explorer.exe Problem

[MatiasZ]

I have a system I need to fix for a friend of mine, which is acting very weird (the system ). After starting the system, I get to the XP login screen, and after I enter the username and password, I get to a blank desktop, where all I can see is the background image, but no icons nor windows nor anything. However, if after this state I press CTRL+ALT+DEL and select New Task... -> 'explorer', the explorer process opens up and everything is 'normal' again, meaning I can use the PC and everything works as it should.

I cannot find anywhere in the system where this might have gotten disabled, so if anyone has any clue on where to look for enabling the explorer task at boot again or has seen this before, please let me know

Regards,

Matias

 

[Frank]

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon has the string value named "shell", which holds "explorer.exe". This is what is started after Windows has finished loading.

If the value is there, your computer tries to load some other stuff first, and gets into a loop. That would be spyware. You could check and remove that through hijackthis.de.

 

[MatiasZ]

Thanks!! I'll check it out and let you know

 

[MatiasZ]

Well, I've searched for the registry string and is there, and I've removed any spyware the system had with Microsoft AntiSpyware and Adaware and checked the system with Registry Fixer, uninstalled any unwanted software and even antivirus software, disabled any unused services and EVERYTHING from the startup. I still can't get explorer.exe process to open by itself.

The system does not have SP2 installed, but I don't want to install it unless I'm sure I'm not going to break it, and considering the current situation, I'm not 100% sure. Any ideas or comments?? Please?

 

[Tahir2]

With a problem like this I take a different approach..

1. back up any important work and documents for the friend/customer if asked to
2. repair install of Windows
3. if this doesn't work format and repair or use of customer/friends recovery CD

Prlbem with spyware/malware/trojans/viruses is that they can add and change settings, install other programs and I would never be 100% sure of a system that has been infected.

Also it is worth noting that hardly anyone will support software to the level you are doing right now. It is too time consuming and the end result is a working system that you are sure of not to get the customer back to where he was before the infection (which in itself was not a good place to be at anyway).

Once repaired/fixed install A/V and anti spyware programs and educate friend/customer.

Advice is not specific to your problem but it will fix it and hopefully get the system back to the customer/friend quicker and in better shape.