Vista - Windows Explorer stopped/restarting...everything froze

As soon as i log onto my computer, a message comes up saying "windows
explorer has stopped working. Windows is collecting more information about
the problem. This might take several minutes..." then it goes to "Windows
Explorer is restarting." the screen goes to a plan background screen and it
starts all over again. It won't allow me to get onto anything...no programs,
not even open the start menu. The only thing that I've found that works is
the Task Manager. I really need help figuring out this problem and getting
this annoying message off my screen. I have tried shutting it completely down
and restarting, logging off of the "user" and I'm really running out of
options here...someone PLEASE HELP!

A couple of things. Do you have the latest system drivers? (Video,
Motherboard) Did you do an upgrade from XP or another OS? If so you might
want to consider a clean install. Do you have an up to date active
antivirus on your PC? These are the obvious questions but there could be
other issues. Please provide more info.


"SoooConfused" <SoooConfused@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:E1B382DC-B3A9-4F09-AE07-B0E006F4072C@microsoft.com...
> As soon as i log onto my computer, a message comes up saying "windows
> explorer has stopped working. Windows is collecting more information about
> the problem. This might take several minutes..." then it goes to "Windows
> Explorer is restarting." the screen goes to a plan background screen and
> it
> starts all over again. It won't allow me to get onto anything...no
> programs,
> not even open the start menu. The only thing that I've found that works is
> the Task Manager. I really need help figuring out this problem and getting
> this annoying message off my screen. I have tried shutting it completely
> down
> and restarting, logging off of the "user" and I'm really running out of
> options here...someone PLEASE HELP!

I bought my computer in Feb. this year...it has Vista...nothing has been
updated from when I got it. I read on another post that it might help to
restore my computer to an earlier time, but I'm not sure if I can do that
using just my task manager, since it won't let me on anything else. Oh and as
for the antivirus, I have Norton 360 installed in my computer and I brought
it up through the task manager, and everything is green/fine with it. Thank
you for helping by the way...
--
SoooConfused


"C : Enter" wrote:

> A couple of things. Do you have the latest system drivers? (Video,
> Motherboard) Did you do an upgrade from XP or another OS? If so you might
> want to consider a clean install. Do you have an up to date active
> antivirus on your PC? These are the obvious questions but there could be
> other issues. Please provide more info.
>
>
> "SoooConfused" <SoooConfused@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:E1B382DC-B3A9-4F09-AE07-B0E006F4072C@microsoft.com...
> > As soon as i log onto my computer, a message comes up saying "windows
> > explorer has stopped working. Windows is collecting more information about
> > the problem. This might take several minutes..." then it goes to "Windows
> > Explorer is restarting." the screen goes to a plan background screen and
> > it
> > starts all over again. It won't allow me to get onto anything...no
> > programs,
> > not even open the start menu. The only thing that I've found that works is
> > the Task Manager. I really need help figuring out this problem and getting
> > this annoying message off my screen. I have tried shutting it completely
> > down
> > and restarting, logging off of the "user" and I'm really running out of
> > options here...someone PLEASE HELP!
>
>
>

Try this: when Explorer starts to crash, press Ctrl+Alt+Del on your
keyboard, and open Task Manager. On the Processes tab of Task Manager, if
explorer.exe is running, right-click on it and Choose End Process. If it
doesn't restart automatically, switch to the Applications tab, and from the
File menu, choose New Task. Type explorer.exe in the Run box, and press
Enter on your keyboard.

If explorer.exe is not running on the Processes tab, switch to the
Applications tab, and from the File menu, choose New Task. Type
explorer.exe in the Run box, and press Enter on your keyboard.

If you wish to get to System Restore, you can use New task in Task Manager,
also. Type rstrui.exe. Press Enter.

What is the latest driver or application installation that you've done? You
may have an Explorer shell extension conflict, or a Control Panel conflict.


"SoooConfused" <SoooConfused@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:522F6E9D-F77A-4B23-9974-22B2474F5120@microsoft.com...
>I bought my computer in Feb. this year...it has Vista...nothing has been
> updated from when I got it. I read on another post that it might help to
> restore my computer to an earlier time, but I'm not sure if I can do that
> using just my task manager, since it won't let me on anything else. Oh and
> as
> for the antivirus, I have Norton 360 installed in my computer and I
> brought
> it up through the task manager, and everything is green/fine with it.
> Thank
> you for helping by the way...
> --
> SoooConfused
>
>
> "C : Enter" wrote:
>
>> A couple of things. Do you have the latest system drivers? (Video,
>> Motherboard) Did you do an upgrade from XP or another OS? If so you
>> might
>> want to consider a clean install. Do you have an up to date active
>> antivirus on your PC? These are the obvious questions but there could
>> be
>> other issues. Please provide more info.
>>
>>
>> "SoooConfused" <SoooConfused@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:E1B382DC-B3A9-4F09-AE07-B0E006F4072C@microsoft.com...
>> > As soon as i log onto my computer, a message comes up saying "windows
>> > explorer has stopped working. Windows is collecting more information
>> > about
>> > the problem. This might take several minutes..." then it goes to
>> > "Windows
>> > Explorer is restarting." the screen goes to a plan background screen
>> > and
>> > it
>> > starts all over again. It won't allow me to get onto anything...no
>> > programs,
>> > not even open the start menu. The only thing that I've found that works
>> > is
>> > the Task Manager. I really need help figuring out this problem and
>> > getting
>> > this annoying message off my screen. I have tried shutting it
>> > completely
>> > down
>> > and restarting, logging off of the "user" and I'm really running out of
>> > options here...someone PLEASE HELP!
>>
>>
>>

thank you for the information dean-dean...i restored it to an earlier time
and now its running fine
--
SoooConfused


"dean-dean" wrote:

> Try this: when Explorer starts to crash, press Ctrl+Alt+Del on your
> keyboard, and open Task Manager. On the Processes tab of Task Manager, if
> explorer.exe is running, right-click on it and Choose End Process. If it
> doesn't restart automatically, switch to the Applications tab, and from the
> File menu, choose New Task. Type explorer.exe in the Run box, and press
> Enter on your keyboard.
>
> If explorer.exe is not running on the Processes tab, switch to the
> Applications tab, and from the File menu, choose New Task. Type
> explorer.exe in the Run box, and press Enter on your keyboard.
>
> If you wish to get to System Restore, you can use New task in Task Manager,
> also. Type rstrui.exe. Press Enter.
>
> What is the latest driver or application installation that you've done? You
> may have an Explorer shell extension conflict, or a Control Panel conflict.
>
>
> "SoooConfused" <SoooConfused@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:522F6E9D-F77A-4B23-9974-22B2474F5120@microsoft.com...
> >I bought my computer in Feb. this year...it has Vista...nothing has been
> > updated from when I got it. I read on another post that it might help to
> > restore my computer to an earlier time, but I'm not sure if I can do that
> > using just my task manager, since it won't let me on anything else. Oh and
> > as
> > for the antivirus, I have Norton 360 installed in my computer and I
> > brought
> > it up through the task manager, and everything is green/fine with it.
> > Thank
> > you for helping by the way...
> > --
> > SoooConfused
> >
> >
> > "C : Enter" wrote:
> >
> >> A couple of things. Do you have the latest system drivers? (Video,
> >> Motherboard) Did you do an upgrade from XP or another OS? If so you
> >> might
> >> want to consider a clean install. Do you have an up to date active
> >> antivirus on your PC? These are the obvious questions but there could
> >> be
> >> other issues. Please provide more info.
> >>
> >>
> >> "SoooConfused" <SoooConfused@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> >> news:E1B382DC-B3A9-4F09-AE07-B0E006F4072C@microsoft.com...
> >> > As soon as i log onto my computer, a message comes up saying "windows
> >> > explorer has stopped working. Windows is collecting more information
> >> > about
> >> > the problem. This might take several minutes..." then it goes to
> >> > "Windows
> >> > Explorer is restarting." the screen goes to a plan background screen
> >> > and
> >> > it
> >> > starts all over again. It won't allow me to get onto anything...no
> >> > programs,
> >> > not even open the start menu. The only thing that I've found that works
> >> > is
> >> > the Task Manager. I really need help figuring out this problem and
> >> > getting
> >> > this annoying message off my screen. I have tried shutting it
> >> > completely
> >> > down
> >> > and restarting, logging off of the "user" and I'm really running out of
> >> > options here...someone PLEASE HELP!
> >>
> >>
> >>
>
>