XP / Explorer & Graphics Apps...Crashes Galore

[mark4man]

So I get my new Dell 8250, running XP; & although I was hoping for more system stability, wound up with less.

First problem out of the gate was that certain links at certain websites, most of which are java based, didn't work at all.

Never got that problem resolved before a new one cropped up. Now, it seems like the functionality of Windows Explorer is totally messed up.

In Explorer itself, whenever I browse to certain folders or files, a message pops up that reads: "Windows Explorer has encountered a problem & needs to close. Please tell Microsoft about the problem. We have created an error report...blah, blah, blah." The error report completes; & everything dies away to the desktop. (Still haven’t figured out how to actually send the report…or if it does so automatically.)

In graphics apps that browse to locations for opening files (Adobe Photoshop, Jasc Paint Shop Pro, etc.), same thing happens. No warning here, though. The app just crashes; & takes everything that wasn't saved with it. In my web editor (Dreamweaver MX), attempting to insert graphics files into layers causes the same thing.

Has anybody else experienced symptoms such as this in XP (or heard about it)? I can't even try to resolve the issue by changing the names of the suspicious files or folders, 'cause I can't get that far.

Please help.

Thanks,

mark4man

[kayofcircles]

I am sorry..never heard of anything like this before, but will definitely remember it because I use PSP every day. If your system is still under warranty, I would be contacting Dell..a LOT! Sheesh. Maybe a bad install?

[RCB03]

Hi MARK4MAN!

I ran into your first issue with my XP also. Sometimes when I tried to view certian web pages, an error would occur stating that I needed Java Virtual Machine to view this web page. Apparently this software was included in earlier versions of Windows but not XP. You can correct this by going to www.java.sun.com There is a free download of Java VM that will correct this. I hope this is what you are referring to and that it helps!

Whenever I have encountered the Windows error reporting message, my machine always gives the option to Send/Don't send. You can open Start>Control Panel>Performance and Maintainance>Administrative Options>Computer Management>Services and Applications>Services. Here you should see Error reporting Service and its status. It is probably set to automatic but you can change it to manual or disable. I think the manual setting will allow you to Send/Don't Send. Hope this works for you.

RCB03

[mark4man]

How do I know VM is now installed? I went to the link, downloaded VM; & (whatever it was) installed automatically. I found a "Java Web Start" under Program Files, but no Virtual Machine. I know I selected the correct link. Where can I look to find out if what downloaded & installed was VM?

Thanks,

mark4man

[RCB03]

You downloaded the correct file. I also have Java Web Start listed in my program files. The virtual machine part must be integrated into the program. When I first started surfing the web with XP, I constantly got error messages about Virtual Machine not being installed. Since downloading Java VM, I haven't seen this error again. Hope this was the correction for your problem.

OOPS!! My second suggestion is in error I believe. When I got home today, I checked my XP machine and it is also set to automatic error reporting. Changing the setting here won't solve your problem. I'm not sure why your pc would report errors without first confirming with you to do so.

RCB03

[Paul Komski]

IE>>Tools>>InternetOptions>>Advanced and there should be an entry called Java(Sun) with a Check Box for "Use Java2v1.3.1_08 for <applet> (requires restart)" or something similar.

Also - go to the Control Panel and there should be a Java Plug-in Controller installed there.

[mark4man]

Thanks.

Did all that...did not cure problem.

mark4man

[Paul Komski]

Although Java VM does not come intalled in XP and needs to be downloaded to enable Java in IE6 - your problems sound more severe. As Kay asked, is this pc still under warranty. If so then that would seem a sensible route to follow. A clean install or a repair install might also be considerations.

Other thoughts are that the incorrect drivers are installed for some of the hardware or that you have been "infected" with some malware.

[mark4man]

For what it's worth...I had been thinking about the origin of the folders in question; & that they were part of a major backup from my old PC, in order to move everything important to the new PC. Then I remembered that; in the process of burning those files & folders to CD-R for transfer, my software (Nero) had coughed up a warning about standard file saving conventions; & how some folders were deeper in level than the standard.

So I went back to the folders in question on my PC; & found that they were 9 levels deep. I then moved the root folder of that group (which contained all the folders at their various levels) to my C Drive. Now they were 7 levels deep; & it eliminated the problem. I can now navigate to those problem folders from Explorer (& various graphics apps), view all the contents; & open any file without a glitch.

Thing is...even though I'm happy about that, I'm not sure if it makes sense. I went into the help topics of the Nero burning software; & found the convention. It's the ISO 9660 standard, which permits file level depth only to 8; & limits file names to 255 characters.

Is this standard/limitation relative to CD-R data transfer only? If I created a tree solely in Windows Explorer, could I assign folders deeper than 8 levels...& was the fact that I burned the folders outside of compliance with the standard the cause of the faulty tree once it resided on my PC?

Have I really corrected the problem, or did I just put a band-aid on it?

Thanks,

mark4man

[mjc]

The standard of 8 levels deep was/is for backwards compatability (DOS)...nothing more and yes by burning 9 levels deep you created your own problems. Since XP has no DOS it should not be an issue anymore, but to be on the safe side, keep them 8 or less.

As far as that one goes...it is fixed if you reduced the level depth to 7.

[mark4man]

Thanks,

mark4man