Windows explorer crashing when right clicking on .mp3s

I haven't seen this problem anywhere here or anywhere else, so forgive me if it's a duplicate. Every time I right click on any MP3 anywhere on my system, Windows Explorer crashes to desktop and I can't access the right-click menus. It's a sudden problem and I don't think I've installed anything that would cause it. The exact message is:

"Windows Explorer has encountered a problem and needs to clise. We are sorry for the inconvenience."

I'm given an option to send an error report to microsoft and an option to get the data in that report. It is as follows:

Error signature
AppName:explorer.exe AppVer: 6.0.2800.1221 ModName: kernel32.dll
ModVerL: 5.1.2600.1106 Offset: 0001284a

The "technical information about the error report" is:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-16"?>
<DATABASE>
<EXE NAME="SYSTEM INFO" FILTER="GRABMI_FILTER_SYSTEM">
<MATCHING_FILE NAME="advapi32.dll" SIZE="558080" CHECKSUM="0x7B6E5DDA" BIN_FILE_VERSION="5.1.2600.1106" BIN_PRODUCT_VERSION="5.1.2600.1106" PRODUCT_VERSION="5.1.2600.1106" FILE_DESCRIPTION="Advanced Windows 32 Base API" COMPANY_NAME="Microsoft Corporation" PRODUCT_NAME="Microsoft® Windows® Operating System" FILE_VERSION="5.1.2600.1106 (xpsp1.020828-1920)" ORIGINAL_FILENAME="advapi32.dll" INTERNAL_NAME="advapi32.dll" LEGAL_COPYRIGHT="© Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved." VERFILEDATEHI="0x0" VERFILEDATELO="0x0" VERFILEOS="0x40004" VERFILETYPE="0x2" MODULE_TYPE="WIN32" PE_CHECKSUM="0x9315E" LINKER_VERSION="0x50001" UPTO_BIN_FILE_VERSION="5.1.2600.1106" UPTO_BIN_PRODUCT_VERSION="5.1.2600.1106" LINK_DATE="08/29/2002 10:40:40" UPTO_LINK_DATE="08/29/2002 10:40:40" VER_LANGUAGE="English (United States) [0x409]" />
<MATCHING_FILE NAME="gdi32.dll" SIZE="257536" CHECKSUM="0xB0D6141C" BIN_FILE_VERSION="5.1.2600.1346" BIN_PRODUCT_VERSION="5.1.2600.1346" PRODUCT_VERSION="5.1.2600.1346" FILE_DESCRIPTION="GDI Client DLL" COMPANY_NAME="Microsoft Corporation" PRODUCT_NAME="Microsoft® Windows® Operating System" FILE_VERSION="5.1.2600.1346 (xpsp2.040109-1800)" ORIGINAL_FILENAME="gdi32" INTERNAL_NAME="gdi32" LEGAL_COPYRIGHT="© Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved." VERFILEDATEHI="0x0" VERFILEDATELO="0x0" VERFILEOS="0x40004" VERFILETYPE="0x2" MODULE_TYPE="WIN32" PE_CHECKSUM="0x4CFC1" LINKER_VERSION="0x50001" UPTO_BIN_FILE_VERSION="5.1.2600.1346" UPTO_BIN_PRODUCT_VERSION="5.1.2600.1346" LINK_DATE="03/30/2004 01:48:36" UPTO_LINK_DATE="03/30/2004 01:48:36" VER_LANGUAGE="English (United States) [0x409]" />
<MATCHING_FILE NAME="kernel32.dll" SIZE="930304" CHECKSUM="0xCBCCF8A9" BIN_FILE_VERSION="5.1.2600.1106" BIN_PRODUCT_VERSION="5.1.2600.1106" PRODUCT_VERSION="5.1.2600.1106" FILE_DESCRIPTION="Windows NT BASE API Client DLL" COMPANY_NAME="Microsoft Corporation" PRODUCT_NAME="Microsoft® Windows® Operating System" FILE_VERSION="5.1.2600.1106 (xpsp1.020828-1920)" ORIGINAL_FILENAME="kernel32" INTERNAL_NAME="kernel32" LEGAL_COPYRIGHT="© Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved." VERFILEDATEHI="0x0" VERFILEDATELO="0x0" VERFILEOS="0x40004" VERFILETYPE="0x2" MODULE_TYPE="WIN32" PE_CHECKSUM="0xE7ED3" LINKER_VERSION="0x50001" UPTO_BIN_FILE_VERSION="5.1.2600.1106" UPTO_BIN_PRODUCT_VERSION="5.1.2600.1106" LINK_DATE="08/29/2002 10:40:40" UPTO_LINK_DATE="08/29/2002 10:40:40" VER_LANGUAGE="English (United States) [0x409]" />
<MATCHING_FILE NAME="ntdll.dll" SIZE="654336" CHECKSUM="0xC568C00F" BIN_FILE_VERSION="5.1.2600.1217" BIN_PRODUCT_VERSION="5.1.2600.1217" PRODUCT_VERSION="5.1.2600.1217" FILE_DESCRIPTION="NT Layer DLL" COMPANY_NAME="Microsoft Corporation" PRODUCT_NAME="Microsoft® Windows® Operating System" FILE_VERSION="5.1.2600.1217 (xpsp2.030429-2131)" ORIGINAL_FILENAME="ntdll.dll" INTERNAL_NAME="ntdll.dll" LEGAL_COPYRIGHT="© Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved." VERFILEDATEHI="0x0" VERFILEDATELO="0x0" VERFILEOS="0x40004" VERFILETYPE="0x2" MODULE_TYPE="WIN32" PE_CHECKSUM="0xA5841" LINKER_VERSION="0x50001" UPTO_BIN_FILE_VERSION="5.1.2600.1217" UPTO_BIN_PRODUCT_VERSION="5.1.2600.1217" LINK_DATE="05/01/2003 23:56:10" UPTO_LINK_DATE="05/01/2003 23:56:10" VER_LANGUAGE="English (United States) [0x409]" />
<MATCHING_FILE NAME="ole32.dll" SIZE="1183744" CHECKSUM="0x7BA6A54E" BIN_FILE_VERSION="5.1.2600.1362" BIN_PRODUCT_VERSION="5.1.2600.1362" PRODUCT_VERSION="5.1.2600.1362" FILE_DESCRIPTION="Microsoft OLE for Windows" COMPANY_NAME="Microsoft Corporation" PRODUCT_NAME="Microsoft® Windows® Operating System" FILE_VERSION="5.1.2600.1362 (xpsp2.040109-1800)" ORIGINAL_FILENAME="OLE32.DLL" INTERNAL_NAME="OLE32.DLL" LEGAL_COPYRIGHT="© Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved." VERFILEDATEHI="0x0" VERFILEDATELO="0x0" VERFILEOS="0x40004" VERFILETYPE="0x2" MODULE_TYPE="WIN32" PE_CHECKSUM="0x12ED04" LINKER_VERSION="0x50001" UPTO_BIN_FILE_VERSION="5.1.2600.1362" UPTO_BIN_PRODUCT_VERSION="5.1.2600.1362" LINK_DATE="03/06/2004 02:16:11" UPTO_LINK_DATE="03/06/2004 02:16:11" VER_LANGUAGE="English (United States) [0x409]" />
<MATCHING_FILE NAME="oleaut32.dll" SIZE="569344" CHECKSUM="0x276CFFB1" BIN_FILE_VERSION="3.50.5016.0" BIN_PRODUCT_VERSION="3.50.5016.0" PRODUCT_VERSION="3.50.5016.0" FILE_DESCRIPTION="Microsoft OLE 3.50 for Windows NT(TM) and Windows 95(TM) Operating Systems" COMPANY_NAME="Microsoft Corporation" PRODUCT_NAME="Microsoft OLE 3.50 for Windows NT(TM) and Windows 95(TM) Operating Systems" FILE_VERSION="3.50.5016.0" INTERNAL_NAME="OLEAUT32.DLL" LEGAL_COPYRIGHT="Copyright © Microsoft Corp. 1993-1999." VERFILEDATEHI="0x0" VERFILEDATELO="0x0" VERFILEOS="0x40004" VERFILETYPE="0x2" MODULE_TYPE="WIN32" PE_CHECKSUM="0x999AF" LINKER_VERSION="0x0" UPTO_BIN_FILE_VERSION="3.50.5016.0" UPTO_BIN_PRODUCT_VERSION="3.50.5016.0" LINK_DATE="08/29/2002 10:40:34" UPTO_LINK_DATE="08/29/2002 10:40:34" VER_LANGUAGE="English (United States) [0x409]" />
<MATCHING_FILE NAME="shell32.dll" SIZE="8350720" CHECKSUM="0x93F88D32" BIN_FILE_VERSION="6.0.2800.1556" BIN_PRODUCT_VERSION="6.0.2800.1556" PRODUCT_VERSION="6.00.2800.1556" FILE_DESCRIPTION="Windows Shell Common Dll" COMPANY_NAME="Microsoft Corporation" PRODUCT_NAME="Microsoft® Windows® Operating System" FILE_VERSION="6.00.2800.1556 (xpsp2_gdr.040517-1325)" ORIGINAL_FILENAME="SHELL32.DLL" INTERNAL_NAME="SHELL32" LEGAL_COPYRIGHT="© Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved." VERFILEDATEHI="0x0" VERFILEDATELO="0x0" VERFILEOS="0x40004" VERFILETYPE="0x2" MODULE_TYPE="WIN32" PE_CHECKSUM="0x80069B" LINKER_VERSION="0x50001" UPTO_BIN_FILE_VERSION="6.0.2800.1556" UPTO_BIN_PRODUCT_VERSION="6.0.2800.1556" LINK_DATE="06/10/2004 19:51:26" UPTO_LINK_DATE="06/10/2004 19:51:26" VER_LANGUAGE="English (United States) [0x409]" />
<MATCHING_FILE NAME="user32.dll" SIZE="560128" CHECKSUM="0xA1CBF84" BIN_FILE_VERSION="5.1.2600.1255" BIN_PRODUCT_VERSION="5.1.2600.1255" PRODUCT_VERSION="5.1.2600.1255" FILE_DESCRIPTION="Windows XP USER API Client DLL" COMPANY_NAME="Microsoft Corporation" PRODUCT_NAME="Microsoft® Windows® Operating System" FILE_VERSION="5.1.2600.1255 (xpsp2.030804-1745)" ORIGINAL_FILENAME="user32" INTERNAL_NAME="user32" LEGAL_COPYRIGHT="© Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved." VERFILEDATEHI="0x0" VERFILEDATELO="0x0" VERFILEOS="0x40004" VERFILETYPE="0x2" MODULE_TYPE="WIN32" PE_CHECKSUM="0x8AFFF" LINKER_VERSION="0x50001" UPTO_BIN_FILE_VERSION="5.1.2600.1255" UPTO_BIN_PRODUCT_VERSION="5.1.2600.1255" LINK_DATE="09/25/2003 16:49:01" UPTO_LINK_DATE="09/25/2003 16:49:01" VER_LANGUAGE="English (United States) [0x409]" />
<MATCHING_FILE NAME="WININET.DLL" SIZE="588288" CHECKSUM="0x8E2417C3" BIN_FILE_VERSION="6.0.2800.1405" BIN_PRODUCT_VERSION="6.0.2800.1405" PRODUCT_VERSION="6.00.2800.1405" FILE_DESCRIPTION="Internet Extensions for Win32" COMPANY_NAME="Microsoft Corporation" PRODUCT_NAME="Microsoft® Windows® Operating System" FILE_VERSION="6.00.2800.1405" ORIGINAL_FILENAME="wininet.dll" INTERNAL_NAME="wininet.dll" LEGAL_COPYRIGHT="© Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved." VERFILEDATEHI="0x0" VERFILEDATELO="0x0" VERFILEOS="0x40004" VERFILETYPE="0x2" MODULE_TYPE="WIN32" PE_CHECKSUM="0x974A2" LINKER_VERSION="0x50001" UPTO_BIN_FILE_VERSION="6.0.2800.1405" UPTO_BIN_PRODUCT_VERSION="6.0.2800.1405" LINK_DATE="02/07/2004 02:05:03" UPTO_LINK_DATE="02/07/2004 02:05:03" VER_LANGUAGE="English (United States) [0x409]" />


I hope some of that is helpful. The only other data I can provide is that I have a 2.0 GHZ P4 running XP with 1 gig RAM, an ATI 9800 Pro, and a Sound Blaster Audigy. Thanks in advance for any help, this is a really fustrating problem.

 

Oh I should add that this ONLY happens with MP3s. WMAs and other media files are fine when right-clicked.

 

Make sure you have all updates from http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/

What media player do you have? Try re-installing it, that might sort out the context menu issues you seem to be having.

 

I did all the obvious stuff; ran update, re-installed windows, and switched to winamp for the default player. Nothing seemed to help. Just about the only idea I have left is a complete re-format.

 

I have the same darn problem !

I do not know what to do.... it happens whether or not the media player is on or not. Is there anything we can do about this? I am unable to delete move or do anything (except play) them.

Please help.

Shaq

 

Ok.....

 

Harry B,

It involves usage of the program "MP3 to WAV converter". Uninstallation of the product results in returned functionality.

See if that does it.

Steve