Explorer.exe won't run

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

OK, this one has be stumped. This is my neighbors pc, he has only one
account set up, the administrator account has been set to limited, he has not
installed SP2. I have run all the usual utilities, i.e. full virus scan with
both Norton and AVG (not simultaneously), adaware, spybot, online at Panda,
and Hijackthis, all are clean. Machine boots to login (XP Home SP1) and
accepts password but only goes as far as the background. There are no
desktop icons and the tray does not show. All I can do is use task manager
to launch items from the command prompt. I am not at the machine now and
won't be until later this evening. I have tried replacing the explorer.exe
file currently on the machine with one from the install cd and this has not
worked. Explorer.exe just will not run. Any ideas at all abot what I may be
missing?
--
_________________
Regards,
Crash Override, MCP

 

[Malke]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

Crash Override, MCP wrote:

> OK, this one has be stumped. This is my neighbors pc, he has only one
> account set up, the administrator account has been set to limited, he
> has not
> installed SP2. I have run all the usual utilities, i.e. full virus
> scan with both Norton and AVG (not simultaneously), adaware, spybot,
> online at Panda,
> and Hijackthis, all are clean. Machine boots to login (XP Home SP1)
> and
> accepts password but only goes as far as the background. There are no
> desktop icons and the tray does not show. All I can do is use task
> manager
> to launch items from the command prompt. I am not at the machine now
> and
> won't be until later this evening. I have tried replacing the
> explorer.exe file currently on the machine with one from the install
> cd and this has not
> worked. Explorer.exe just will not run. Any ideas at all abot what I
> may be missing?

What do you mean "the administrator account has been set to limited"? Do
you mean the normally hidden fail-safe Administrator account? Or the
end user's account with administrative privileges?

If the latter, go into Safe Mode and log onto the fail-safe
Administrator account. In XP Home, the default password is blank. Then
go to the User Accounts applet in Control Panel and create a new user
account for your friend. Log into that account. If all is well, copy
over your friend's data to his new account and delete the old one which
has probably become corrupted.

Copy a User Account -
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=811151

If the situation is otherwise, then post back with complete details for
more help.

Malke
--
MS-MVP Windows User/Shell
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic"

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

Malke,
Thanks for the reply. I mean exactly what I posted, the administrator
account has been somehow set to a limited account. This is something I
believe he has done in error or it was done via some infection I am not
seeing. Safe mode yields the same result, no icons and the administrator
account is non-functional. The only useable account is the one he uses. I
have even attempted to create additional accounts and they too produce no
icons. I am suspecting the default user profile has become corrupt along
with the explorer.exe file. I am not ruling out a complete re-install, but
am just curious as to a possibility of getting the box back functioning
without one.

PS,
As you and I both know, the administrator account should not be blank.
During the install, the installer is prompted to set a password and more
often than not, the installer neglects to set a password.
--
_________________
Regards,
Crash Override, MCP


"Malke" wrote:

> Crash Override, MCP wrote:
>
> > OK, this one has be stumped. This is my neighbors pc, he has only one
> > account set up, the administrator account has been set to limited, he
> > has not
> > installed SP2. I have run all the usual utilities, i.e. full virus
> > scan with both Norton and AVG (not simultaneously), adaware, spybot,
> > online at Panda,
> > and Hijackthis, all are clean. Machine boots to login (XP Home SP1)
> > and
> > accepts password but only goes as far as the background. There are no
> > desktop icons and the tray does not show. All I can do is use task
> > manager
> > to launch items from the command prompt. I am not at the machine now
> > and
> > won't be until later this evening. I have tried replacing the
> > explorer.exe file currently on the machine with one from the install
> > cd and this has not
> > worked. Explorer.exe just will not run. Any ideas at all abot what I
> > may be missing?
>
> What do you mean "the administrator account has been set to limited"? Do
> you mean the normally hidden fail-safe Administrator account? Or the
> end user's account with administrative privileges?
>
> If the latter, go into Safe Mode and log onto the fail-safe
> Administrator account. In XP Home, the default password is blank. Then
> go to the User Accounts applet in Control Panel and create a new user
> account for your friend. Log into that account. If all is well, copy
> over your friend's data to his new account and delete the old one which
> has probably become corrupted.
>
> Copy a User Account -
> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=811151
>
> If the situation is otherwise, then post back with complete details for
> more help.
>
> Malke
> --
> MS-MVP Windows User/Shell
> Elephant Boy Computers
> www.elephantboycomputers.com
> "Don't Panic"
>