Last month Microsoft made a release candidate of Win XP Service pack 3 available for download. So I downloaded the 336 Mb patch and installed it successfully. This patch actually contains security updates and hotfixes issued by Microsoft Corp. up to April 2nd, 2006 excluding Internet Explorer 7 (

Seriously no updates or changes in Windows interface but just a bundle of hot fixes which doesn’t make it special. I like to stay updated always which made me to install it even though it’s a release candidate, but within few days of installing my internet explorer began crashing all the time. On opening Internet Explorer it crashes within a fraction of second from loading a site and pops a message saying “Internet explorer has encountered an error and needs to close”.

After searching Microsoft Technet forums for resolution, I came to know that this is all due the Urlmon.dll thing which was discussed under KB946627. After discussing with a team member working for SP3, I came up with a resolution for this problem.

Resolution:
Warning: This procedure involves editing of registry which would result in serious damage and corruption of date if followed improperly so my kind advice is not to try unless you have clear cut knowledge of what you are doing.

Step 1: Go to Run and type ‘notepad’ without quotes.

Step 2: After the Notepad is invoked, copy and paste the codes given below:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\FeatureControl\FEATURE_PROTECT_DECOMPRESSION_FILTER_FROM_ABORT_KB942367]
“*”=dword:00000001

Step 3: Save the notepad as somefile.reg (note the extension .reg)

Step 4: Double click the saved notepad file to add the information to the Registry.

Step 5: A dialog box pops saying “Do you want to add the information to the Registry?” Click Ok and there you go.

Step 6: Restart the Computer, now I believe Internet Explorer would not crash again.