[gtippery]

I've recently started getting the following pop-up error message unpredictably, except it seems most likely to be happening when a window is opening or closing, especially a MSIE window:

Explorer
 (X) This program has performed an illegal operation
and will be shut down.

If the problem persists, contact the program 
vendor.

EXPLORER caused an invalid page fault in 
module <unknown> at 0000:01753ff5.
Registers:
EAX=01753ff5 CS=0167 EIP=01753ff5 EFLGS=00010206
EBX=00e4f864 SS=016f ESP=00e10060 EBP=00e10310
ECX=00000000 DS=016f ESI=8171eea0 FS=1a57
EDX=c00309c8 ES=016f EDI=81750abc GS=0000
Bytes at CS:EIP:

Stack dump:
bff9dbc8 00e10320 00e103e8 81750a78 00e4f864
00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000
00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000
00000000

After this happens, pressing the "Close" button just causes the same exact message again (same ESP, stack dump, etc.) CTRL-ALT-DEL does nothing. If I just shove the popup off to the side, I can still use other onscreen windows, launch programs from the start window, etc. except Windows Explorer, My Computer, MSIE.

If I select "Shut Down", then "Shut Down" or "Restart", it starts to shut down (desktop grays) but then gets "program not responding"; "close" brings up the Explorer IPF error again.

I run AVG Free antivirus and SpyBot S&D. Both are up-to-date and neither finds any significant problems (just cookies and the like).

I've searched the forums here and checked the first 25 results from Google; I've searched MS KB - not found on:

http://support.microsoft.com/common/canned.aspx?r=d&h=windows+98+invalid+page+fault+articles&ll=kbwin98search+or+kbwin98sesearch&sz=kbinvalidpagefault&cdid=en-us-kb&lcid=1033

and not applicable:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;186049

What I remember changing recently (and I checked for "modified" files):
- Updated Sun JVM from 1.4 to 1.4.2
- Upgraded from AVG 6 Personal to AVG 7 Free (old version discontinued)
- Upgraded DirectX
- Updated QuickTime
- Installed RealArcade (but that was today, problem started about 2 weeks ago)

Oh, one more thing -- I have the IBM-originally-installed "ConfigSafe Autocheck" running, and I can get a report of changes to directories, system files, registry, etc. if someone has a specific question about them. The full report is much to large to post .

Thanks for any suggestions...

[Advertisements]

Additional info:

I ran SFC, all the changed files were related to aspi, modem drivers, or DirectX, except a half-dozen that the only things changed was the date -- they were all exactly one hour earlier. I figured they'd just suffered from some sort of timezone or Daylight Savings Time glitch.

[gtippery]

Additional info:

I ran SFC, all the changed files were related to aspi, modem drivers, or DirectX, except a half-dozen that the only things changed was the date -- they were all exactly one hour earlier. I figured they'd just suffered from some sort of timezone or Daylight Savings Time glitch.

[Alb]

I had an error like this, which also caused Spool32 and other objects to report invalid page fault. I found this was due to a Virus / Trojan which hijacked the real svchost.exe and replaced it with one in a spoof system directory called zztp. There is a registry entry and files to remove. You will find details of the virus and instructions to remove it on the web.

[gtippery]

Alb - do you recall the name of the malware? Hard to look it up otherwise...

In any case, AVG and SpyBot S&D don't find anything, and I don't have any files or folders named "zztp".

Thanks.

[bojinka]

Don't know if you got your problem fixed yet... currently I have a Poe like Explorer fault box hovering just off this text box.... anyway, I would reccommend getting a dedicated worm and trojan hunting prog.... I dLed Counterspy... 14 day trial... and it picked up one bad little trojan that had been infecting my start up files for about a week... it was a bunch of gibberish followed by .exe ... A user board told me that any gibberish followed by .exe is probably a trojan... anyway, Counterspy caught that guy and a bunch more crap besides.... after 14 days though it goes dormant unless you pony up your life's savings... ($30 or something) I went for the free A2 (A squared) trojan hunter... I don't know if it's any good as it hasn't found anything .... but for sure I got rid of spybot awhile back... I run Adaware SE (free) for spyware, AVAST! for the usual virus junk, and then the A squared for the trojans.... and I still get these bloody "Explorer caused an invalid page fault in module..." and so forth....
that I will put down to having an old machine..... and bear it...

Hope you get your confuser up and running again....

[kalsheear]

I'm pretty sure this is nothing to do with Spyware/Viruses.

I've been having exactly the same problem for some time now (identical page fault as mentioned above) and the only way to get rid of it is to switch the PC off and restart. (Can't ctrl-alt-del or 'Start'/'Shut Down').

Only thing I can think of is that it's something to do with low system resources - always happens to me after copying huge amounts of files around or after a day of work with lots of different apps.

Would still very much appreciate any more info on a possible fix if any one has any ideas...

[gerryf]

Try this

Insert a Windows 98 Startup or other boot disk in the floppy disk drive, and then restart your computer.

When the Windows 98 Startup menu is displayed, click the Start computer with CD-ROM support option, and then press ENTER.

When you get to the a:\> prompt, type

c: <ENTER>
cd c:\windows\system <ENTER>
rename comctl32.dll Comctl32.old <ENTER>

Now, assuming your cd drive is D: type,

d: <ENTER>
cd win98 <ENTER>
Extract /a base4.cab c:\windows\system comctl32.dll <ENTER>

reboot

[kalsheear]

thanks gerryf - I'll give it a try and report back..

[kalsheear]

Hi there.

Tried your suggestion but got stuck at the 'Type Extract' instruction..

It doesn't bring up a "please enter path" prompt, just displays a list of dos commands and switches then back to the C: prompt.

I've never used the extract command before so didn't want to mess with it in case I overwrote some other system files. Would appreciate any further advice (e.g. how to extract comctl32.dll from the Win98SE CD).

Cheers.

[gerryf]

please review the instructions....I edited them...for whatever reason, I thought you were using windowsME...

Man, sometimes I am sooooooo dumb

[StarIT]

to qtippery, had this same problem and error message from explorer only when closing it. there is a folder under windows call APPLOG, either rename it or delete it and then reboot, windows will create a new one when you reboot. ( one of the files windows is trying to write to in that folder is corrupt.) Windows will just create new ones. this cured my problem entirely

StarIT

[kalsheear]

Well, it's been over a month now with no repetition of the problem.

All I've done is deleted the applog and so far so good.. I've also started using the 'resource meter' so I've got a better idea of system status. In general I'm getting far fewer lock-ups and crashes.

Thanks to everyone for their help.

[paolobinetti]

Hi there,

I am having the same problem, and have tried the APPLOG solution, n=but I still am getting the error messages.

Basically, in the end I get the blue screen of death and the only way to use the computer is in safe mode, from which I cannot access my USB memory key to transfer files.
Well sometimes the systems leaves me a few minutes to work on it in normal mode and even lets me use my USB key, but it really depends on the moment.

It is not clear if this same problem may have more than one justification and solution.
Like: am I using too much memory? It is true that it takes typically 5 minutes before Windows is ready to work, making an incredibly long startup phase.
OR: trojan, or malware? For example I keep getting a window asking me if I want to connect to the internet.

I am now thinking of just reinstalling Windows and get done with this problem.
Hoping you can help,

Paolo

[kalsheear]

what a coincidence - explorer fault happened again just 10 minutes ago after a couple of months of not being a problem..

So.. either the applog keeps getting corrupted and I'll have to regularly delete it, or I've still got my original problem.

Am about to try Gerryf's original (but amended) solution to see if that clears things up. Will report back if any more news.

btw Paolo - does sound like you've got a few things going on there.. Doubt very much this Explorer error is virus/spyware related, but you could always check out Spybot S&D and AVG Free as they've been pretty good for me since I started using them.

[kalsheear]

Wahey! finally sussed out how to use extract. final command was actually:

Extract /a /l c:\windows\system base4.cab comctl32.dll

Seems to have worked, although my quick launch toolbar is now black which looks a bit odd compared to the rest of the screen, but what the hey. I'll stick with it and see what happens. Will let you know if the explorer error happens again..