Windows explorer.exe missing.

[Hikki_Passion]

Ok, wow, so my computer decided that for some reason the explorer.exe file was a virus and decided to delete it. Now I have no desktop, no taskbar, no icons, NO WINDOWS EXPLORER!! I don't want to reboot my computer because I don't have a backup of all the info on my comp! I tried everything, from regedit to downloading adaware to registry mechanic, but I don't know how to get my explorer back! I am currently using my Task manger to open all my file (ex. Firefox, ITunes, photoshop etc.). I also didn't get a cd because my laptop came installed with Windows XP home edition, but I know that there is a cd image on the comp, so that is not an issue.

Can someone please help me?

[jbennet]

go to run and type:

sfc /scannow

SFC (system file check) will check for modified / deleted system files and will replace core windows files like explorer.exe with ones from either a safe place where windows keeps them, or from the CD, if it finds they are missing/modified.

You may be asked for your CD if it detects that the ones in the safe place have been modified
by a virus too.

I also didn't get a cd

if it does ask you for a cd (which it may not) , you dont need your personal one. Just one of the same service pack and edition, so you can borrow a friends if need be.

[Hikki_Passion]

go to run and type:

sfc /scannow

SFC (system file check) will check for modified / deleted system files and will replace core windows files like explorer.exe with ones from either a safe place where windows keeps them, or from the CD, if it finds they are missing/modified.

You may be asked for your CD if it detects that the ones in the safe place have been modified
by a virus too.

if it does ask you for a cd (which it may not) , you dont need your personal one. Just one of the same service pack and edition, so you can borrow a friends if need be.

It won't replace any files will it? Apart from the missing one, i mean.

[purvansh]

Hi I had the same problem but my start button and my icons and everything except my backgrund pic is there is gone. I am currently using task manager to go into Internet explorer. I need help real bad!!!! I dont know the run code to put in task manager

[caperjack]

Hi I had the same problem but my start button and my icons and everything except my backgrund pic is there is gone. I am currently using task manager to go into Internet explorer. I need help real bad!!!! I dont know the run code to put in task manager

this might help ,i found it by typing "how to use task manager " in to google search .
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/323527

[purvansh]

I looked at it but it doesn't tell me what the code is for the run command on the start menu because my icons and start menu is all gone!!! pls help anyone

[jbennet]

push control alt delete to get into task manager
go into the processes tab
close explorer.exe if its running (might not be)

go to file ->run in task manager and type "explorer"

see if that helps you get a desktop.

[caperjack]

go to windows task manager and a the bottom click new task,this is the same as the run command line

[purvansh]

I have tried that a million times but no reply. I believe that my explorer.exe file is gone. I will try to find a copy of Windows on my computer to reboot it. Strange thing was that i had installed a legal version of Norton Antivirus 2008 on my computer to get rid of viruses that were attacking my computer. When i read my History of items found as viruses, I saw explorer.exe as a threat about three times. But i didnt think much about it. Whe n i turned on my comp. the next day, Nothing was showing except my background pic. Then i thought if i went to task manager and typed in "EXPLORER.EXE" it would work. But it said error explorer.exe could not be located or something like that. I guess Norton had thought it was a threat and had deleted it. Maybe it WAS actually infected. Who knows. Anyways i am trying to get a Window Professional Edition CD for my comp. since it already is a professional version. If anyone has Home or Professional copy stored on their comp, Could you pls send it to me at [e-mail]. Thanx and it would be greatly appreciated.

Purvansh

[purvansh]

Guys never mind about the file of copy. I got a solution. Go to your friends comp. and in Windows folder in the C:/ Drive. In that there will be 3 explorer types. Take your removable hard drive and copy the one with the Computer moniter as the icon. Go back to your computer and paste it in the same windows file. Then with task manager, open New Task... and type in explorer.exe and voila!!! it will work. If you have tried to do system restore, It will pop up saying that it has failed. Just press close. Done!!!!

[jbennet]

thats exactly what SFC does

[tamic]

almost the same problem here guys...but the only difference is, it pops in out and out. I think its not missing but unstable...
any suggestion will be appreciated..:)

[purvansh]

thats exactly what SFC does

Who is SFC?

[caperjack]

Who is SFC?

no who is what is .
sfc is ,system file checker.
it replaces /repairs missing and corrupt windows system file .
to do so go to start/run and type in sfc /scannow . note there is a space between c and /

[purvansh]

no who is what is .
sfc is ,system file checker.
it replaces /repairs missing and corrupt windows system file .
to do so go to start/run and type in spc /scannow . note there is a space between c and /

Oh ok. Same thing except a bit more complicated. I got a laptop and i am using Vista. Thanks anyways.

[caperjack]

Oh ok. Same thing except a bit more complicated. I got a laptop and i am using Vista. Thanks anyways.

how is that complicated ! and more complicated that what!

[purvansh]

how is that complicated ! and more complicated that what!

Never mind. This is going to be a long thread if we keep typign small notes and stuff. Ok.

[caperjack]

gottcha

[LordReserei]

this happened to me before although sfc /scannow didn't like me that much and would never work, <snipped>

good luck and I hope this helps =)

[jbennet]

dont post links to download it. explorer.exe is a part of windows and is copyrighted microsoft software and is not to be distributed without permission

[AlexChongKee]

THANK YOU SIR THANK YOU!!!! IVE BEEN WITH THIS DUMB THING USING WINRAR AS MY EXPLORER BUT U FIXED IT!!!! never open any file named Keygen.exe without scanning it first. It replaces your explorer.exe thing with a dumb ver which makes ur taskbar and icons disapper THANK YOU AGAIN I copied the explorer files from my old installation of windows on my other hardrive!!

Guys never mind about the file of copy. I got a solution. Go to your friends comp. and in Windows folder in the C:/ Drive. In that there will be 3 explorer types. Take your removable hard drive and copy the one with the Computer moniter as the icon. Go back to your computer and paste it in the same windows file. Then with task manager, open New Task... and type in explorer.exe and voila!!! it will work. If you have tried to do system restore, It will pop up saying that it has failed. Just press close. Done!!!!

[jbennet]

well its your fault for using a keygen. 99% of such things are malware...

[victor orodi]

best antivirus are the ones which quarantine an infected file and you delete by yourself like Avira.if you had run an antivirus before this problem started then there is your problem,you go to the task manager and it tells you cannot find explorer.exe,the antivirus you ran probably detected explorer.exe as a virus and it is quarantined that is if you did not remove it thats why windows wont start,antivirus have a way of interfering with registry that has been infected by virus.if your task manager works(ctrl +alt+delete) then go to browse get to your antivirus look for the scanned files and if you see explore.exe then there you go.restore it to system32 found on windows by right cliking on it.
Restart your computer,go to task manager - new task- then type explorer.exe
Hope it helps.by victor orodi

[jbennet]

best antivirus are the ones which quarantine an infected file and you delete by yourself like Avira.if you had run an antivirus before this problem started then there is your problem,you go to the task manager and it tells you cannot find explorer.exe,the antivirus you ran probably detected explorer.exe as a virus and it is quarantined that is if you did not remove it thats why windows wont start,antivirus have a way of interfering with registry that has been infected by virus.if your task manager works(ctrl +alt+delete) then go to browse get to your antivirus look for the scanned files and if you see explore.exe then there you go.restore it to system32 found on windows by right cliking on it.
Restart your computer,go to task manager - new task- then type explorer.exe
Hope it helps.by victor orodi

This thread is from 2009, man.

[rawjesh]

im also had the same problme just download the explorer .exe and past in windows than it will work....
just use the sit
http://downloadinformer.blogspot.in/2011/11/how-to-recover-explorerexe.html

byeeeee

[liz k]

Open windows task manager (alt-ctr-delete) and then file - create new task -type in explorer and your icons will all reappear. I just lost mine and tried that and it worked!

[khalil0302]

i got a problem over here. im done doing this step--->
1. CTRL-Alt-Del to bring up Task Manager.
2. Click File | New Task(run).
3. Type regedit in the Run box and click OK.
4. Browse to the following registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution.options

1. Under this key there will be subkeys named explorer.exe and iexplorer.exe. Delete the explorer and iexplorer keys entirely. They should not be listed under the Image File Execution.Options key.
2. Close the Registry Editor.
3. Restart the computer.

even this--->
1. open task manager
2. look for explorer.exe
3. end task "explorer.exe" (if there is)
4. file - new task (run) "explorer.exe"
and its working....

but when i restart/shutdown my computer, its back to black screen.
i need to do remove and replace the explorer.exe all over again just to open/use my computer. how can explorer.exe stays working on my task manager?

please help. i dont know how to fix this hope you guys can help. thanks

[gerbil]

It seems as if you are missing a registry key which launches the explorer shell. You can paste the line below into the Start, Run window, or alternatively, into a cmd window, and press Enter - it will add/correct the respective entry in your registry. The change will be apparent at your next system startup.

reg add "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\WinLogon" /v Shell /t REG_SZ /d explorer.exe /f