Explorer.exe fails to load at startup

  • Thread starter Thread starter Kelli
  • Start date Start date
K

Kelli

I have a handful of computers that at random will not launch explorer.exe
after a restart. It seems to be related to an update that was installed but
I can not figure out which one.

Has anyone else seen this occur? Any help would be great!

Kelli
 
From: "Kelli" <[email protected]>

| I have a handful of computers that at random will not launch explorer.exe
| after a restart. It seems to be related to an update that was installed but
| I can not figure out which one.
|
| Has anyone else seen this occur? Any help would be great!
|
| Kelli

Hit Ctrl-Alt-Del and load Task manager.

From Task Manager, execute EXPLORER.EXE from; File --> New Task (run)

The desktop should load. Reboot the PC and see if you can logon and get the desktop again
without loading TaskManger and runing Explorer.exe .
 
Correct - hitting ctl-alt-del ... explorer.exe does reload the desktop.
However I should not have to do this and the users that it is effecting are
not the most tech savy.

It happens at random - there is no pattern and it is effecting about 20
computers.

The only thing I did notice, I was rebuilding a computer for a family member
last night, I downloaded 97 updates and after the reboot this exact issue
happened. Which leads me to believe that it is related to the windows update.
 
From: "Kelli" <[email protected]>

| Correct - hitting ctl-alt-del ... explorer.exe does reload the desktop.
| However I should not have to do this and the users that it is effecting are
| not the most tech savy.
|
| It happens at random - there is no pattern and it is effecting about 20
| computers.
|
| The only thing I did notice, I was rebuilding a computer for a family member
| last night, I downloaded 97 updates and after the reboot this exact issue
| happened. Which leads me to believe that it is related to the windows update.
|

I manage *many* computers in a Active Directory environment and we too experience this
sporadically. However, I do NOT consider this to be a problem unless this is consistently
seen on any one PC.
 
Hey Kelli.

Out of 100 + users, I have handful of different PC's that experience this
too. I started getting the reports about 4 months ago after a series of
Windows updates. The same users report it randomly over and over. I have
users with the exact same PC configurations that do not experience it.
Because it was so random, I didn't immediately link it to the updates, though
that seems to be the pattern reported on the Web. With side by side
comparisons, I have not been able to pin this down.

It wasn't until recently that I discovered that loading Explorer through
Task Manager would load the desktop, so I have renewed my search for an
answer. Because this behavior causes my users pain and requires them to take
action outside the norm, namely using the Task Manager to run a program or
hard-start their PC, I DO consider this to be a problem.

I am considering forcing Explorer to run by adding a string in the
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run key in the
Registry. I am wondering whether you or anyone else has tried that and what
are (or could be) any adverse effects of doing so. Regardless, should I find
a solution, I will post it here.
 
It wasn't until recently that I discovered that loading Explorer through
Task Manager would load the desktop, so I have renewed my search for an
answer. Because this behavior causes my users pain and requires them to take
action outside the norm, namely using the Task Manager to run a program or
hard-start their PC, I DO consider this to be a problem.

I am considering forcing Explorer to run by adding a string in the
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run key in the
Registry. I am wondering whether you or anyone else has tried that and what
are (or could be) any adverse effects of doing so. Regardless, should I find
a solution, I will post it here.

Hi,
we have the same problem here...Very annoying... Have you found a
solution ?

Thanks in advance, and thanks for any advice.
 
I am glad someone else finds this behavior out of the norm and a problem. My
users expect their comptuers to work flawlessly and when they have to hit
ctl-alt-del to even start working .. i get the wrath.

I will try the reg edit on my test laptop and see if it continues to occur.
thanks for the ideas.
 
Please don't delete previous posts, thanks.

Try something here, and please post what works, if any:

DESKTOP ICONS AND THE TASKBAR FAIL TO LOAD AT STARTUP

This problem may be fixed by using one of these 4 repairs:


(1) RESTORE A MISSING "USERINIT" REGISTRY VALUE

1. Copy below and paste into Notepad:

----------copy inside only----------
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon]
"Userinit"="C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM32\\userinit.exe,"

----------copy inside only----------

2. If your Windows is not on drive C: replace C: with your
Windows drive letter and Save-As Userinit.reg
(or any name + .reg).

3. Double-click or right-click and merge into the registry.

4. Restart.


(2) DELETE AN INCORRECT "EXPLORER.EXE" ENTRY IN THE REGISTRY

1. Open the Run box and enter: regedit

2. Go to this key:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options]

3. If you see "explorer.exe" as a subkey below, delete it.

4. Restart.


(3) RESTORE A MISSING "EXPLORER.EXE" ENTRY IN THE REGISTRY

1. Copy below and paste into Notepad:

----------copy inside only----------
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon]
"Shell"="explorer.exe"

----------copy inside only----------

2. Save-As WinLogon.reg (or any name + .reg).

3. Double-click or right-click and merge into the registry.

4. Restart.


(4) EXLORER.EXE IS MISSING

If explorer.exe is not in C:\WINDOWS\ then insert
your Windows CD and, using the 'Task Manager', run
the 'System File Checker' utility with this command:
sfc /scannow

If the 'System File Checker' didn't replace it, boot
to the Recovery Console with the Windows CD and copy
explorer.exe manually:

1. Insert the Windows CD and restart.

2. When setup begins, choose the "Repair or Recover"
option by pressing "R".

3. Once at the command prompt, enter:
copy D:\I386\EXPLORER.EX_ C:\WINDOWS\
(Change drive letters accordingly)

4. The file, "EXPLORER.EX_" is compressed and should be
automatically expanded on copy. If it doesn't just enter
this command:
expand C:\WINDOWS\EXPLORER.EX_ C:\WINDOWS\explorer.exe

5. To exit the Recovery Console, type: exit.

If the desktop still does not load then, from within the
Task Manager, run a new task to open the Registry Editor:
regedit.exe
and check the registry data from above, adding as neccessary,
if it is missing or incorrect.


ju.c
 
drod83

Why answer a post which is over 5 months old?

--


Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
Because with out this thread and its answers I would
have been in deep trouble.
Running the Malwarbytes' got rid of the explorer.exe problem as well as
118 infections

My thanks goes to all of you that made suggestions.

Regards

Delacy

P.s  By the way I also disabled the system restore before Running the
Malwarbytes' then rebooted and renabled it again this was so the
infections didnt get stored in system restore for the next time I do a
scan.....

Gerry;4499288 Wrote:








--
DelacyBoise
------------------------------------------------------------------------
DelacyBoise's Profile:http://forums.techarena.in/members/120913.htm
View this thread:http://forums.techarena.in/windows-xp-support/902979.htm

http://forums.techarena.in

MBAM is (often) the bomb.
 
Help! Need help here.
My case is probably a slightly serious than all the above.
I tried all the above measures, the problem still persist.

If I try to lunch explorer.exe or antivirus programs via Task Manager,
I get a "No permission to access the path, file, ..." error.

If I try to run the initial scan after installed Malwarebytes, it will
be terminated automatically and the whole GUI just disappears 5 sec
after the scan started. (same to all other antivirus scan)

Not sure if the virus evolved or anyboday had the same experience. I'm
really stranded now and doesn't know what to do. Fortunately I still
have a notebook to post this from home. Please advise. Thanks.
 
Use my Remove-it software, it will remove that malware from your system.
Choose yes for all options when prompted. Download it here

PCBUTTS1, you've exposed yourself as the PIRATE/THIEF we all have said
you are.

You've been clearly exposed as a thief when you pirated code containing
a special marker enter by the real author, the file named
"obatssrsghde.exe" was a marker inserted into Stuarts batch file you
stole from him, it was a KEY that proves you're a thief:

For those that don't know, Stuart inserted the obatssrsghde.exe marker
into his batch file to prove, to the community, that PCBUTTS1 / The Real
Truth MVP is actually a lying thief, and PCBUTTS admitted in his own
post that he created the marker and claimed to know what it was - even
claimed to have submitted the malware to anti-virus vendors, but the
joke was on him, Stuart told everyone in the community about it BEFORE
it appeared in PCBUTTS1 download.... There is no actual file named
obatssrsghde.exe in the malware community, it was a ruse.

The key is in the spelling (shifted one character):

obatssrsghde.exe
pcbuttsthief

If you change (add) 1 character to each letter you will see that
"obatssrsghde" is actually the marker "pcbuttsthief" - proving that
PCBUTTS1 is a thief.

Are there other markers - YES, does PCBUTTS1 know about them - no,
they've been there for a long time, but this is the most obvious one.

Face it Chris/PCBUTTS1/TRT, you've exposed yourself in public.
 
leleclub said:
Help! Need help here.
My case is probably a slightly serious than all the above.
I tried all the above measures, the problem still persists.

If I try to launch Explorer.exe or antivirus programs via Task Manager,
I get a "No permission to access the path, file, ..." error.

If I try to run the initial scan after installed Malwarebytes, it will
be terminated automatically and the whole GUI just disappears 5 sec
after the scan started. (same to all other antivirus scan)

Not sure if the virus evolved or anybody had the same experience. I'm
really stranded now and don't know what to do. Fortunately I still
have a notebook to post this from home. Please advise. Thanks.

Burn BitDefender, or another program listed at the link below, to a CD
(using a working machine) and test the infected machine with it.
BitDefender also has a Rootkit checker on the Linux Desktop; run it if
you think that's the problem:

http://www.techmixer.com/free-bootable-antivirus-rescue-cds-download-list/

Download the executable rather than the .iso image, if one is
available.. it prompts you to insert a CD and burns the file, no problem.

Then run these:

Malwarebytes© Corporation
http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam/program/mbam-setup.exe

SuperAntispyware
http://www.superantispyware.com/superantispywarefreevspro.html
 
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