Windows Explorer Problem

[Eve3Faces]

My Windows Explorer (or Windows Shell) has become unstable. If I try to create a new folder or shortcut, I get an error message: Microsoft Visual C++ Debug Library - Debug Assertion Failed - Program: C:\Windows\Explorer.exe - File: dtoxtm64.c - Line 67 - Expression:(((long)(yr-1900)>=_Base_Year)&&(long)(yr-1900)<=_Max_Year64))

Not being a computer geek, I have no idea what this means. An ehow contributor posted this suggestion:

Visual C can become a very unorganized and cumbersome program with frequent use. This can cause some issues with debugging. Luckily, there is a relatively simple fix available. This fix should restore some usability to the program.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Dial-a-fix utility

Download Dial-a-fix. Extract all of the files to a single folder. Launch Dial-a-fix.

Check the box "Install Windows Script Host." Check the box "Install VB6 runtime." Check the box "Programming Cores/Runtimes." Check the box "Object Linking Libraries (OLE)."

Click the Go button. Depending on your library, this fix can take up to 20 minutes.

Restart your computer. Your library should be fixed and operable.

However, Dial-a-fix does not seem to have either the Install Windows Script Host box or Install VB6 runtime box. The other two suggested boxes were available, and I checked them. But running Dial-A-Fix did not help. I'm still getting the same error message when I try to create a new folder or shortcut.

Any SIMPLE, easy to understand suggestions? Thank you.

[Tarun]

Have you tried the following in a command prompt:

sfc /scannow

[Eve3Faces]

Have you tried the following in a command prompt:

sfc /scannow

I just did, and it brought up another problem. After running it prompted me for the Windows XP Professional Service Pack 3 CD. When I put in my CD, I get a prompt saying it is not the correct CD, but it's the one I got from Microsoft and used to install Service Pack 3 on my system. At the same time, the install program from the CD pops up. Should I go ahead and reinstall the service pack?

[Tarun]

Reading your first post, that ehow person honestly doesn't know what they're talking about.

Do you have ATI or nvidia?

Looking into this error, it may be an error caused by an ati/nvidia context menu handler. So you may be able to uninstall your ati/nvidia drivers/control panels/etc and update them and the issue may resolve itself.

[Eve3Faces]

I have ATI. Can you give me a step-by-step on this, please?

[Tarun]

First I would go to the ATI website and get the latest drivers/Catalyst package before beginning.

Next, open Add/Remove Programs and uninstall ATI from there, it should be called ATI Catalyst Install Manager.

Follow directions it gives you, upon uninstall restart and then run the install package you downloaded.

[James_A]

Potentially, this error could happen in any program built with Microsoft Visual Studio 2005, which has this gem of code in the file dtoxtm64.c:-

_VALIDATE_RETURN(


            (


                ( ( long )( yr - 1900 ) >= _BASE_YEAR ) &&


                ( ( long )( yr - 1900 ) <= _MAX_YEAR64 )


            ),


            EINVAL,


            ( ( __time64_t )( -1 ) )

Which, I believe, will crash (or cause an assertion failure, depending on the build) if you feed it a date prior to 1970 or after 3000, since _BASE_YEAR is 70 and _MAX_YEAR64 is 1100.

Of course, if you create a file dated 1/1/1970 (and time 00:00) during daylight saving time, then put the clock back (like we have all done in the northern hemisphere over the last few weeks) this code will only crash during the winter, not during the summer. Such are the wierd joys of Microsoft's handling of dates and daylight saving time in Windows.

.

[Eve3Faces]

Tarun: I will try that, if you recommend it. AMD has moved my Radeon X600 card to a Legacy status, but there's a catalyst package on their website. It may take me a while since I've come down with the flu and am going into a coma. I'll come back when the deed is done. Thanks.

[Eve3Faces]

James: Funny about dates. The other day I got a prompt (I wish I had written it down) about my computer's date, and found it had reset itself to 1910.

Also, in Add or Remove Programs I found I have both Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Redistributable and Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable. Do I need both programs?

[Tarun]

Yes, both are needed. Each for certain programs that require the runtimes.

[Eve3Faces]

I had a feeling you'd say that. I never know if what I transferred over from my old computer is a necessity or a hinderance.

I uninstalled the Catalyst Package and installed the "new" one from the ATI/AMD website. There was no change in the driver since the ATI card is in legacy status. HOWEVER, after all that, it seems to have repaired the instabiity in Windows Explorer as I can again add folders and shortcuts. Yeah! I hope that's the end of it. Thank you, Tarun, for your help.

[Tarun]

You're quite welcome.

Fromt he research I did into this problem it would seem that there was a problem with the ATI Catalyst shortcut in the Context Menu (when you're right click the desktop, etc) that was causing this error. Many websites said to simply delete the registry key for this shortcut, but users really shouldn't need to poke around in the registry. A simple update/reinstall of the Catalyst Control Center would resolve the issue. Updating is usually better because this could be a problem that they knew of and had since fixed between your driver/CCC package and the latest release. Such as, going from 9.3 (2009-March) to 10.11 (2010 November).