explorer.exe won't start!

[alworldcrazy]

Ok... I'm using Home Premium. I was using it happily until one day, I
download two EXTRA key values for slow motion when a
window starts. After I reboot, everything start out fine, but until the part
where the desktop and the mouse comes in, I can only see the mouse,
everything other than that is completely black. I deleted the 2 EXTRA key
values, and run the scans, but its still black after reboot! I can only go to
task manager every time and start explorer.exe, in order to use my computer...

[Ronnie Vernon MVP]

Could you give us a link to the page on that website where the registry file
and instructions are available. Include any other details that you can
remember about exactly what was done.

[Derik]

well for a quick fix u could put explorer.exe in the startup folder. u
could also check the registry and see if it is in there.

I have the EXACT same problem as that guy has. Where's the registry and startup folder? I need to fix this a.s.a.p. Please help.

Could you share your problem with us!
We won't spread it around.

[Mike Hall - MVP]

Registry is accessed as it has always been

RUN > type in <regedit> press <enter>

To find the startup folder, you can do a search much as you would for
anything else.

You can then create a shortcut to it on your desktop..

Mike do you have ESP powers? What guy is he talking about? For that
matter, which horse will win the Kentucky Derby next year?

The registry is usually on the computer. The startup folder is also there.

[Synapse Syndrome]

Wow, impressive skills, retard. I find it hilarious that you actually work
in IT. I'm glad I don't with moronic idiots like you messing everything up.
Haven't you been fired yet? Your number has to be up soon, LOL!

Glad you like the impressive skills. Just FYI, I can't be fired because I
work for myself. Make a damn good living at it.

[Ken Blake, MVP]

What problem? What guy?

If you start a new thread instead of replying to an existing message,
nobody has any idea what you're talking about.

Also please quote the message you're replying to, as I did above, so
your reply can be understood in context.

[Susiq]

Seriously this is an issue for some.

I too have the same issue but am not very technically savvy. I need to have the process of finding the registry and the start up folder slowed down. Please explain it for me again. Slowly.

Thanks

[gbalkam]

The problem with vista, is that by default, the "run" command is hidden.
So I believe you right click the start button?? and find the option to
show the run command. Once you have that, try typing iexplore and OK.
This is a simple solution, if it works, you can change the shortcut to
IE to point to that file.

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Two easy ways to enter the file name of the program you want to run:

1. Left-click Run and type the file name where it says "Start search."

2. Hold down the Windows key and press "R." Type the command there.

[peacock_eric]

I ran into the same problem in Vista Home Premium today.
I placed a link to explorer.exe in the start menu startup folder.
I also added a string (c:\windows\explorer.exe) to HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current\Run

both were unsuccessful; i still have to start task manager and manually run explorer.exe.
anyone got anything new on this?


also, sfc/scannow gives an error (can't remember exactly, it was at an offsite comp)
but it said it couldn't replace files and directed me to a 30MB log file that crashes notepad.

Type in a command prompt

findstr /c:"[SR] Cannot" %windir%\logs\cbs\cbs.log |more

which will list SFC failures

In Control Panel choose Problem Reports and Solutions (type problem in
Start's searchbox), go to Problem History, right click your error and choose
Check For Solution. You can also examine the details.

In Administrative Tools choose Reliability and Performance Monitor and
choose MonitoringTools then Reliability Monitor (type Reliability in search
on Start) . This list is a chart of software installs, uninstalls, Windows
updates, and crashes by date. See if your crashes started happening after
you installed or uninstalled something. You may wish to do clean boot
troubleshooting http://support.microsoft.com/kb/331796

Also d/l http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/shexview.html
Disable all non microsoft shell extensions and reenable one by one if it
helps.

Also type
reg query "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT
\CurrentVersion\Winlogon" -v Shell

which should have a value of explorer.exe

[peacock_eric]

^thanx for the tip.
prob was slightly diff tho. you led me in the right direction.
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon was the right location.
shell was set to explorer.exe, but the userinit value was wrong.
it was set to winlogon86.exe, a virus i had removed with an anti-virus boot cd. (couldn't get into windows at all when i first got to the comp)
i changed it to userinit.exe and problem solved.
vista boots and loads explorer and desktop properly now.
don't know why A/V and malware scans didn't pick this up. ?

anyways, thanx for all the comments. i plan to stick around this forum.

[mjvblue]

Hello! I have the same problem. I've had this problem before, when I have to run explorer.exe at startup, and eventually, I figured out how to put it into the Start Up folder in the registry editor. Last night, I was using my computer fine. The only thing I was doing was using Chrome and After Effects. And I downloaded a video converter. But this morning, I turned it on, and before it even prompted me for my password, a message came up several times. The same one : "C:\Windows\System32\POWERPROF.dll is either not designed to run on Windows or contains an error. Try installing the program again using the original instillation media or contact your system administrator of the software vendor for support."
And every time I try to run explorer.exe using Task Manager, the same message pops up. I can open programs that I know the process name for, like Chrome, which is how I am online now. Please Help Me!