"Windows Explorer has stopped working" every time when I visit Control Panel
Topic. Help please
December 23rd, 2007 12:45am

The same problem here, out of nowhere. After the problem I installed new updated for vista but did not help. Any ideas. Error report: Problem signature: Problem Event Name: APPCRASH Application Name: explorer.exe Application Version: 6.0.6000.16549 Application Timestamp: 46d230c5 Fault Module Name: StackHash_170a Fault Module Version: 6.0.6000.16386 Fault Module Timestamp: 4549bdc9 Exception Code: c0000374 Exception Offset: 000af1c9 OS Version: 6.0.6000.2.0.0.768.3 Locale ID: 1060 Additional Information 1: 170a Additional Information 2: fc480db4c3a077d2719f863fb68a13ae Additional Information 3: 2046 Additional Information 4: b885b3a3c105c6de02d83b02b98dacec Thanks for helping And there is another problem, might be connected, I can not open Security center, it shows "rundll32" problem.
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December 23rd, 2007 1:25pm

Hi, The problem may be related to a corrupt .cpl loading in the control panel. Please try the following steps to locate that item: 1. Navigate to %windir%\System32 2. On the top right search for *.cpl 3. In the Results, sort by Type, and review all of the Control Panel Item Types. Double click on each of those items to open and verify which one is causing the Explorer crash.4. If the CPL file that you locate is related to a 3rd party application, we may need to uninstall it . If it is a Windows CPL, please let me know for further steps. Hope this helps.--------------------Regards,Eric ZhangMicrosoft Online Community Support
December 24th, 2007 4:58am

Hi, thanks for replying, I found that opening Firebird2Control.cpl & wscui.cpl, rundll32 error pop-out. Some cpl filesdid not open, For what is main.cpl (as main for me is main control panel, but it opens menu for mouse). Thanks for helping
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December 24th, 2007 5:10am

Hi,I'd like to suggest you remove Firebird2Control.cpl from system32 folder to check whether you can open the Control Panel.--------------------Regards,Eric ZhangMicrosoft Online Community Support
December 25th, 2007 4:53am

wou!! Thanks very much, EVERYTHING works well now, security center, control panel, network info! Thanks again for helping and Merry Christmas! Just for info, what is this Firebird2... control? Regards, Klemen
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December 25th, 2007 6:39am

Never mind, I found out, just do not know when I installed it Thanks again for helping!
December 25th, 2007 2:18pm

I ran into the excact same problem. When i enter the control panel windows explorer crashes and restarts automatically. I used Eric Zhang's method to locate the bad item. It turned out to be the "wscui.cpl". Everything else is working. I tried to remove and rename the cpl file but I'm not allowed to although I have administrator rights and started the windowsexplorer using the "Run as administrator" thing. What to do...?
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December 31st, 2007 10:17am

thanks for that also solved my problem regards john
January 3rd, 2008 9:32am

Jeno D wrote: I ran into the excact same problem. When i enter the control panel windows explorer crashes and restarts automatically. I used Eric Zhang's method to locate the bad item. It turned out to be the "wscui.cpl". Everything else is working. I tried to remove and rename the cpl file but I'm not allowed to although I have administrator rights and started the windowsexplorer using the "Run as administrator" thing. What to do...? Anybody have an idea to what I can do...? I would really appreciate it if I could avoid a reinstall. Is there a "check-the-system-files-and-repair-the-bad-ones" function anywhere? Best regards Jeno
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January 3rd, 2008 10:17am

Hi Jeno,Did you install 3rd parth Anti-Virus software on the computer?If you did, please try to disable the software and stop Security center service with services.msc, then open Control Panel again.Hope this helps.--------------------Regards,Eric ZhangMicrosoft Online Community Support
January 4th, 2008 1:29am

Yes, I haveAvastantivirus,andIhavetriedkillalltheprocessesrelatedtoAvastandthestoppedsecuritycenterserviceasyou described.Unfortunatly it doesn't help. I still get the "Windows Explorer has stopped working" followed by "Windows Explorer is restarting".I found out that I can access alltheitemsofthecontrolpanelinWindowsExplorer'sfolderpanel,exceptwhenIclickon"Network and Sharing Center".....Any other options?
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January 6th, 2008 1:43pm

Jeno D wrote: I ran into the excact same problem. When i enter the control panel windows explorer crashes and restarts automatically. I used Eric Zhang's method to locate the bad item. It turned out to be the "wscui.cpl". Everything else is working. I tried to remove and rename the cpl file but I'm not allowed to although I have administrator rights and started the windowsexplorer using the "Run as administrator" thing. What to do...? Same problem... + "AKSPanel.cpl" is bad. Any ideas how to fix it? I also have avast antivirus installed.
January 26th, 2008 7:52pm

Thanks I had this problem with a church computer Dell 2400 running XP Pro. Control panel worked after I installed SP2 on it. However after I installed the updates after SP2 and updated the USB drivers, now when I try to run control panel it gives me the "windows must close this program" message(explorer) and I have to go into task manager and kill the application. I tried to run all the .cpl files in %windir%\System32 But the all seemed to work. Although four did not open anything. bthprops.cpl infocard.cpl irprops.cpl nwc.cpl Any ideas? Thanks Scott Gardner
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March 15th, 2008 1:24pm

Help! I found that ncpa.cpl is the file reponsible for the windows explorer crashes. Its the file that opens Network Connections. When I tried deleting it, it says i do not have administrative rights. Its really frustrating! Please Help!!! Vipersonic
June 24th, 2008 11:58am

how to navigate to %windir%\System32? i'm having the same problem with the control panel.
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July 6th, 2008 9:23pm

first go to my computer. then click C drive. then go to Windows. then go to system 32
July 7th, 2008 4:48am

And just for the fun of it I installed Vista Ultimate on a Boot Camp partition and was getting the "Windows Explorer has stopped working" thingy constantly as well. Note: this was a brand new install with nothing extra added other than the Boot Camp drivers from the Mac OSX install disc. Tried the *.cpl trick and apart from the few previously noted by others that did nothing everything appeared to open just fine. However, in the brief moments Windows Explorer was open, I managed to click on "Classic View". Voila! Next time I opened Windows Explorer, it opened in Classic View and has remained stable since. I did experiment by switching back out of the Classic View and sure enough it started its crashing again. I think somehow I'll keep it in Classic View - call me a wild and crazy guy. Oh and I also had an issue with Internet Explorer exhibiting the same behaviour. Seems to have been resolved for the moment, but I'm not sure how I resolved that one or if they're connected issues. Now to see if my Adobe CS install will work this time as it was also getting a "Installer has stopped working" message and subsequent crash. As was Autoplay (at the same time). Not a happy camper. Neil
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July 10th, 2008 11:37am

Hey thx every thing works now please keep posting
July 25th, 2008 11:04pm

My control panel will not open. I have tried to open all the *.cpl files. These three do not open: irprops.cpl, nwc.cpl & bthprops.cpl. I cannot delete the files from the windows/system 32 directory, they keep coming back after deletion. How do I get "good" copies of these files? and is that the reason my control panel will not work? system: 5.10 xp professional service pack 2
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August 7th, 2008 8:24am

1 more ***.. I've found this. Check your "wav.cpl" Delete this ***"wav.cpl" will resolve your problems. Cheer !!! Regards, MFadzli a.k.a koben mfadzli@pku.com.my ^^,
August 7th, 2008 1:17pm

Help! I found that wscui.cpl (Windows Security Center) and idtsg.cpl (IDT audio center) is the file reponsible for the windows explorer crashes. What can I do to solve this problem. Its really frustrating! Please Help!!!
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August 31st, 2008 5:32am

I am having the same error message. Can you tell me if the solutions microsoft sent you worked? if so can you provide me with how to navigate to %windir%\System32? Sonya Ellis
October 22nd, 2008 7:01pm

I too got this to stop happening by using Classic View. Now ain't that somethin'?I always thought this was an XP SP3 issue, but it's not. It appears that Microsoft hasn't attempted to fix it either. I am in an office of about 60 pcs and mostly all of them have the same issue.I was glad to read this is also happening in Vista. Perhaps it will be fixed now?John
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December 31st, 2008 8:35am

Eric, I have a similar problem with Explorer using Vista Home Edition, SP2. I get the same error message "Windows explorer has stopped working...." when trying to access contrrol panel. I checked the .cpl files with the following results: idtsg.cpl - "Windows Host process (Rundll32) has stopped working" error. wmdconn.cpl - 11/02/2006 no response wmdconn.cpl - 01/20/2008 no response idtsg.cpl - 11/09/2007 system 32 (C:\windows) no response irprops.cpl - no response I read where one person clicked on the "classic" option for the control panel and it seeemed to work. I tried it and got no response. Appreciate your help. Thanks wscui.cpl - "Windows host process (Rundll32) has stopped working" error
March 28th, 2010 2:49pm

Eric.I am joe marotta.I am having the same problem but lets make sure were on the same subject.I have windows vista and when i click on computer i get the windows explorer not working msg. Please know that this is WINDOWS EXPLORER msg and not internet explorer msg. When you say navigate to something i dont understand where you are when you navigate or how. Please help if you can and im sure you know im not experianced it this field but ill follow your instructions. Everything else seems to work fine except clicking computer to see my disk drives. This has been constant work for 3 days now to solve this problem and nothing is working. Im going to try your steps to resolve this and thays the end before i take it to somebody which will be a expence i cant afford. Thanks for caring. 719 361 0114 .
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May 17th, 2010 2:55pm

Use System File Checker to scan your OS: 1. Click Start, and type cmd in the Start Search box. 2. In the results area, right-click cmd.exe, and then click Run as administrator. You will be prompted to type the password for an administrator account. Click Continue if you are the administrator or type the administrator password. Then, click Continue. 3. At the command prompt, type Sfc /scannow, and then press ENTER. The scan may take some time, so be patient. Windows will repair any corrupted or missing files that it finds. If information from the installation CD is needed to repair the problem, you may be prompted to insert your Windows Vista CD.
May 26th, 2010 3:54am

Kristain, 1. when I do instruction #1 I do not get the 'results area' but rather I get the prompt. 3. I then follow instruction #3 and I get the message: "You must be an administrator running a console session in order touse the sfc utility" Any advice? Harlan
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September 5th, 2010 2:55pm

I have no idea what "navigate to . . . " means. Not all of us are programmers. Please speak user lingo.
April 20th, 2011 4:58pm

Did you ever get an answer? I have no idea what "navigate to . . . " refers to, either. I've always had this issue with Microsoft. They assume everyone is a programmer. I've never understood what they're talking about when I've gone to their website for help. It's a waste of time.
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April 20th, 2011 5:00pm

Hi, The problem may be related to a corrupt .cpl loading in the control panel. Please try the following steps to locate that item: 1. Navigate to %windir%\System32. On the top right search for *.cpl 3. In the Results, sort by Type, and review all of the Control Panel Item Types. Double click on each of those items to open and verify which one is causing the Explorer crash. 4. If the CPL file that you locate is related to a 3rd party application, we may need to uninstall it . If it is a Windows CPL, please let me know for further steps. Hope this helps. -------------------- Regards, Eric Zhang Microsoft Online Community Support The problem started after an Windows Update. A solution for my Windows7: Deleted Firebird2Control.cpl from %windir%\System32. Now I can access Control Panel again. THANK YOU !!!! Paul Ole Hegstad Norway
June 22nd, 2011 3:48am

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