security Update for Windows XP (KB917422) Security Update for Windows XP (KB917953) Security Update for Windows XP (KB918118) Security Update for Windows XP (KB918899) Security Update for Windows XP (KB919007) Security Update for Windows XP (KB920213) Security Update for Windows XP (KB920214) Security Update for Windows XP (KB920670) Security Update for Windows XP (KB920683) Security Update for Windows XP (KB920685) Security Update for Windows XP (KB921398) Security Update for Windows XP (KB921503) Security Update for Windows XP (KB921883) Security Update for Windows XP (KB922616) Security Update for Windows XP (KB922760) Security Update for Windows XP (KB922819) Security Update for Windows XP (KB923191) Security Update for Windows XP (KB923414) Security Update for Windows XP (KB923694) Security Update for Windows XP (KB923789) Security Update for Windows XP (KB923980) Security Update for Windows XP (KB924191) Security Update for Windows XP (KB924270) Security Update for Windows XP (KB924496) Security Update for Windows XP (KB924667) Security Update for Windows XP (KB925486) Security Update for Windows XP (KB925902) Security Update for Windows XP (KB926255) Security Update for Windows XP (KB926436) Security Update for Windows XP (KB927779) Security Update for Windows XP (KB927802) Security Update for Windows XP (KB928255) Security Update for Windows XP (KB928843) Security Update for Windows XP (KB929123) Security Update for Windows XP (KB930178) Security Update for Windows XP (KB931261) Security Update for Windows XP (KB931784) Security Update for Windows XP (KB932168) Security Update for Windows XP (KB933729) Security Update for Windows XP (KB935839) Security Update for Windows XP (KB935840) Security Update for Windows XP (KB936021) Security Update for Windows XP (KB938829) Security Update for Windows XP (KB941202) Security Update for Windows XP (KB941568) Security Update for Windows XP (KB941569) Security Update for Windows XP (KB941644) Security Update for Windows XP (KB943055) Security Update for Windows XP (KB943460) Security Update for Windows XP (KB943485) Security Update for Windows XP (KB944653) Security Update for Windows XP (KB946026) Shockwave ShutDown After 2.1 SoftCAT Spelling Dictionaries Support For Adobe Reader 8 Spybot - Search & Destroy 1.5.2.20 SpywareBlaster v3.5.1 SpywareGuard v2.2 Ss Undelete Plus 2.91 StartupMonitor Steganos Security Suite 7.1.6 Stellar Phoenix Deleted File Recovery 1.0 Techlogica TechTris 1.2 TheSage Trend Micro Anti-Spyware Tweak UI Unlocker 1.8.5 Update for Windows XP (KB898461) Update for Windows XP (KB900485) Update for Windows XP (KB904942) Update for Windows XP (KB908531) Update for Windows XP (KB910437) Update for Windows XP (KB911280) Update for Windows XP (KB916595) Update for Windows XP (KB920342) Update for Windows XP (KB920872) Update for Windows XP (KB922582) Update for Windows XP (KB927891) Update for Windows XP (KB929338) Update for Windows XP (KB930916) Update for Windows XP (KB931836) Update for Windows XP (KB933360) Update for Windows XP (KB938828) Update for Windows XP (KB942763) VIA Audio Driver Setup Program VIA Rhine-Family Fast-Ethernet Adapter VideoLAN VLC media player 0.8.6d Winamp (remove only) Windows Defender Windows Imaging Component Windows Installer 3.1 (KB893803) Windows Installer Clean Up Windows Internet Explorer 7 Windows Live Messenger Windows Media Encoder 9 Series Windows Media Encoder 9 Series Windows Presentation Foundation Windows XP Hotfix - KB873339 Windows XP Hotfix - KB885835 Windows XP Hotfix - KB885836 Windows XP Hotfix - KB886185 Windows XP Hotfix - KB887472 Windows XP Hotfix - KB888302 Windows XP Hotfix - KB890859 Windows XP Hotfix - KB891781 Windows XP Service Pack 2 WinRAR archiver Xvid 1.1.3 final uninstall ZoneAlarm Pro Yes I realise you'll notice I haven't got an antivirus program installed but I have an oldish computer and can only realistically load one of the three main security programs with real time monitoring and in my opinion a firewall was the best choice. I do malware scans often enough anyway and am usually careful about what I download. Oh and I know there's a newer version of Java than I have, I'll be getting that one soon.

I would be the last one to lecture you on not running an av program resident

net 2/3 and catalyst drivers are very buggy with older ati cards

was teatimer running resident during any of this add and remove programs

are any of the games programs older?(pre xp era)

does direct x still work?

do you have a slipstreamed xp disk w/ sp2 in it handy?

None of the games I currently have installed are pre XP era. The ATI drivers are the most recent ones I can use considering how old my graphics card is. No I don't have a slipstreamed CD, do you think I'm going to need to reinstall Windows? I am desperately wanting to avoid that if possible, it's a really annoying and time consuming thing. Direct X works as far as I know and I don't have teatimer running.

this one looks pretty scary for integrating into the shell of xp

I guess it does, I don't know much about that sort of stuff but I certainly think that program stuffed things up, I noticed the issue just after running it for the first time. I managed to delete its folders another way but the problem persists.

well I am not an expert on windows system files but i usually check dates on any installer and driver files before I let them loose

Using compatibility mode for an installer might have helped

sfc should have picked up the bad ones? if that's the problem

you might search for those files and unregister them?

that's why I was asking about a repair disk

Search for what files and how do I de-register them and how do I make a repair disk?

…reinstall Windows? I am desperately wanting to avoid that if possible

That's always the last ditch resort.

Is this problem with any file you try to delete? If so, that would sound like a corrupt recycle bin. Did you try to empty it?

Did you see http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?…b;EN-US;q275599

If it is specific files that make explore crash, you might try MoveOnBoot - this deletes files at the earliest stages of the boot process, before anything can get hooks in it.

No it's if I try to delete, copy, cut, do practically anything with a file and folder within Windows Explorer and I also can't do these things other ways, for example saying I'm browsing for a file to open and I try to perform one of those actions explorer or something will also crash. The full information about the errors is in my first post and it seems the problem is related to that program I installed, Eureka PublicKey, the one with the sreenshot of the files within its zip file. I checked out the link you provided, although it was unrelated I searched for the files and naturally didn't have them. However it got me thinking, I think this is a shell extension problem. Is there a way to edit or display shell extensions?

However it got me thinking, I think this is a shell extension problem. Is there a way to edit or display shell extensions?

Just stepped out of my area! If not a corrupt recycle bin, my thought would have been towards

That said, I would try Michael Stevens XP Repair Install before a format/reinstall.

The fact System Restore and SFC /scannow were of no help after such a short time, and the problem occurs in Safe Mode too concerns me.

And if you don't have a current backup, you might quickly slave that HD to a working PC and copy files you don't want to lose.

I did notice something funny in this MS KB article titled, Cannot Drag or Copy and Paste File where it said, "This can occur if Microsoft Internet Explorer is damaged. Because My Computer and Windows Explorer use Internet Explorer, if Internet Explorer is damaged, some of the functionality of these tools may be lost."

Your symptoms are slightly different, but… maybe something more to chew on..;)

I looked through the registry and found lots of these entries that might be related to the program in question but I can't tell and I don't know whether deleting it would help or not. This is what it displays:
[external image: Posted Image]

how long since you did a clean install? born on date for the config.sys? even windows xp gets corrupt given enough time

even windows xp gets corrupt given enough time

I don't know about - this machine was setup in Aug 2002 and still running strong through several morphings with SP2 and hardware updates. You really should never have to reinstall unless something went drastically wrong. XP is not like the old DOS based OSs, It is much more robust.