windows explorer errors

[wedge22]

When i double click on my f drive which is a partition of my hdd i get a windows explorer error and i cannot access files in there, any ideas why.

[Anders]

What file system is the partition? Have you always had this problem or did it start after a certain event, e.g. application/windows crash or installing something new? Have you tried scandisk or another such drive checker?

[wedge22]

I use ntfs with win xp pro edition and sp 1. Scandisk seems to be fine, please any more ideas as it is annoying me alot.

[Anders]

Originally posted by Anders
Have you always had this problem or did it start after a certain event, e.g. application/windows crash or installing something new?

It is all in the details I am guessing you have not always had this problem since there are files on it. What is the exact error message you see? Have a look in the “Event Viewer” (in Control Panel, go into Administrative Tools), are there any events related to the hard drive? Is F:\ a physically separate drive or a partition on a HDD with other partitions that work fine? Please try and give as much detail as you can.

Hmm, I am surprised Scandisk says it is fine if Explorer cannot access the drive at all.

[Steve]

It could be explorer trying to preview something in that drive that it doesn't like. Go into folder settings and turn all the srubbishrubbishrubbishrubbishy stuff off - see if that fixes it.

Explorer is a pig, the error handling routines in it are shocking. A mate of mine recompiled it - HIS version never crashed, lol. He hasn't done me a copy for my build yet though

I do not condone reverse engineering explorer - you're not allowed to do it.

[wedge22]

"Windows explorer has encoutered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for any inconvieniance."
This is the error that pops up every time.
What do you mean by "the srubbishrubbishrubbishrubbishy stuff" in the folder settings???

[wedge22]

OK used the event logger and this is what i got,

2x different application errors both in windows explorer.

And some winlogon information.

[Anders]

"Windows explorer has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for any inconvenience." Geez, what a rubbish error message, cheers MS. Normally typing the error message into Google yields some answers, but not with a message as generic as that.

What are the "Event ID" numbers and the "Source" names for the Windows Explorer errors? The Logon events are probably not relevant. Run Windows Explorer, get the error to occur and see if there are specific events that correspond to when the error occurs. These should, in theory at least, be relevant. You can type them in yourself here to see if it sheds any light on the problem.
http://www.eventid.net/search.asp

You never know, someone who has had this problem before will come along and solve it in two seconds.

--edit--

Oh yeah, so did anything in specific happen before this problem started, e.g. crash or installation of new s/w? Oooh, suppose I should check you have an up to date virus checker installed? You never know

I am guessing "unts" was talking about the Windows Explorer settings under "Tools > Folder Options". I do not know what specific options need to be turned off though. Is it only Windows Explorer that cannot access this drive? What about other file viewers/managers?

[Nox]

had this problem at work, but it was with internet explorer... (same thing really!) then loaded up explorer, browsed to the favorites folder and bingo 'encountered error' and it quite explorer.

basically the favorites directory had become corrupted, so i went into msdos prompt, renamed directory and created a 'new' favorites directory. found which sub dir of links didn't work and just copied the other stuff back in.

so... under dos prompt, can you access f: OK? can you make a sub directory and copy everything into that subdirectory (in dos prompt) can you then go into F: but not into the sub dir?

Nox