Member Avatar for mmoorehead

A few days ago I found that I was no longer able to use application functions that access (browse) the system file directory...such as the OPEN buttons...the SAVE AS function....downloading or uploading files...etc.

Any ideas?

Windows Vista Home Premium - 64bit - SP2

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by jingda

Dani AI

Generated

A short diagnostic summary and prioritized troubleshooting sequence for the symptom described by : when the "Open" / "Save As" dialogs and browser upload/download fail across multiple programs, the problem is usually system-level — a corrupted common file-dialog component, a bad user profile, a third-party shell extension, or malware hooking system processes. The following steps isolate those causes and often restore normal behavior.

  • Confirm scope: test File->Open in simple apps (Notepad, WordPad) and a browser download. If only one program fails, focus on that app; if many apps fail, proceed with system-level checks.
  • Malware first: echoing , run an up-to-date anti-malware scan (second-opinion scanner plus the installed AV). As noted, look in Task Manager for odd processes such as run32.exe or duplicate svchost.exe — verify each process path and publisher (Process Explorer is useful). Boot to Safe Mode with Networking if a normal scan is blocked.
  • Profile vs system: create a new local administrator account and log on. If dialogs work in the new profile, the original profile is corrupted and should be rebuilt (copy data out, recreate the profile).
  • Disable third-party hooks: perform a Clean Boot (msconfig) or use a shell-extension manager to disable non-Microsoft shell extensions; many faulty context/menu or dialog hooks break the common file dialog.
  • Repair core files and logs: from an elevated prompt run sfc /scannow to repair system files and check Event Viewer (Application/System) for errors generated when the dialog is invoked.
  • Recovery options: if the problem persists, back up all data and consider System Restore to a known-good point or a Windows repair/repair-install. Registry hacks or ad-hoc DLL replacements are risky on an older OS.

This mirrors reports from other members here () and aggregates their suggestions into a safe, ordered workflow. For an out-of-support OS like Vista, backing up user data before major remediation is essential and migration to a supported OS should be considered.

Recommended Answers

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Member Avatar for rangarecon

This could be either the run32.exe virus or a scvhost.exe duplicate.
Do you find that your taskbar changes from windows aero to windows classic unexpectantly by any chance? This may help with the solving of the problem?

Member Avatar for theblagindon

hi ,, i get that ,, i hav this problem your talking about, i have vista and i cant download or open the programs on my laptop ,, like movie maker ,, do u think its a virus ?

Member Avatar for jingda

Try doing a scan with malware bytes. See here. Are you the admin user?

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