Windows Explorer Has Stopped Working

[axxxo]

I recently had a problem with the above message appearing every time I went to my downloads folder.

I tried all other folders but they opened fine with no warnings so i had to try remove what had gone to my downloads folder recently.

Turned out to be a MKV file.

Booted to safe mode and couldnt delete it from their so i created the true admin account, by the way i couldnt delete it from my own profile either, and just typed the name of the MKV file into the start menu search bar and deleted it from there.

Now everthing is fine again in when i open my downloads folder.

Anybody know what could have caused this to happen in the first place? All i usually play are divx or avi so i'm not familiar with mkv's that much.

Thanks :)

 

[j4v3d]

i had a similar problem as yours, was a mkv video file, for some reason was causing havoc on my computer, took me 2 hours just to delete the file, it made my computer so damn slow, i wanted to throw it out the window, i will never know what the cause of the problem was.

 

[Gman496]

Sounds like it could be codecs related axxxo?

 

[goldenhands]

Found this

It could be the problem

Hi,

I have been having the same issue!!

The problem seems to be:

The MKV file is a container and can hold lots of different types of files, Video and audio,etc.

If you open the container, the internal files open and when the files are closed

explorer doesn't close the container file. (M$ were never any good at simple file handling)

So if you try to delete the file you get the:

"file is in use and cannot be deleted".

Sometimes you can use 'Lockhunter' or similar to delete the file, but it doesn,t always work!!

I think (but I haven't tried it yet?) if you boot the machine from a "Live Windows 7 CD/DVD"

and delete the .MKV file from that, it should work every time. Bit of a 'Elephant to crack a

Walnut', but if nothing else works, then what the heck!!

Hope this helps?

Dayman

 

[axxxo]

Not sure what could have caused it as i didnt even select the file to play when i opened the folder.
It actually played in safe mode with vlc player but it just wouldnt delete, it was trying to delete it but just got the window saying preparing to delete for ages.
Tried moving it to a usb stick just to get it off the computer while in safe mode and that didnt work either.
Not sure why it would delete in administrator profile and not in safe mode!
I ran a sfc /scannow to see would that sort it, it said it fixed a problem that would be sorted after a reboot but that didnt help either.
Windows 7 ultimate by the way

 

[ferguj1]

Not sure what would have caused the issue other than maybe what goldenhands posted. I have played countless MKV files and never had that issue. However, on other locked files I have had very good luck with this program that Gman posted. http://www.techkings.org/useful-free-applications/6413-unlocker.html

 

[Gman496]

Yes ferg, Unlocker is a great little Prog

As for axxxo's issue, something was definately upsetting the Windows Explorer Shell

I remember having a problem way back whenever I used the search facility in XP, it would allow me to open the search & type in whatever it was I wanted to search for, the search would begin but Windows Explorer would freeze solid every time. It drove me nuts so I decided to make an issue out of nailing the culprit, and I eventually did with the assistance of a another great free Prog called ShellExView It's a little Prog that allows you to temporarily disable or enable running extensions. You simply highlight the extension and hit the green light to enable and the red light to disable. (see Pic below)

What I done was disabled 5 items at a time & ran a search. After a bit of time I eventually was able to run a successful search which meant the problem was now down to one or more of the 5 items I had disabled. It was easy to nail from there. It turned out to be 2 extensions for the right click options belonging to Acronis of all things lol I disabled the two boogiemen & never had an issue with search or Acronis after that.

I know it's not exactly what was happening in axxxo's case but it could have a relevance?

Eitherway, all you Techies should keep a copy of ShellExView in your toolbox

 

[axxxo]

I have DivX plus installed.
Im going to uninstall it and download the same mkv file again and see what happens this time.
Ive seen around that some codec programs can cause the issue to make it crash but the program ive seen this problem relate to is called haali media splitter.
Sure ill give it ago anyway. Wont get to try it til tomorrow probably

Added after 12 minutes:

You may have just nailed it for me too Gman!


Notice the divx thumbnail provider, ive read somewhere else that this was the cause of a similar problem with matroska haali media splitter trying to display a thumbnail for the mkv file once the containing folder was opened.
Happy days!