A couple of months ago I noticed that Windows Explorer, on my Vista machine, was crashing whenever there was a VOB file listed in a folder.

At first I thought it was some software that I had recently installed and immediately set about uninstalling the software. It made no difference at all and this led me to believe that the software I installed had also installed something else ... like some nasty piece of spyware or the like. So, I scanned my machine using my anti-virus software and found nothing, then scanned it with a 'free' version of Spyware Doctor that subsequently found some spyware/malware and may be the cause of my problem.

I was more than a little disappointed with Spyware Doctor at this time and I was getting frustrated as Spyware Doctor will not remove potential threats unless it's a paid and licenced copy (the 'free' version will prevent future threats but not allow you to remove existing threats - nice one). I caved in and spent the money on a licence and removed the existing threats. It still made no difference to my Windows Explorer crashing and upon further reading turns out that I've practically wasted my money on Spyware Doctor as the security in Vista makes it difficult for spyware and the like from getting their grubby little hooks in. Oh well, lesson learned there.

I also noticed that after installing Spyware Doctor my Vista machine began to slow down very noticeably. I've had to uninstall the software as it was causing my system to slow down in much the same way as the spyware/malware it's designed to block does...the irony of it all.

Searching Google resulted in not finding a solution to my problem. I was getting nowhere with this and I was about ready to do a format of the system and re-install Vista. But wait!! Vista is supposed to be a lot better than this! There has to be a solution to this problem!!

And there is solution. I looked through the options in Windows Explorer and changed the settings from 'Show preview and filters' to 'Use Windows classic folders' and BINGO no more crashing.

You get to this option from Windows Explorer. Click on Tools in the menu and then click on Folder Options

I've been trying to find out why this fixes the issue but with no results. If any of you are aware of why this fixes the issue then please share it with the rest of us.

I hope that this bit of info is of some help to someone and also saves a lot of time and effort.