Windows Explorer Error: ntdll.dll

Hey guys!

When I'm in Windows Explorer viewing files I get an error message with the following error signature:

AppName: Explorer.exe
ModVer:5.1.2600.2180
AppVer: 6.0.2900.2180
Offset: 0003426D (this varies)
ModName: ntdll.dll

Sometimes this error pops up as soon as I open Explorer, and other times it may give me several minutes before it appears. Once the error appears Windows Explorer shuts down, the Start bar disappears, and the desktop reloads (and the Start bar reappears).

Does anyone know what caused this and/or how I can fix it?

Thanks!!!
Sam

 

I think you may have a virus. Because the real explorer.exe is shown as: "explorer.exe" and is located in your system's system folder. Go to the malware forum and get yourself checked and when you are clean if the problem persists please come back here. I am not sure but maybe a scandisk would be a good place to start.... Oh and one more thing if you do have to get cleaned up please do it and post back here so I can help you with the error.
-the new tech guy

 

Thanks for responding to my problem!

As chaslang said, I was referred here from the malware forum after getting a clean bill of health there.

 

Oh ok sorry about that. I did not know he was already checked. Ok then its a system problem. Lets start with a good old scandisk as i have stated before to see if we can fix the problem with that.
-the new tech guy

 

Alright, I just completed a scan disk and no issues came up.

I'm running an Intel Pentium M chip.

Regarding Post #6 at softwaretipsandtricks.com: No luck there either. While reading those posts I'm getting the impression that there's no solution to my problem. But I'm glad I found majorgeeks.com. You guys are very helpful and knowledgeable. Hopefully someone here will know what I need to do.

Thanks,
Sam

 

Ok then get your windows cd and type this command into the run box: "sfc /scannow" (no quotes) let that run, restart and let us know if the problem persists.
-the new tech guy

 

Oh, and there wasn't any HackerDefenderxxx entry in my registry...

 

Ok please run my repair that i have previously posted. This is just a simple issue of repairing a corrupt file. Now im wondering if i send you a copy of explorer.exe from another machine on windows xp sp2, if you can use that to repair the problem but lets see if this works first....
-the new tech guy

 

My Windows disk is bundled with my Dell software. I don't imagine that causes any problems but I thought I would mention it. I won't have access to my disk until I'm back in the office tomorrow. So I'll try the scan then.

Thanks for your help. Talk to you more tomorrow...
Sam

 

No that will not be a problem. It is just Dell-flavoured windows xp. Also make sure windows is up to date with all of your security updates.
-the new tech guy

 

Alright, I ran the sfc scan. When the scan completed the little dialog box with the progress meter closed down and no problems or errors were reported. I guess that means everything was fine.

Should we try copying a new explorer.exe file onto my system now?

 

Is the problem still persisting or is it repaired and no sfc /scannow will not show any dialogs. When your finished shut down the computer entirely for a minute, then try starting it up again and let me know if the problem persists.
-the new tech guy

 

Well, I shut down, waited a minute, and then rebooted. Something changed, but I still have a problem.

While browsing around files in Windows Explorer things seem to be fine until I come across a folder that has .jpg's in it. Once I'm in a folder containing .jpg's I get the following error message:

Explorer.exe - Application Error
The instruction at "0x75f81b95" referenced memory at "0x0070006a". The memory could not be "read".

Click OK to terminate the program.
Click Cancel to debug the program.

If I click OK or Cancel Windows Explorer shuts down and the desktop refreshes. That's it. (Also, the memory locations vary with each error message.)

I haven't seen my original error message referencing the ntdll.dll since the sfc scan this morning.

One other thing I noticed that may or may not be of use: When in Windows Explorer, if I have a folder open containing .jpg files the error message above might come up immediately, or it might come up a minute later. If it's the latter then I can rename .jpg files (while waiting for the impending error). When the error message does come up, if I'm in the middle of renaming a .jpg file then I get the same error message except it says the memory could not be "written" instead of "read." (Again, that may be of no use, but I figured it might be worth mentioning.)

Does any of this help narrow in on the problem?

Thanks again for the help!
Sam

 

Try updating the Graphics Driver and reboot the machine.

Steve

 

If what Matacumbie's suggestion does not work, try, turning off thumbnail viewing, and doubleclicking on a jpeg. Does the file open up?

If so, then it may have something to do with the preview of jpegs. (.jpg)

Another thought. Do you have Photoshop installed?

 

Could it be a registry fault?
-the new tech guy

 

You may need to update/download visual basic. You can download it here http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=7B9BA261-7A9C-43E7-9117-F673077FFB3C&displaylang=en.

 

Actually, you may also need to update/download your DirectX too.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=2da43d38-db71-4c1b-bc6a-9b6652cd92a3&DisplayLang=en

 

Wow! Thanks for all the ideas!

Matacumbie, I updated my graphics driver from the Dell website. (I've got an ATI Mobility Radeon X300.) I rebooted my system and still had the same problem.

theefool, I turned off thumbnail viewing, but still got the same error message. One time I went into Windows Explorer and had just enough time to double-click on a .jpg file before the error message popped up. The graphic opened just fine. I have Photoshop installed, and am using it as my default graphics application.

the new tech guy, how can I tell if it's a registry fault?

krit86lr, I updated Visual Basic per your link. Rebooted. Same problem. Then I updated my DirectX too. Rebooted. Same problem, but now I'm back to square one - I see the original error message referring to ntdll.dll.

So that's the latest.

Thanks for all the help I'm receiving. I sure appreciate it. I'm looking forward to solving with this problem with you guys!

Sam

 

I wouldn't normally suggest you try this, it might be going to extra trouble and not solve the problem. But, I read where it can cause the ntdll.dll errors and so I would try it if I were you.

Try using the ATI driver for the ATI Mobility Radeon X300, you should be able to find it on the ATI website.

Steve

 

Steve, thanks for suggesting the AVI driver idea.

I downloaded the driver but when I tried to install it I got the following message: "Setup was unable to complete the instatllation. Try to setup your display adapter with a standard VGA driver before running setup."

I also tried downloading the previous version of the driver and got the same message.

How do I setup my ATI Mobility Radeon X300 to use a standard VGA driver?

Any other ideas I should try?

 

Well we cant be sure if its registry or not unless we run scanners or clean it. But if you have a registry cleaner (registry mechanic, regvac...etc...) make sure it is up to date and run a scan. If you do not have one maybe download ccleaner and use the registry cleaner in that. It is not the best in the world but it is better than nothing. But i would like to see if its the drivers before we play with the registry.
-the new tech guy

 

Well, I just ran ccleaner to scan the registry. It found some .dll files that were leftover from some software that had previously been removed. I had ccleaner remove those items (yep, I took a registry backup first) and rebooted. It didn't have any affect on my error.

It's good thing I don't need to have access to my digital pics right now because this error essentially prevents me from having access to them! How frustrating!

 

Hold up on the driver suggestion for now, I don't want to possibly mess up your display along with this other problem.

Try the steps below. I know it seems odd for a "Windows Explorer" issue but give it a go anyway.

Steve

 

Thanks, Steve.

Actually, that setting is already cleared on my system. I think the guys over in the malware removal had me clear that setting last week.

I'll hold off on making any driver changes. Thanks...

 

You could try the jpeg file association fix at the link below or even some of the others.
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/file_assoc.htm

 

Looks like I've found the problem!!!

Franklin, thanks for the .jpg file association fix. It worked! I had Photoshop setup to open .jpg files. The file association fix you had me run setup MS Photo Editor as the application to open .jpg files with. And that's what did the trick!

So, interested to know if the problem has to do with Photoshop, I manually changed the .jpg file association back to Photoshop. And sure enough my error came back.

So, for now, I changed the .jpg file association back to Photo Editor, but I like Photoshop and would like to continue using it. Does anyone here know if there's a bug in Photoshop? If not I'll try to scope out a board that is more Photoshop-oriented.

I sure appreciate all the help I received here. This is a terrific forum and an invaluable resource. I'm sure glad I stumbled across you guys. Thanks for all the help - and the time you all dedicated to my problem!

Sam

 

Your quite welcome. As for the photoshop issue it just may be a corrupt install of photoshop. You may just need to reinstall photoshop to fix that. Let us know if that helps
-the new tech guy

 

I got the same problem when programming an application.
It has nothing do to with drivers, spyware, etc.
I think it has to do with a bug in ntdll.dll, a memory issue (overload).
Sometime a message pop ups I cant read/write to memmory, sometimes
its reffering me to a blanc adress 0x000000 and most times its referring me
to ntdll.dll the same offset you got.
It's performing the actions I coded (looping) very well, but after a while it crashes
(when performing the same actions again).

I'll keep you posted.
Any suggestions are welcome.