Windows problem

This is not directly related to SL, however, I have no idea where else to go. Here's the issue.

My laptop continually shuts down the explorer.exe process. Every time it restarts it gets shut down again, whether I manually restart it or I reboot the computer.

From a fast eye and close watch on the processes tab of the task manager, I've been able to see that every time this happens, the process 'Verclsid.exe' appears, and then disappears with explorer.exe.

Through a little research I've found out that the Verclsid.exe process was a bug in an old windows update, from sometime in 2006. What I haven't found out is how to fix my problem, and if it is actually a bug, or malicious program. Is there a virus or anything that utilizes Verclsid.exe to appear to be a bug, but launches specifically when explorer.exe is found or anything? (From my readings, it seems Verclsid.exe starts back up randomly, and this is almost immediately..about 5-10 seconds tops)

So I'll give a rundown of what was going on at the time:

I was on MSN with a friend, using file sharing (Yes, direct connect) to transfer some files. Some of them could be questionable, but he's scanned them many times, before and after I started having this problem, and everything he's got says it's clean, and he's got it on his computer, installed, all that jazz. I had uTorrent, firefox, msn messenger, and winrar open at the time.

To me it seems I was infected with something, but then again it could just be incredibly bad timing, I suppose.

So..any help?

Not posting specs because I don't think it would help in this case. If you want them, please ask.

Windows XP Media Center
P.S. I'm in-world as well if you feel like you can help faster or better through IMs.

Googling 'Verclsid.exe' returned a result for a support article on the microsoft support site for this issue with solutions.

I probably got to that very same page. Still unfixed. I don't know how to update windows or anything when explorer continually shuts down, I've tried a system restore, but being the idiot I am, I never set a restore point, and the one that is available is a few minutes AFTER this started.

I have no active firewalls at the moment (Shut down every process that I knew was safe to shut down, since I was trying to isolate the problem process.)

And.. I think that was all the solutions?

ETA:: In the end, if it's not resoled by saturday, I'll probably take it to work with me and reinstall windows. I'd prefer to not have to, of course.

That is the best I can come up with and wouldn't want to contribute to making it worse. I have had limited success using the MS newsgroups when issues arise so that may be a possibility for you. Personally when my system gets too crazy I just start fresh and reinstall, but that is my sledgehammer answer to things I don't understand LOL.

At this point, a reinstall seems likely.. I hate reinstalling.

So, hoping some genius comes along and says 'Open the command prompt and type 'godmode' and hit enter, you idiot' Or something to that effect

Unless you are using something like Windows Live OneCare, go into Control panel, open the Windows Firewall programme, make sure it is turnned on, then open the Exceptions Tab, uncheck every programme in there except SecondLife and SLVoice. Assuming you are not on some office network and you are the administrator of your own network (i.e. PC to router/modem) setup, you won't need any of the programmes all trying to bypass your firewall.

Look in particular for Bonjour, this is a new exploit that auto bypasses your firewall.

If that doesn't help, run a RootKit checker on your system, see if you have a bootstrap exploit. Many peer to peer programmes evoke file sharing on your PC, however, you do not need to give them unrestricted access through your firewall if they are behaving correctly.

If you have Vista, go to http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/sp1.mspx and install that, XP is now up to SP3.

Figured I'd give an update.

I couldn't solve it myself, so just reinstalled windows when I remembered I still had a Win XP disc lying around.


I couldn't solve it because I couldn't get into control panel, or just about anything else, without that window being immediately shut down. Control panel is part of explorer.exe, so bleh. I could get into msconfig and that was fine, but nothing in there helped.

So, reinstalled and now hunting down the drivers for my HP dv5000 (Like my wireless driver >.<

I just got tired of the hassle and inconvenience of not having my laptop usable, that quickly. I've had it on my desk and working in concert with my PC for about a year now, guess I'm spoiled ^_^