JasonH

dean-dean, you called it. I finally found the ArcSpl.ax file on my computer
-- it was installed along with Palm Desktop back in February as part of their
photo suite, and it's located under C:\Program Files\palmOne.

But when I go into regedit: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.dat, there's an extra
subfolder "ShellEx" with another subfolder
"{BB2E617C-0920-11d1-9A0B-00C04FC2D6C1}". The (Default) key is present in
all 3, but I can't delete any of them. I get "unable to delete all specified
values." I've also not been able to successfully dis-associate my DAT files.

I wasn't expecting to see that "ShellEx" subfolder -- do you think I can
safely delete it? Or just substitute the key you suggested? I don't really
care if I lose the Arcsoft functionality, but I don't want to create
additional problems.





"dean-dean" wrote:

> Well, this is interesting. Somewhere on your computer there's a file named
> ArcSpl.ax, which is somehow involved in your crashes. If you could
> right-click on that file, and open its properties, on the Details tab, can
> you tell what company made it or what program it might be involved with?
> It's not a Vista OS file. Try looking under C:\Program Files\Common
> Files\arcsoft\mpeg engine.
>
> Anyway, having your .dat file extension associated with a program may be
> key, too. Explorer is trying to create a picture of a .dat file, possibly,
> and normally that file has no program association. (It might be better
> putting a shortcut to Notepad in Sendto, and looking at an un-associated
> .dat file that way, if you're so inclined). Why it's picking on
> OESpamFilter.dat, I dunno.
>
> If you want try un-associating the .dat file extension, in the registry
> Editor, go to
>
> HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.dat
>
> and, in the right-hand pane, right-click and delete the value "(default)",
> under Name, (which will have the value "dat_auto_file", under Data).
> Otherwise, you could make a .reg file in Notepad with this:
>
> --------------------------------------------------------
>
> Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
>
> [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.dat]
> "NoOpen"="
>
> --------------------------------------------------------
>
> Copy the above into Notepad (not including the dashes) and save it as
> dat.reg (no .txt extension). Close Notepad, then open dat.reg, and allow
> the Merge.
>
>
> "JasonH" <JasonH@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:BBC11B52-F0B3-4237-BCAD-26D2FBDD55E0@microsoft.com...
> > Okay, through a clever use of the Extra Large Icons setting, I've managed
> > to
> > figure out that the cause of my problem is the OESpamFilter.dat file. If
> > that file is onscreen as a thumbnail or attempts to register in a folder
> > thumbnail, it crashes Windows Explorer. The problem is not general to
> > .dat
> > files -- I can have any other .dat file onscreen and nothing happens.
> > It's
> > only OESpamFilter.dat.
> >
> > Windows won't let me delete or even hide this file (access is denied). If
> > I
> > copy that file to some other location, it still crashes WE the same way
> > (though at least I can delete those copies).
> >
> > What can I do about this? I've tried to change the default program for
> > .dat
> > files (it had been Notepad), but to no avail.
>