explorer.exe will not open

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Guest

I generally use explorer.exe via the Start Button, but recently I cannot get
it to open and even receive an error with a request to support. I ran sfc
/scannow and now I don't get the error, but it still doesn't open.

I have been told to install SP2, but I already have that. Is there a way to
remove/ reinstall SP2? I have already tried going back to a System Restore
point but, for a couple of reasons, had to reset my System Restore, so the
back-ups don't go back far enough.

Can anyone help?

P.S. Perhaps unrelated, perhaps not: I also recently lost my sound. I am
going to install an external sound card but wondered if there would be any
reason to believe that these two developments are related.
 
I generally use explorer.exe via the Start Button


Do you mean with the Run command?

Start | Run | Type: explorer | Click OK?

Or how?

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
You can do it with Run -- but if you right-click on START, Explore is one of
the options, and the one I use most often. But explorer.exe doesn't open via
Run either. I could send a screenshot of the error but it is totally
generic. The error in Event Viewer>Applications is, I believe, Error 1000
explorer.exe (I am not on my home PC right now....could send it to you if
that would help).

Thanks.
 
Right clicking the Start button and selecting Explore should open the
C:\Documents and Settings\Your Name Here\Start Menu folder with the folders
pane showing.

If the error you get is "Windows Explorer has encountered a problem and
needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience", then see this.

Right-click is slow or weird behavior caused by context menu handlers
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/slowrightclick.htm

Five'll get ya ten, that you have a messed up context menu handler and it's
something that has been added to the Start button context menu.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
I went through the ShelExView and disabled each, then tried to right-click
the Start button. I got the same error in many cases but, in some cases, a
slightly different error (e.g., one error still said "Windows Explorer Has
encountered a problem and
needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience" but there was no offer to send an Error Report. I did NOT try restarting each time.....was I supposed to?
Click to expand...

I also tried the other options that are available when you right-click on
the Start button and all worked fine except Explore (the one we're talking
about) and Explore All Users. I also went to C:\Windows and tried to execute
explorer.exe and it would not execute.
 
Greg,

You navigated to C:\Windows and double clicked on explorer.exe or right
clicked it and selected Open and nothing happened?

Usually that opens the My Documents folder.

Try the following.

Start | Run | Type: explorer | Click OK

What happens?

Start | Run | Type: explorer.exe | Click OK

What happens?

Start | Run | Type: explorer.exe /e,c: | Click OK

What happens?

Paste the following line into Start | Run and click OK...

C:\WINDOWS\explorer.exe

What happens?

Paste the following line into Start | Run and click OK...

C:\WINDOWS\system32\dllcache\explorer.exe

What happens?

Paste the following line into Start | Run and click OK...

C:\WINDOWS\ServicePackFiles\i386\explorer.exe

What happens?

Did any of the above work?

The ServicePackFiles folder only exists if you have upgraded to XP SP1 or XP
SP2 and they were not included in the original install and the SP1 or SP2
upgrade was done by downloading it from Microsoft. If the Service Pack is
installed by means of a CD-ROM or a distribution share, the ServicePackFiles
folder is not created. Same for slipstreaming a Service Pack.

C:\WINDOWS\ServicePackFiles\i386 is used instead of
C:\WINDOWS\system32\dllcache
for Windows File Protection.

C:\WINDOWS\ServicePackFiles\i386 contains the most recently updated service
pack files.

If you do not have a ServicePackFiles folder than
C:\WINDOWS\system32\dllcache is used for Windows File Protection.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
I didn't try the latest suggestions because I remembered that I had had
issues with my ThinkPad at work when I upgraded to IE 7 and that, by simply
uninstalling that update, my problems went away. So I removed that an,
voila, I have my explorer functions back in all User Accounts.

Now I am trying to find out why I lost my sound......I've done all of the
regular checks (volume/mute) for my onboard SoundMax audio and can't find
anything abnormal. Maybe I'll uninstall WMP11 to see if that helps....I
swear, by trying to keep totally up-to-date with Microsoft stuff I have more
problems! (not that I would ignore a security update, but some of the others
like IE7, WMP upgrades, etc. have often caused problems (at least the issue
seemed to corrolate.....).

Anyway, thanks for all of your time.
 
Hi Greg,

Glad you got the explorer.exe problem taken care of.

As near as I can tell, IE7 is a POS, so is WMP11. That's just my opinion.
I use IE6 and I will not have WIE7. I recently upgraded to WMP 10 and that
was a mistake. ;-)

Top 10 Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
Click on the ? Icon to Expand
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/top10faqs.htm

Click on...
[?] Where did my Sounds go?

Resources for Troubleshooting Sound Problems in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307918

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
Thanks again, Wes. I sincerely appreciate your time and quick responses. I
am going to go back to WMP 9 and see if my sound returns. I'll also go to
the link you sent on sound issues.

Take care.

Greg
------------------

Wesley Vogel said:
Hi Greg,

Glad you got the explorer.exe problem taken care of.

As near as I can tell, IE7 is a POS, so is WMP11. That's just my opinion.
I use IE6 and I will not have WIE7. I recently upgraded to WMP 10 and that
was a mistake. ;-)

Top 10 Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
Click on the ? Icon to Expand
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/top10faqs.htm

Click on...
[?] Where did my Sounds go?

Resources for Troubleshooting Sound Problems in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307918

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
Greg Carter said:
I didn't try the latest suggestions because I remembered that I had had
issues with my ThinkPad at work when I upgraded to IE 7 and that, by
simply uninstalling that update, my problems went away. So I removed
that an, voila, I have my explorer functions back in all User Accounts.

Now I am trying to find out why I lost my sound......I've done all of the
regular checks (volume/mute) for my onboard SoundMax audio and can't find
anything abnormal. Maybe I'll uninstall WMP11 to see if that helps....I
swear, by trying to keep totally up-to-date with Microsoft stuff I have
more problems! (not that I would ignore a security update, but some of
the others like IE7, WMP upgrades, etc. have often caused problems (at
least the issue seemed to corrolate.....).

Anyway, thanks for all of your time.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
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