Windows Explorer Fails upon startup

K

Kman

When I startup my Dell Latitude C600, windows explorer fails after it
gets past the logon screen. I have tried to restart win explorer, but
when I do it shuts back down. What is the problem?
 
B

Brian A.

Can you boot to Safe Mode? To get to Safe Mode boot the machine and
continually tap F8 once you see either the POST or manufacturers logo. F8 will
get you to the startup menu where you can select Safe Mode.
 
K

Kman

Brian said:
Can you boot to Safe Mode? To get to Safe Mode boot the machine and
continually tap F8 once you see either the POST or manufacturers logo. F8 will
get you to the startup menu where you can select Safe Mode.
Click to expand...
Yes, I can. But it doesnt help. also, my cd drive doest work, so I cant
use the xp CD.
 
B

Brian A.

Kman said:
Yes, I can. But it doesnt help. also, my cd drive doest work, so I cant
use the xp CD.
Click to expand...

What happens when you boot to Safe Mode? Does Explorer shut down or are you
able to get around?

If you can work in Safe Mode have a look in Event Viewer to see if there are
any error entries. Double click on an entry to see the details of the error
which may have a link with a possible resolution, of course any clickable link
won't get you to the page unless you boot to Safe Mode w/network support.

If no joy there, see:
How to perform a clean boot in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310353/en-us

How to perform advanced clean-boot troubleshooting in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/316434/en-us

How to troubleshoot by using the System Configuration utility in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310560/en-us


As for the CD drive you mention not working, has it gone south or is it not
working at the moment? If it is still on the north side check your BIOS and set
the CD drive to be detected before the HD in the boot order.

If it has gone south and you have a floppy drive, see:
Windows XP Professional Utility: Setup Disks for Floppy Boot Install
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...db-5039-4955-bcb7-4fed408ea73f&DisplayLang=en
 
K

Kman

Brian said:
What happens when you boot to Safe Mode? Does Explorer shut down or are you
able to get around?

If you can work in Safe Mode have a look in Event Viewer to see if there are
any error entries. Double click on an entry to see the details of the error
which may have a link with a possible resolution, of course any clickable link
won't get you to the page unless you boot to Safe Mode w/network support.

If no joy there, see:
How to perform a clean boot in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310353/en-us

How to perform advanced clean-boot troubleshooting in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/316434/en-us

How to troubleshoot by using the System Configuration utility in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310560/en-us


As for the CD drive you mention not working, has it gone south or is it not
working at the moment? If it is still on the north side check your BIOS and set
the CD drive to be detected before the HD in the boot order.

If it has gone south and you have a floppy drive, see:
Windows XP Professional Utility: Setup Disks for Floppy Boot Install
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...db-5039-4955-bcb7-4fed408ea73f&DisplayLang=en

When I boot in safe mode, explorer automatically shuts down. And the cd drive, when my laptop worked before explorer shut down, it just didnt read it. I dont have an internal floppy drive.

--

Brian A. Sesko { MS MVP_Shell/User }
Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://basconotw.mvps.org/
Click to expand...
 
K

Kman

When I do boot in safe mode, explorer shuts down automatically. Before
explorer shut down on me, my laptop showed that there was a
configuration problem with my cd drive. I am making a setup disk to try
to fix my copy of xp, from another computer. I dont have an internal
floppy drive though, so I have to find an external.
 
B

Brian A.

You mention a config problem with it before Explorer shut down, remove it and
see if the issue persists or not. If it doesn't help, follow the instructions
in the link I provided to restore to an earlier date via Safe Mode Command
Prompt. Or does that bomb as well?

--

Brian A. Sesko { MS MVP_Shell/User }
Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://basconotw.mvps.org/

Suggested posting do's/don'ts: http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375
 
K

Kman

The problem was, there was a registry issue with it, I am making the
setup disks from your above link, so hopefully it works. I can get into
the command prompt, but explorer still shuts down. Would reformating
the hard drive help, and how can I do that without a cd, my removable
floppy drive works, so a floppy disk would work, if the setup disks
dont.
 
B

Brian A.

Whoa, slow down a minute, we both jumped the gun.

First off, if you're creating the set of XP Pro Setup floppy disk, you never
mentioned which version you have installed. If you have XP Home installed the
disks won't work, you must use the ones for Home. Each version has their own
set that only works for that version. Also, both sets do not perform a repair
install, they perform a new clean install. I haven't used them nor looked at
what the contents are so I don't know if they'll even work for restore, my
thoughts tell me no.

Secondly, it's not clear to me if you can get to the command prompt without
crashing or not. Did you try to restore from a command prompt?
Type at the command prompt:
%systemroot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe and press Enter.
Follow the prompts.


--

Brian A. Sesko { MS MVP_Shell/User }
Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://basconotw.mvps.org/

Suggested posting do's/don'ts: http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375
 
K

Kman

Yes, I can get to the restore, but when I do, there are no restore
points. I have XP Home.
 
K

Kman

Yes, I can get to the restore, but when I do, there are no restore
points. I have XP Home.
 
K

Kman

Yes, I can get to the restore, but when I do, there are no restore
points. I have XP Home.
 
B

Brian A.

Kman said:
Yes, I can get to the restore, but when I do, there are no restore
points. I have XP Home.
Click to expand...

Crapola! Have you removed the CD drive to see if it helps you to boot to at
least Safe Mode without crashimng? If you don't crash, then the CD drive can be
removed from within Device Manager, then on a reboot it will be redetected and
reinstalled. Otherwise a format/reinstall may be the way to go from the floppy
setup disks.
Windows XP Home Edition Utility: Setup Disks for Floppy Boot Install
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...68-6e4f-471c-b455-bd5afee126d8&DisplayLang=en

Windows XP Home Edition with Service Pack 1 Utility: Setup Disks for Floppy Boot
Install
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...fc-695f-43e5-af05-719f45c382a4&DisplayLang=en

Windows XP Home Edition with Service Pack 1a Utility: Setup Disks for Floppy
Boot Install
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...33-7773-4f59-bd90-63cacb89ac4e&DisplayLang=en


--

Brian A. Sesko { MS MVP_Shell/User }
Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://basconotw.mvps.org/

Suggested posting do's/don'ts: http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375
 
K

Kman

I got my hard drive reformated and ready to install the OS, but the
setup disks I made keep telling me that a file is corrupted. I am going
to keep trying to do it. Is there a win 2000 setup disk utility?
 
B

Brian A.

If you reformatted then the registry should be wiped as well, does the CD
drive still not work? Can't you reinstall from the CD?

To see if there is a W2K setup utility, go to one of the links provided and do a
search by typing your search term in the right input box at the top of the page.
The search term "windows 2000" without quotes has approx 976 results, which at
the moment I'm not ready to search thru page x page.

--

Brian A. Sesko { MS MVP_Shell/User }
Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://basconotw.mvps.org/

Suggested posting do's/don'ts: http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375
 

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