Vista - C:\Program Files\Windows Mail folder crashes Windows Explorer

I'm running Vista Home Premium x86. Everything is up to date, antivirus and
antispyware are clean. About a week ago, I started noticing that whenever I
went into Computer, opened C:\Program Files and scrolled to the bottom of the
list (in Tiles view), I would get an instant "Windows Explorer Has Stopped
Working" message and crash out to my desktop. Through trial and error, I
determined that the dynamic icon for C:\Program Files\Windows Mail was
somehow causing this, and sure enough, when I went to a static icon view like
Details, I could scroll all the way down with no problems. I've edited the
WM folder icon so that it no longer crashes Windows Explorer on sight, but
now whenever I try to open C:\Program Files\Windows Mail (just the folder,
not the program) it still crashes Windows Explorer -- even after restarts.
The modified date for the Windows Mail folder is 7/11/07 -- which was the day
I installed the latest batch of patches from Windows Update, so I think the
last Windows Mail patch is somehow to blame. At any rate, this never
happened before 7/11/07.

It seems like it must be a corrupted icon or thumbnail path, but the crash
happens so quickly that I can't do anything about it. I suppose I could
tinker with it in safe mode, but I don't know if I could identify the
offending file. The Windows Mail program seems to open normally (though I
use Outlook, so I can't tell if it's working). I guess I just want to report
this to MS so that it cah be dealt with in a future patch. It does, however,
make me wish I could just uninstall the problematic program...

To test the corrupted thumbnail cache theory, try this (you can turn it back
on after the test).
Go to Control Panel > Folder Options > View tab. Put a check next to
"Always show icons, never thumbnails" (Apply, OK).

Navigate to C:\Program Files\Windows Mail using the Tiles View. Does
opening the folder crash explorer? Even with its icon reset to the Default?

If it doesn't crash, or I guess even if it does, go to Start
Menu\Programs\Accessories\System Tools and open Disk Cleanup.
Put a checkmark next to Thumbnails. Click on OK This will rebuild your
Thumbnails database.

Then un-check "Always show icons, never thumbnails" (Apply, OK).

"JasonH" <JasonH@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news83D7C48-4CD2-49B5-A529-3E2D848E0339@microsoft.com...
> I'm running Vista Home Premium x86. Everything is up to date, antivirus
> and
> antispyware are clean. About a week ago, I started noticing that whenever
> I
> went into Computer, opened C:\Program Files and scrolled to the bottom of
> the
> list (in Tiles view), I would get an instant "Windows Explorer Has Stopped
> Working" message and crash out to my desktop. Through trial and error, I
> determined that the dynamic icon for C:\Program Files\Windows Mail was
> somehow causing this, and sure enough, when I went to a static icon view
> like
> Details, I could scroll all the way down with no problems. I've edited
> the
> WM folder icon so that it no longer crashes Windows Explorer on sight, but
> now whenever I try to open C:\Program Files\Windows Mail (just the folder,
> not the program) it still crashes Windows Explorer -- even after restarts.
> The modified date for the Windows Mail folder is 7/11/07 -- which was the
> day
> I installed the latest batch of patches from Windows Update, so I think
> the
> last Windows Mail patch is somehow to blame. At any rate, this never
> happened before 7/11/07.
>
> It seems like it must be a corrupted icon or thumbnail path, but the crash
> happens so quickly that I can't do anything about it. I suppose I could
> tinker with it in safe mode, but I don't know if I could identify the
> offending file. The Windows Mail program seems to open normally (though I
> use Outlook, so I can't tell if it's working). I guess I just want to
> report
> this to MS so that it cah be dealt with in a future patch. It does,
> however,
> make me wish I could just uninstall the problematic program...

When I checked "always show icons, never thumbnails" I was able to explore
the Windows Mail folder without crashing. I deleted the thumbnail cache
using disc cleanup, as you said, but when I went back and unchecked "always
show icons," I was back to square one. Now Windows Explorer crashes again
when I scroll down to the bottom of Program Files, and the Windows Mail file
folder is inaccessable.

It must be a thumbnail path... right?



"dean-dean" wrote:

> To test the corrupted thumbnail cache theory, try this (you can turn it back
> on after the test).
> Go to Control Panel > Folder Options > View tab. Put a check next to
> "Always show icons, never thumbnails" (Apply, OK).
>
> Navigate to C:\Program Files\Windows Mail using the Tiles View. Does
> opening the folder crash explorer? Even with its icon reset to the Default?
>
> If it doesn't crash, or I guess even if it does, go to Start
> Menu\Programs\Accessories\System Tools and open Disk Cleanup.
> Put a checkmark next to Thumbnails. Click on OK This will rebuild your
> Thumbnails database.
>
> Then un-check "Always show icons, never thumbnails" (Apply, OK).
>
> "JasonH" <JasonH@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news83D7C48-4CD2-49B5-A529-3E2D848E0339@microsoft.com...
> > I'm running Vista Home Premium x86. Everything is up to date, antivirus
> > and
> > antispyware are clean. About a week ago, I started noticing that whenever
> > I
> > went into Computer, opened C:\Program Files and scrolled to the bottom of
> > the
> > list (in Tiles view), I would get an instant "Windows Explorer Has Stopped
> > Working" message and crash out to my desktop. Through trial and error, I
> > determined that the dynamic icon for C:\Program Files\Windows Mail was
> > somehow causing this, and sure enough, when I went to a static icon view
> > like
> > Details, I could scroll all the way down with no problems. I've edited
> > the
> > WM folder icon so that it no longer crashes Windows Explorer on sight, but
> > now whenever I try to open C:\Program Files\Windows Mail (just the folder,
> > not the program) it still crashes Windows Explorer -- even after restarts.
> > The modified date for the Windows Mail folder is 7/11/07 -- which was the
> > day
> > I installed the latest batch of patches from Windows Update, so I think
> > the
> > last Windows Mail patch is somehow to blame. At any rate, this never
> > happened before 7/11/07.
> >
> > It seems like it must be a corrupted icon or thumbnail path, but the crash
> > happens so quickly that I can't do anything about it. I suppose I could
> > tinker with it in safe mode, but I don't know if I could identify the
> > offending file. The Windows Mail program seems to open normally (though I
> > use Outlook, so I can't tell if it's working). I guess I just want to
> > report
> > this to MS so that it cah be dealt with in a future patch. It does,
> > however,
> > make me wish I could just uninstall the problematic program...
>
>

Okay, now after deleting my thumbnails, I can't get C:\Program Files to stop
crashing when I scroll down to the Windows Mail folder icon with dynamic
icons/thumbnails enabled. I can't change the Windows Mail folder icon to
anything else that stays. And I keep getting the same error:

Problem Event Name: APPCRASH
Application Name: explorer.exe
Application Version: 6.0.6000.16386
Application Timestamp: 4549b091
Fault Module Name: ArcSpl.ax
Fault Module Version: 2.4.1.12
Fault Module Timestamp: 41a4a24c
Exception Code: c0000094
Exception Offset: 00002305
OS Version: 6.0.6000.2.0.0.768.3
Locale ID: 1033
Additional Information 1: d6aa
Additional Information 2: 550813108d42c370043e28bb37aac5af
Additional Information 3: d6aa
Additional Information 4: 550813108d42c370043e28bb37aac5af


I want to stress this: I can't even have the C:\Program Files\Windows Mail
FOLDER on my screen (in any kind of thumbnail/dynamic icon view) without
crashing Windoes Explorer. This is absolutely ridiculous, Microsoft. Patch
this nonsense or let us uninstall Windows Mail.

In Start Menu\Programs\Accessories, click on Run. Copy and Paste this in
the Run box:

C:\Program Files\Windows Mail

Click OK. Does the folder open? In that folder, is there a (hidden,
system) file called desktop.ini? Normally there shouldn't be one in this
particular folder (a desktop.ini may be needed in other folders, however, so
don't make assumptions here). Delete the desktop.ini in that folder if
there is.

Do you have a program on your computer from the ArcSoft company , such as
those listed here
http://www.arcsoft.com/support/downl...ad_patches.asp , or a program
seen elsewhere on their site? If you do, does the program add a context
menu item when you right-click a folder, especially, or right-click a file?

As far as "thumbnail path", the path would be the same for all folders; the
Windows Mail folder is not anything special in that respect, and should have
no special icon. If you sort your folders by Date Modified, does the
Windows Mail folder crash Explorer, or does another folder take its place?

My suspicion is that you have a 3rd party shell extension problem.


"JasonH" <JasonH@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:0E54B2D1-B6C8-4B49-82E5-454E52194F35@microsoft.com...
> Okay, now after deleting my thumbnails, I can't get C:\Program Files to
> stop
> crashing when I scroll down to the Windows Mail folder icon with dynamic
> icons/thumbnails enabled. I can't change the Windows Mail folder icon to
> anything else that stays. And I keep getting the same error:
>
> Problem Event Name: APPCRASH
> Application Name: explorer.exe
> Application Version: 6.0.6000.16386
> Application Timestamp: 4549b091
> Fault Module Name: ArcSpl.ax
> Fault Module Version: 2.4.1.12
> Fault Module Timestamp: 41a4a24c
> Exception Code: c0000094
> Exception Offset: 00002305
> OS Version: 6.0.6000.2.0.0.768.3
> Locale ID: 1033
> Additional Information 1: d6aa
> Additional Information 2: 550813108d42c370043e28bb37aac5af
> Additional Information 3: d6aa
> Additional Information 4: 550813108d42c370043e28bb37aac5af
>
>
> I want to stress this: I can't even have the C:\Program Files\Windows Mail
> FOLDER on my screen (in any kind of thumbnail/dynamic icon view) without
> crashing Windoes Explorer. This is absolutely ridiculous, Microsoft.
> Patch
> this nonsense or let us uninstall Windows Mail.

Responses appended:

"dean-dean" wrote:

> In Start Menu\Programs\Accessories, click on Run. Copy and Paste this in
> the Run box: C:\Program Files\Windows Mail
> Click OK. Does the folder open?


Yes, but it immediately crashes WE unless I have "Always show icons..."
checked. I cannot navigate directly to the Windows Mail folder in any way
while thumbnails are enabled without crashing WE. If I open the Windows Mail
folder and then enable thumbnails, it crashes WE instantly. (This doesn't
happen with the en-US subfolder, however.)


> In that folder, is there a (hidden, system) file called desktop.ini?


No, there isn't.



> Do you have a program on your computer from the ArcSoft company...?


No. And I didn't install any new programs between July 5 (before this
started happening) and July 20 (after). The only thing to have changed on my
system during that time was the July 11 Windows Mail spam filter patch from
MS (and all the other MS patches, I guess).


> If you do, does the program add a context
> menu item when you right-click a folder, especially, or right-click a file?
>


The only non-Office right-click programs that come up in the context of my
Program Files are 7-Zip and Avast! They both predate this problem by some
months.



> If you sort your folders by Date Modified, does the
> Windows Mail folder crash Explorer, or does another folder take its place?


Oh yeah -- the Windows Mail folder is the only offending folder. I can see
it trying to create a "full folder" thumbnail, then WE crashes.

Also, even if I have "always show icons" checked, the Windows Mail folder
will still crash out WE if I left-click on the folder while the Details Pane
is enabled. I can turn on the Details Pane *in* the folder itself and click
on every icon with no problems (again, as long as thumbnails are disabled).


>
> My suspicion is that you have a 3rd party shell extension problem.
>


Maybe, but C:\Program Files\Windows Mail is the only folder on my computer
that causes this. And it ony started around 2 weeks ago.

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.

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.

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.
>

Restoring your .dat extension to the Vista default won't hurt anything, and
is advisable. Yes, your PalmOne made a shell extension for .dat files,
particularly in regards to Mail, but it's not compatible with, nor does it
work, in Vista. Vista handles these thumbnails differently.
"{BB2E617C-0920-11d1-9A0B-00C04FC2D6C1}" is an old thumbnail preview value
for creating thumbnails for .eml,.nws, .htm and .html. I'm not sure how
your .dat files got involved. As a matter of fact, I think Microsoft
discontinued using it because of a the security risk (Web View Script
Injection Vulnerability) it caused with Webvw.dll; Vista no longer uses
"Web View", but rather "Previews and Filters".

At any rate, removing the shell extension should not harm your PalmOne. In
PalmOne's Options/Preferences, or in its "Photo Suite", can you turn the
shell extension off (looking for something along the line of "Show
Preview...")? Can you uninstall the Photo Suite apart from PalmOne? Are
your picture files (.jpg's, etc.) associated with Photo Suite?

To restore your .dat file extension, open C:\Windows\System32\regedt32.exe,
by right-clicking on it and choosing Run as Administrator. Go to

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.dat

and, in the LEFT-hand pane, select the .dat key, and delete it. Leave
Registry Editor open.

Open Notepad.

--------------------------------------------------------

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.dat]
"NoOpen"="

--------------------------------------------------------

Copy the above and Paste it into Notepad (not including the dashes) and save
it as dat.reg (no .txt extension).

Back in Registry Editor, on the menu, choose File, and then Import.
Navigate to wherever dat.reg is, and select it. Click Open in the dialog.
Close Registry Editor. Log Off, and then back On. Your .dat files should be
back to normal, and Explorer, hopefully, won't crash.

Now sometimes, when you open a photo program, it may re-write the registry
keys it thinks it needs. You might want to keep an eye on the .dat key in
the Registry, to check for that behavior.



"JasonH" <JasonH@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:1B926F0E-E80A-4CF4-886E-4E26194F339F@microsoft.com...
> 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.
>>