# Explorer.exe buffer overflow.



## CBMatt (Mar 8, 2007)

I've been getting a lot of buffer overflow warning messages from McAfee SecurityCenter lately, all stating that explorer.exe is trying to use up more memory than is intended.



> McAfee has automatically blocked a buffer overflow.
> 
> *Details*
> Detection:
> ...


A search leads me to results saying it could either be an infection or a memory problem. I've tested my memory and everything looks fine. I run virus scans on a very regular basis, so I doubt that's it. I've researched a few related worms and trojans, and I don't seem to have anything. All of my virus scans are clean, and HijackThis shows nothing out of the ordinary. I'm thinking maybe I'm somehow overloading Windows Explorer (*not* Internet Explorer). Would that make sense?

It seems to be happening a lot since downloading a bunch of large videos at my friend's house (using my sister's laptop, which I maintain and clean on a regular basis). The videos are legit and come from a popular site and nobody else seems to have any problems with them. But when running a few of the videos, I get the buffer overflow warning. Then once that happens, Explorer starts acting up. If I open a folder containing some of the videos, I can't rename or move them because they're being used by Windows Explorer, even if I haven't actually opened the videos. I have to close the handles with Process Explorer to do anything.

Also, certain folders stop responding after the warning, even folders that don't hold any videos. If I end/restart Explorer, it will stop for awhile, but it eventually happens again. It doesn't completely stop until I restart my computer. However, once I start watching the videos again, my problems return. So far, it seems to primarily be tied to these videos. Not only these specific videos, though.

Other videos downloaded from other sites that same night also cause the warning. And I even get it from opening a folder containing old videos that never caused a problem before. It seems that it happens whenever a folder contains at least one video over 100 MB in size. I'm wondering if I should try uninstalling some of the most recent hotfixes. Not really sure if they might be related or not, though.

I really don't think these videos are infected, as they come from a trusted source, and I've scanned them with several programs. Are they simply demanding too much from Windows Explorer? Each video is about 180 MB. That's never been a problem before, though. What do you guys think about this? I'm tempted to allow the buffer overflow, but that seems potentially dangerous.

My McAfee SecurityCenter is expiring very soon and I don't have the money to renew my subscription right now, so I'm concerned that I won't be able to block these buffer overflows anymore. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Programs I've scanned with (in Safe Mode) include: McAfee SecurityCenter, AVG Anti-Virus, AVG Anti-Spyware, SUPERAntiSpyware, Spybot - Search & Destroy, Ad-Aware, Blacklight.

My system specs are...









And these are my installed SecurityCenter programs...
*SecurityCenter*
*Version:* 7.2
*Build:* 7.2.147
*Language:* en-us
*Last Update:* 3/22/2007

*VirusScan*
*Version:* 11.2
*Build:* 11.2.124
*Language:* en-us
*Last Update:* 6/23/2007
*DAT Version:* 5059.0000
*DAT Creation Date:* 6/22/2007
*Engine Version:* 5100.0194

*Personal Firewall*
*Version:* 8.2
*Build:* 8.2.122
*Language:* en-us
*Last Update:* 6/21/2007

*SiteAdvisor*
*Version:* 2.4
*Build:* 2.4.6066
*Language:* en-us
*Last Update:* 4/14/2007

*SpamKiller*
*Version:* 8.2
*Build:* 8.2.137
*Language:* en-us
*Last Update:* 6/23/2007
*Content Version:* 590.0.154.154

*Privacy Service*
*Version:* 9.2
*Build:* 9.2.134
*Language:* en-us
*Last Update:* 5/8/2007


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## ebats (Jul 27, 2007)

I'm having the exact same problem. Found another forum that suggested removing and reinstalling Java. Didn't work. I've run Mcafee virusscan several times. Nothing. Super AntiSpyware and Adaware several times. Nada. Any help would be welcome.


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## Baldington2 (Jan 13, 2008)

I had the exact same problem described by CBMatt immediately after downloading a short video file. I deleted the video, restarted my computer, and never got the message again.


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## Baldington2 (Jan 13, 2008)

EDIT: I thought deleting the video solved the problem, but apparently it did not, as I just received th exact same "Buffer Overflow" minutes ago. I did not start getting it until after I downloaded the video, but perhaps that was just a coincidence? Perhaps I was simultaneously doing something else at the time that led to the problem? I have no idea.


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## tj1182 (Nov 20, 2007)

Did anyone find a solution for this? I'm getting the same problem now.


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## Magnum NY (Apr 21, 2008)

This has been one ***** of a problem for like a year for me and could not get any info ever until I read a mcafee forum thread that finally gave me some help. I was having probs with video files, namely avi's... I use media player classic and Vlc but explorer was the thing that was always overflow _buffing_. Things would freeze and I would have to "unlock" them and keep unlocking them until I would just have to log off or restart.

I uninstalled k-lite mega codec 3.90 and installed the newest full version and haven't had any single notification from mcafee that I only kept on my computer for buffer overflow problems in the first place. Mcafee never did any good for me or caught one or two viruses that I got on my comp through the years.

Some members on that forum did say they installed avi codec pack plus for their own systems and their problem was also finished with buffer overflow.

I did get rid of java runtime environment but not because of the "overflowing" and don't know if that was something else that was an issue but running fine so far today.

Aloha guys.


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## paramnida (May 9, 2008)

I have the same exact problem. It's annoying. I tried reinstalling java, but that didn't do anything. Grrrr.


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## JimRac (Jun 30, 2008)

After loading a number of video conversion utilities, I experienced the same problems as above. Buffer overflows with Windows Media Player 11 and even Windows Explorer. I uninstalled all of the utilities, also tried going back to WPM 10, but issue did not go away.

What fixed it was using Windows System Restore Wizard to take me back to Restore Point from the prior day. That worked perfectly, everything is good now. 

So one of those utilities either stepped on a system file or a registration entry or something. Lesson learned: next time I will establish a restore point prior to loading anything new.

Hope this helps someone.
Jim


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## JimRac (Jun 30, 2008)

Sorry, first sentence of my post should start:

After *installing* a number of video conversion utilities...

Jim


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