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Article ID: 175930 - Last Review: January 22, 2007 - Revision: 4.1

Illegal Operations or Access Violations When Starting Windows

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SYMPTOMS

When you start your computer, you may receive the following error message if the Windows Desktop Update component is enabled: Windows 95
This program has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down. If the problem persists, contact the program vendor.
When you click Details, one of the following details are displayed:
  • Explorer caused an invalid page fault in module Explorer.exe at <address>.
  • Explorer caused an invalid page fault in module Shdocvw.dll at <address>.
Note that this behavior can occur whether you start Windows 95 normally or in Safe mode. Windows NT 4.0
An application error has occurred and an application error log is being generated.

Explorer.exe
Exception: access violation (0xc0000005), Address: <address>
If you click OK or Close, only your desktop wallpaper may be displayed (the Start button, taskbar, and desktop icons may not be displayed).
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CAUSE

This behavior can occur if the Shdocvw.dll file is missing, damaged or the wrong version.

The Shdocvw.dll file included with Internet Explorer 5 for Windows 95/98 is found in: Internet Explorer 5 (Downloaded or Internet Explorer 5 CD-ROM):
IE_1.CAB contained in the IE_S1.CAB signed Cabinet file
Internet Explorer 5 on Microsoft Office 2000 CD-ROM 1:
IE_1.CAB contained in the \IE5\EN\IE_S1.CAB signed Cabinet file
Windows 98 Second Edition CD-ROM:
\WIN98\WIN98_41.CAB
The Shdocvw.dll file in Internet Explorer 5 for Windows NT is found in: Internet Explorer 5 (Downloaded or Internet Explorer 5 CD-ROM):
IENT_2.CAB contained in the IENT_S2.CAB signed Cabinet file
Internet Explorer 5 on Office 2000 CD-ROM 1:
IENT_2.CAB contained in the \IE5\EN\IENT_S2.CAB signed Cabinet file
Internet Explorer 5
   Operating system   Version         Date     Size (in bytes)
   -----------------------------------------------------------
   Windows 95         5.00.2314.1000  3/18/99  946,488
   Windows 98         5.00.2314.1000  3/18/99  946,488
   Windows NT 4.0     5.00.2314.1000  3/18/99  946,488
   Windows 98 SE      5.00.2717.2000  5/21/99  946,448
Windows 98 Second Edition has Internet Explorer 5 (version 5.00.2614.3500) built into the operating system.

Office 2000 has Internet Explorer 5 (version 5.00.2314.1003) on both the first and second CD-ROMs.

The following tables list the version number, date, and size of the Shdocvw.dll file for Internet Explorer 4.0 and 4.01 for Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0, and Windows 98:

Internet Explorer 4.0: 
   Operating system   Version       Date      Size (in bytes)
   ----------------------------------------------------------
   Windows 95         4.71.1712.5   9/18/97   1,909,520
   Windows NT 4.0     4.71.1712.5   9/18/97   1,910,032
Internet Explorer 4.01: 
   Operating system   Version       Date       Size (in bytes)
   ----------------------------------------------------------
   Windows 95         4.72.2106.7   11/18/97   1,916,688
   Windows NT 4.0     4.72.2106.7   11/18/97   1,916,688
Internet Explorer 4.01 Service Pack 1 (SP1): 
   Operating system   Version       Date       Size (in bytes)
   ----------------------------------------------------------
   Windows 95         4.72.3110.3   5/8/98     2,168,592
   Windows 98         4.72.3110.3   5/11/98    2,179,072
   Windows NT 4.0     4.72.3110.3   5/8/98     2,168,592
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RESOLUTION

To resolve this behavior, follow the appropriate steps below for the version of Internet Explorer you are using:
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Windows 98

  1. Restart Windows 98, press and hold CTRL, and then choose Command Prompt Only from the Startup menu.
  2. At the command prompt, type the following command, and then press ENTER
    ren <drive>:\<windows>\system\shdocvw.dll shdocvw.old
    where <drive> is the drive letter on which the Windows folder is located, and <windows> is the name of the folder in which Windows is installed. For example:
    ren c:\windows\system\shdocvw.dll shdocvw.old
    NOTE: This procedure assumes you do not have a Shdocvw.old file already located on your hard disk. If this file already exists, use a file name extension that is not currently in use.
  3. Extract the Shdocvw.dll file from the correct media source to the Windows\System folder. For information about how to do so, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
    129605  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/129605/EN-US/ ) How to Extract Original Compressed Windows Files
    NOTE: If you are unable to access your CD-ROM drive at a command prompt, you need to load the real-mode CD-ROM driver and real-mode Microsoft CD-ROM Extensions driver (Mscdex.exe), in your Config.sys and Autoexec.bat files. For more information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
    135174  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/135174/EN-US/ ) Cannot Access CD-ROM Drive from MS-DOS Mode or Command Prompt
  4. Restart your computer.
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Internet Explorer for Windows 95

  1. Restart Windows 95, press the F8 key when you see the "Starting Windows 95" message, and then choose Command Prompt Only from the Startup menu.
  2. At the command prompt, type the following command, and then press ENTER
    ren <drive>:\<windows>\system\shdocvw.dll shdocvw.old
    where <drive> is the drive letter on which the Windows folder is located, and <windows> is the name of the folder in which Windows is installed. For example:
    ren c:\windows\system\shdocvw.dll shdocvw.old
    NOTE: This procedure assumes you do not have a Shdocvw.old file already located on your hard disk. If this file already exists, use a file name extension that is not currently in use.
  3. At the command prompt, type the following command, and then press ENTER
    extract /l <path1> <path2>\ie4_s3.cab ie4_3.cab
    where <path1> is the path to the folder to which to extract the Ie4_3.cab cabinet file, and <path2> is the path to the folder in which the Internet Explorer 4.0 Setup files are located.

    NOTE: If you downloaded Internet Explorer 4.0 from the Internet, <path2> is location of the Internet Explorer 4.0 Setup files on your hard disk. If you installed Internet Explorer 4.0 from a CD-ROM, <path2> is the path to the Internet Explorer 4.0 Setup files on your Internet Explorer 4.0 CD-ROM.

    NOTE: If you are unable to access your CD-ROM drive in MS-DOS mode, you need to load the real-mode CD-ROM driver and real-mode Microsoft CD-ROM Extensions driver (Mscdex.exe), in your Config.sys and Autoexec.bat files. For more information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
    135174  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/135174/EN-US/ ) Cannot Access CD-ROM Drive from MS-DOS Mode or Command Prompt
  4. At the command prompt, type the following command, and then press ENTER
    extract /l <path1> <path2>\ie4_3.cab shdocvw.dll
    where <path1> is the location of the Windows\System folder, <path2> is the path to the folder in which the Ie4_3.cab cabinet file (extracted in Step 3 above) is located.
  5. Restart your computer.
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Internet Explorer for Windows NT 4.0

  1. Click OK to close the Dr. Watson error dialog box.
  2. Press CTRL+ALT+DELETE, and then click Task Manager to start Windows NT Task Manager.
  3. On the Options menu, click Always On Top to clear the check mark.
  4. On the File menu, click New Task (Run...).
  5. Type cmd and then click OK.
  6. At the command prompt, type the following command, and then press ENTER
    ren <drive>:\<windows>\system32\shdocvw.dll shdocvw.old
    where <drive> is the drive letter on which the Windows NT folder is located, and <windows> is the name of the folder in which Windows NT is installed. For example:
    ren c:\winnt\system32\shdocvw.dll shdocvw.old
    NOTE: This procedure assumes you do not have a file named Shdocvw.old. If you do have a file by this name, use a file name extension that is not currently in use.
  7. At the command prompt, type the following command, and then press ENTER
    extract /l <path1> <path2>\ie4nt_s2.cab ie4nt_2.cab
    where <path1> is the path to the folder to which to extract the Ie4nt_2.cab cabinet file, and <path2> is the path to the folder in which the Internet Explorer 4.0 Setup files are located.

    NOTE: If you downloaded Internet Explorer 4.0 from the Internet, <path2> is location of the Internet Explorer 4.0 Setup files on your hard disk. If you installed Internet Explorer 4.0 from a CD-ROM, <path2> is the path to the Internet Explorer 4.0 Setup files on your Internet Explorer 4.0 CD-ROM.
  8. At the command prompt, type the following command, and then press ENTER
    extract /l <path1> <path2>\ie4nt_2.cab shdocvw.dll
    where <path1> is the location of the Winnt\System32 folder, <path2> is the path to the folder in which the ie4nt_2.cab cabinet file (extracted in Step 3 above) is located.
  9. At the command prompt, type exit, and then press ENTER.
  10. On the File menu, click Exit Task Manager.
  11. Press CTRL+ALT+DELETE, and then click Shutdown.
  12. Click Shutdown And Restart.
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MORE INFORMATION

For more information about using the Extract tool, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
129605  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/129605/EN-US/ ) How to Extract Original Compressed Windows Files
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APPLIES TO
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 128-Bit Edition
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 128-Bit Edition
  • Microsoft Windows 98 Standard Edition
  • Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition
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Keywords: 
kbdisplay kberrmsg kbfaq kbinvalidpagefault kbprb KB175930
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Retired KB ArticleRetired KB Content Disclaimer
This article was written about products for which Microsoft no longer offers support. Therefore, this article is offered "as is" and will no longer be updated.
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