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Here’s a quick tip for Windows XP users, mainly because I’ve noticed a few posts on random forums about “Explorer.exe” crashing whilst working with several windows/applications/etc… well here’s how you can stop all of them closing on you in the event of a crash. By making windows open the desktop and taskbar in a seperate process to your folders. Please note: If you don’t feel comfortable using RegEdit, manually adding entries, or worried it might not work for you – then I sugguest you don’t continue.

1. Click Start -> Run, and then type in “regedit” (without quotes). Alternatatively you can hold the winkey and tap r (winkey+r).
2. In the tree to the left, browse to: “HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer”. Then create a new DWORD value (by right clicking in a blank area to the right and picking DWORD), call it “DesktopProcess” (without quotes) with a value of 1.
3. Again in the left tree go to: “HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced”. Then make a DWORD value with “SeparateProcess” and a value of 1.
4. Either log-out or restart, and the effects should take place.

I remember back in my Windows days when I was working with multiple folders, and suddenly one crashes because of tying to create too many thumbnails, or too many files in the folder and it gets too overloaded… and in the end the whole thing crashes, and you think to yourself “Damn! Which folders did I have open again? Where’d that icon go in the taskbar? Doh! I’m going to have to restart now! Stupid thing!” My fix should hopefully reduce those moments.

Alternatively, if you don’t feel you can trust yourself with the registry editor. You can download this .reg file I made, which is basically a txt file which automatically adds those entries for you. All you have to do is double click. If you don’t trust me, open the .reg in notepad and you’ll see for yourself. Also if you google “DesktopProcess” or “SeperateProcess”, you’ll see thousands of websites with the same thing – its a handy feature in windows, which should be easier to add then using the regedit, but thats Microsoft for ya.