windows explorer has stopped working during loading

[Computernerd22]

I have a Dell Vostro 200 series desktop computer. When I turn on my computer it goes to the welcome screen to select which user account to log into. I click on my username and the welcome screen appears then it loads into the desktop without icons only a (taskbar) at the bottom.

The system will immediaetly show an error message *Windows Explorer has stopped working* only option is to hit 'close program button. Then it brings up problem reports and solutions then it goes directly to a *black screen only displaying a mouse cursor. No taskbar, no icons. All help is greatly appreciated.

[HYBR|D]

try pressing the windows logo key and R then type in the run box explorer.exe

see if that reloads, if not bring up the task manager via CTRL ALT DEL then click the File :> New Task and typing in explorer.exe

[wiskic10_4]

Hey Computernerd22!

What caused it to do that do you think?

Can you boot into Safe Mode? Or does the same thing happen?

Does it happen in the other accounts?

If you can boot into Safe Mode, I would disable everything in Startup and under Services (after hiding all Microsoft services) via msconfig, and then see if it boots up.

If you can't boot into Safe Mode, what about Safe Mode w/ Command Prompt? If you can get there, you can do a system restore from the command line. Just type %systemroot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe

If you can't even do that, I would pull the HDD and back up all of your stuff to DVD, thumbdrive or an HDD via another computer, then put the HDD back and perform a re-installation.

But what's important is why this happened to begin with. Please answer the questions above so that we may better assist you.

[nihil]

Hi there CN22,

Happy New Year to you mate!

AFAIK a Vostro is a pretty new business computer from Dell? what operating system?............... I would have guessed Vista or 7???

I have just spent several hours trying to get my Vista box to talk to my home network, and was getting the exact same message about Explorer stopping working!.........it seemed to be something to do with the USB wireless adapter not liking my Telco/ISP???

Is your Vostro attached to a network? If it is, do you get the same message if you try to boot it as a stand alone box?............I guess that is a similar question to wiskic's one about safe mode?

Are you getting any messages in the System Logs?

// off topic//

What happened with that A+ project you were doing?

//


Cheers

EDIT:

What I am suggesting is that the cause may be nothing apparently to do with Explorer..........like my USB wireless adapter?

Have you tried it with no peripherals attached, and with a different keyboard & mouse? Also can you try the keyboard and mouse on another machine?

If your Vostro has an independent video card, you might check that you have the latest drivers.......particularly if the card wasn't supplied with the machine.

I will have finished working on these two XP boxes shortly, so I can reconnect my Vista Home Premium machine and see if I got any Windows Explorer log messages when I was having problems with my USB wireless adapter.

[Computernerd22]

What caused it to do that do you think?

Can you boot into Safe Mode? Or does the same thing happen?

Does it happen in the other accounts?

What caused it I do not know. I download from trusted sites aswell as scan all downloads with AV software before I open it. This has been an ongoing issue for about 8 months now. I just sign in my girlfriends name and user her account.

However, to answer your question I tried booting into safe mode I get to the desktop with safe mode being displayed in all four corners but no icons, no desktop, no taskbar just the same error message. windows.explorer

All the other accounts are fine on this sytem total of 3. What up Nihil Happy belated New year to you.

I am using CAT5 on a home network. Centurylink as the provider, and running a wireless Linksys router wrt54g firmware 5.0xxx (i think) I never had any issues before I am running windows vista home basic.


I will open the task manager and run internet explorer from their and it tells me to go to the windows update website. But when I click on the link it doesn't work nor does it work going through google. It is telling me to go through start, all programs, then windows update.

All help is greatly appreciated.

On a side note Nihil I am taking A(+) software 2 (there are 2 parts first is the hardware second is software) I will get my certification sometime in May if I pass. the exam. It is two eleven week courses.

[wiskic10_4]

If you're able to log in w/ your girlfriend's account, I would just delete your account and create a new one. I'd back up your personal files (i.e. Documents, Pictures, Music, etc.) to somewhere else first, of course.

[chaosclown]

Hi there,

I've had a similar problem with a client of mine. It actually turned out to be a nasty little worm. The antivirus picked it up and got rid of it, however it corrupted some files on its way out. I did a reformat just to be on the safe side.

[Computernerd22]

If you're able to log in w/ your girlfriend's account, I would just delete your account and create a new one. I'd back up your personal files (i.e. Documents, Pictures, Music, etc.) to somewhere else first, of course.

That is just it. I am trying to resolve the issue without having to reformat the machine or delete the account. Only reason I say this because I don't have anyway to backup my machine under that username. No thumbdrive, no external hdd, no blank cd or dvd etc...

Hi there,

I've had a similar problem with a client of mine. It actually turned out to be a nasty little worm. The antivirus picked it up and got rid of it, however it corrupted some files on its way out. I did a reformat just to be on the safe side.

I almost suspected some type of malicious software on the system but I scanned my system with rookit revelear, nothing found. With AVG (with AV signatures) up-to-date hijack-this and malwarebytes anti malware and nothing was found. So besides deleteing the username name and starting over or reformating the machine) is their anything else I could try to see if this would work. PS; tried system restore (no luck) surprised there.

[westin]

Couldn't you just log in as an admin user, copy the files over to another location, delete and then recreate the account, and then move the files back into the user's home folder?

[wiskic10_4]

Couldn't you just log in as an admin user, copy the files over to another location, delete and then recreate the account, and then move the files back into the user's home folder?

+1

Just make a folder called C:\Temp or something and put all your crap in there, delete the faulty account and create a new one. Easy as pie. How is it that you're not able to do that?

[edit] All your crap is under C:\Users\Username If you can't copy b/c of permissions issues, use something like Knoppix or log in as admin.