xp-sp2: find & windows explorer search collapse

at wits end
SYSTEM
compaq; pentium 3; 802mhz; 382mb sdram; 20gb hdd; xp-sp2

SYMPTOMS
1. windows explorer. choose search. 3 sec pause then: "Windows Explorer has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience."
AppName: explorer.exe AppVer: 6.0.2900.2180 ModName: unknown
ModVer: 0.0.0.0 Offset: 568804cd

click ok. explorer closes. all desktop icons disappear, then reappear

2. Start Menu. Search. 3 sec pause then: "Windows Explorer has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience."

AppName: explorer.exe AppVer: 6.0.2900.2180 ModName: browseui.dll
ModVer: 6.0.2800.1400 Offset: 0000251c

click ok. explorer closes. all desktop icons disappear, then reappear

ACTIONS TAKEN
have gone through all checks recommended on major geeks for spyware/trojans/... with no invaders detected

re-extracted browseui.dll from xp-home disk

uninstalled/reinstalled sp2

CAN ANYONE PLEASE HELP??

 

graemeff,

Make sure you have the new version of SpyBot here, http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=2471 check for available updates after you install it.

Run it again and see if it locates anything. If so, go thru the motions you described in your thread and see if it solved anything.

Steve

 

thanks for your help steve,

the new version of spybot did find another half-dozen intruder files which was good, but their removal didn't fix the problem

i reinstalled quite a few things -none of which seemed to have any effect -until i changed explorer shortcut from explorer.scf to explorer.exe, then back again

it now works

thanks again