No Explorer.exe

codeye_2

A friend brought is computer round for me to fix, but I have not come across this problem before and don’t know how to fix it.
The problem is that when the computer starts up it starts to open explorer.exe but then suddenly closes, I have typed explorer.exe into the new task in task manager but that closes straight away as well.
I have booted into safe mode and that’s the same in his login and the administrator’s login as well
If anyone can tell me what to do to fix this with out doing a complete format that would be great..

gizmoleeds

I think a computer with that much of a problem needs a complete format and fresh install, I'm afraid.

Why would you prefer not to have to do this - loss of data? I often find a reformat and reinstallation of Windows is actually the easiest method of fixing computer problems - it saves frustratingly trying to figure stuff out anyway.

codeye_2

It's not my computer and I don’t know if he wants anything saving, I know its easy to format and re-install as i do it very often to my wife’s displeasure.
I will reformat if I don’t find an answer by the morning.

Chippy_Minton

See post 8 here for a possible solution.

codeye_2

Thanks for that! I will try that after the kids have gone to bed and get back to you if it worked.

albertross_2

if you can start a new task .. cmd , then you could try sfc /scannow or run msconfig, check there is nothing funny (difficult to define what funny is..) in the startup items, failing that try "Launch system restore"

codeye_2

albertross wrote:

if you can start a new task .. cmd , then you could try sfc /scannow or run msconfig, check there is nothing funny (difficult to define what funny is..) in the startup items, failing that try "Launch system restore"

This did now work for me, but thanks for the info. The computer seems to be only running the same stuff as my computer apart from explorer.exe.

codeye_2

Chippy_Minton wrote:

See post 8 here for a possible solution.

I got to number 10 on the list and got stuck, the folder was empty so it just came up with a error message.

A nice clean format in the morning to pass the time while i am waiting for my 360 to be delivered.

meep_2

personally i would run HijackThis on the machine and see if anything is running on the machine that could have done damage to the file.

charlieheard

You can boot the machine with the Windows XP install disk in and run the "repair" option. If that fails, I'm afraid you're in for a reinstall...

-TangleFoot-

charlieheard wrote:

boot the machine with the Windows XP install disk in and run the "repair" option

In other words, a 'repair installation'. That way, all the important data will remain untouched.