Explorer.exe replaced on boot

[Alan C]

Problem: xp boots past the login screen, but doesn't display any icons,
taskbar or start button. I enter ctrl/alt/del and select task manager - new
task, then try to run explorer.exe - I get 'cannot find....path not
found...etc'.

If I then run cmd prompt, I can change to c:\windows and dir for explorer -
it's there but size is 1008640 bytes. I rename it to .old and run sfc which
puts
explorer.exe back - size 1004032 bytes. Now new task - explorer.exe loads
my desktop icons, taskbar, and everything else. This is fine until I
reboot, and then the problem recurs. Each time explorer.exe is replaced
with the bigger file.

I have run latest av, spybot, adaware, etc and deleted a load of nasties,
which I am sure caused the problem in the first place, but may have left
some residue.

Any ideas as to which reg keys, etc are responsible? or any other
suggestions?



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[Guest]

I back up my entire system to DVD-R discs regularly, so I can recover from
such an event easily without reformatting and reinstalling everything.

If you don't have a restorable backup and System Restore or a repair
installtion of XP doesn't work, you'll probably have to reformat and
reinstall everything.

Using the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard could make things easier.

See this page on using the Wizard:

http://www.pcbuyerbeware.co.uk/Files_and_Settings_Transfer.htm

Eric,
PC Buyer Beware!
http://www.pcbuyerbeware.co.uk/

 

[David H. Lipman]

From: "Alan C" <[email protected]>

| Problem: xp boots past the login screen, but doesn't display any icons,
| taskbar or start button. I enter ctrl/alt/del and select task manager - new
| task, then try to run explorer.exe - I get 'cannot find....path not
| found...etc'.
|
| If I then run cmd prompt, I can change to c:\windows and dir for explorer -
| it's there but size is 1008640 bytes. I rename it to .old and run sfc which
| puts
| explorer.exe back - size 1004032 bytes. Now new task - explorer.exe loads
| my desktop icons, taskbar, and everything else. This is fine until I
| reboot, and then the problem recurs. Each time explorer.exe is replaced
| with the bigger file.
|
| I have run latest av, spybot, adaware, etc and deleted a load of nasties,
| which I am sure caused the problem in the first place, but may have left
| some residue.
|
| Any ideas as to which reg keys, etc are responsible? or any other
| suggestions?
|

Download MULTI_AV.EXE from the URL --
http://www.ik-cs.com/programs/virtools/Multi_AV.exe

To use this utility, perform the following...
Execute; Multi_AV.exe { Note: You must use the default folder C:\AV-CLS }
Choose; Unzip
Choose; Close

Execute; C:\AV-CLS\StartMenu.BAT
{ or Double-click on 'Start Menu' in C:\AV-CLS }

NOTE: You may have to disable your software FireWall or allow WGET.EXE to go through your
FireWall to allow it to download the needed AV vendor related files.

C:\AV-CLS\StartMenu.BAT -- { or Double-click on 'Start Menu' in C:\AV-CLS}
This will bring up the initial menu of choices and should be executed in Normal Mode.
This way all the components can be downloaded from each AV vendor's web site.
The choices are; Sophos, Trend, McAfee, Kaspersky, Exit this menu and Reboot the PC.

You can choose to go to each menu item and just download the needed files or you can
download the files and perform a scan in Normal Mode. Once you have downloaded the files
needed for each scanner you want to use, you should reboot the PC into Safe Mode [F8 key
during boot] and re-run the menu again and choose which scanner you want to run in Safe
Mode. It is suggested to run the scanners in both Safe Mode and Normal Mode.

When the menu is displayed hitting 'H' or 'h' will bring up a more comprehensive PDF help
file.


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