Explorer not responding and cannot restore system

kaski · 07-11-2003, 03:33 AM

I have a problem - when I boot up I get the desktop with all icons etc, but as soon as I try to click on anything I get "explorer not responding". After much deliberation I decided to re-format the pc, but when I used the system restore floppy, nothing happened. It just gets bypassed, and loads windows, which then has the same eplorer problem as before. Any ideas? I presume it is a virus, but how do I get rid of it seiing as I can't get anything to run?

07-11-2003, 05:10 AM

Is the bios set to boot from floppy first?

And welcome to Tech Support Forums...........:D

kaski · 07-11-2003, 05:14 AM

Yes, the system restore is on floppy - it gets as far as floppy found, then "this will erase everything" etc, but when I press YES it takes about 5 seconds and then says completed, even though it has done nothing, then proceeds to load windows - which takes me back to my original difficulty of explorer not responding.

**TheTechIsIn** · 07-11-2003, 04:30 PM

You mean the restore disk is on a CD-ROM correct?

If all you have is the floppy, chances are you need to find the CD that probably goes with it .. last time I checked they couldn't get anything past MS-DOS 3.0 on a single floppy. :)

If you are using a CD, does it give you any errors or show you the progress of the format that is obviously not taking place or?

(If Iv insulted you about the floppy/CDrom thing sorry .. but Iv found that while troubleshooting its best to be simple at first .. IE is the system plugged into the wall, monitor on, etc etc.)

smjsky · 07-22-2003, 08:44 PM

What operating system are you using? Use a Win98 boot disk. Trick: Turn puter off. (Cold BOOT) Put in Win98 boot disk drive A:. turn computer on, start computer with cd rom support. after done you get, A:prompt, remove disk from A:drive, hit ctrl,alt,del=restart. System restored. Of course (after lots clicking and deciding on the hardrive part)
But you have to use a Win95 startup disk to format the drive. If thats what you want to do. Win98 boot disk does NOT have format on it.
Universal DOS disk does but sometimes the sys dont recognize it. If you are using a recovery disk from the manufacturer like Dell Gateway HP or Compac you have to stick the CD in before you turn it off. After you put the CD in and turn it back on it does everything by itself. I think your problem will be solved.
But if you bought a system preloaded with all your friends crap on it GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!

smjsky · 07-22-2003, 08:44 PM

What operating system are you using? Use a Win98 boot disk. Trick: Turn puter off. (Cold BOOT) Put in Win98 boot disk drive A:. turn computer on, start computer with cd rom support. after done you get, A:prompt, remove disk from A:drive, hit ctrl,alt,del=restart. System restored. Of course (after lots clicking and deciding on the hardrive part)
But you have to use a Win95 startup disk to format the drive. If thats what you want to do. Win98 boot disk does NOT have format on it.
Universal DOS disk does but sometimes the sys dont recognize it. If you are using a recovery disk from the manufacturer like Dell Gateway HP or Compac you have to stick the CD in before you turn it off. After you put the CD in and turn it back on it does everything by itself. I think your problem will be solved.
But if you bought a system preloaded with all your friends crap on it GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!

smjsky · 07-22-2003, 08:44 PM

What operating system are you using? Use a Win98 boot disk. Trick: Turn puter off. (Cold BOOT) Put in Win98 boot disk drive A:. turn computer on, start computer with cd rom support. after done you get, A:prompt, remove disk from A:drive, hit ctrl,alt,del=restart. System restored. Of course (after lots clicking and deciding on the hardrive part)
But you have to use a Win95 startup disk to format the drive. If thats what you want to do. Win98 boot disk does NOT have format on it.
Universal DOS disk does but sometimes the sys dont recognize it. If you are using a recovery disk from the manufacturer like Dell Gateway HP or Compac you have to stick the CD in before you turn it off. After you put the CD in and turn it back on it does everything by itself. I think your problem will be solved.
But if you bought a system preloaded with all your friends crap on it GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!

07-22-2003, 09:07 PM

Nice triple post and W98 boot disk does have format on it.

smjsky · 07-24-2003, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SPEEDO
Nice triple post and W98 boot disk does have format on it.

Don't know why it posted 3 times I'm not a clik :D person

smjsky · 07-24-2003, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by smjsky
Don't know why it posted 3 times I'm not a clik :D person

And by the way Win95 boot disk has an easier way to format via A:prompt u don't have to go thru all ERD dos dir crap

07-24-2003, 09:31 PM

That's true but if you fdisk and format with a W95 boot disk you wind up with FAT16 which is pretty useless by todays standards.

smjsky · 07-24-2003, 11:09 PM

Your best bet is to format the drive in DOS when using WIN98 any edition. (ie Upgrade, Full etc...) You can convert to FAT32, W/In the drive utilities after you install the op sys. Win98 is perfectly compatible w/FAT. You just use more space. NT or WIN2000 will not load on FAT32. That is why I suggest using a universal DOS disk or WIN95.

07-25-2003, 07:30 AM

OK back to the original topic..................:D

kaski, could you post what OS you are using and also the brand of computer if it's a name brand. If it uses a restore disk then I'm assuming it must be.

07-11-2003, 03:33 AM	#1 (permalink)
kaski Registered User Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 3 OS: win98	Explorer not responding and cannot restore system I have a problem - when I boot up I get the desktop with all icons etc, but as soon as I try to click on anything I get "explorer not responding". After much deliberation I decided to re-format the pc, but when I used the system restore floppy, nothing happened. It just gets bypassed, and loads windows, which then has the same eplorer problem as before. Any ideas? I presume it is a virus, but how do I get rid of it seiing as I can't get anything to run?

07-11-2003, 04:30 PM	#4 (permalink)
TheTechIsIn Senior Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Roaming the US Posts: 1,693 OS: WinXP & Linux	You mean the restore disk is on a CD-ROM correct? If all you have is the floppy, chances are you need to find the CD that probably goes with it .. last time I checked they couldn't get anything past MS-DOS 3.0 on a single floppy. :) If you are using a CD, does it give you any errors or show you the progress of the format that is obviously not taking place or? (If Iv insulted you about the floppy/CDrom thing sorry .. but Iv found that while troubleshooting its best to be simple at first .. IE is the system plugged into the wall, monitor on, etc etc.) __________________ <-- This Space for Sale -->

07-24-2003, 11:09 PM	#12 (permalink)
smjsky Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: MN Posts: 45 OS: XP Pro	Your best bet is to format the drive in DOS when using WIN98 any edition. (ie Upgrade, Full etc...) You can convert to FAT32, W/In the drive utilities after you install the op sys. Win98 is perfectly compatible w/FAT. You just use more space. NT or WIN2000 will not load on FAT32. That is why I suggest using a universal DOS disk or WIN95. Last edited by smjsky; 07-24-2003 at 11:12 PM.

07-11-2003, 05:10 AM	#2 (permalink)
SPEEDO Guest Posts: n/a OS:	Is the bios set to boot from floppy first? And welcome to Tech Support Forums...........:D

07-11-2003, 05:14 AM	#3 (permalink)
kaski Registered User Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 3 OS: win98	Yes, the system restore is on floppy - it gets as far as floppy found, then "this will erase everything" etc, but when I press YES it takes about 5 seconds and then says completed, even though it has done nothing, then proceeds to load windows - which takes me back to my original difficulty of explorer not responding.

07-22-2003, 08:44 PM	#5 (permalink)
smjsky Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: MN Posts: 45 OS: XP Pro	What operating system are you using? Use a Win98 boot disk. Trick: Turn puter off. (Cold BOOT) Put in Win98 boot disk drive A:. turn computer on, start computer with cd rom support. after done you get, A:prompt, remove disk from A:drive, hit ctrl,alt,del=restart. System restored. Of course (after lots clicking and deciding on the hardrive part) But you have to use a Win95 startup disk to format the drive. If thats what you want to do. Win98 boot disk does NOT have format on it. Universal DOS disk does but sometimes the sys dont recognize it. If you are using a recovery disk from the manufacturer like Dell Gateway HP or Compac you have to stick the CD in before you turn it off. After you put the CD in and turn it back on it does everything by itself. I think your problem will be solved. But if you bought a system preloaded with all your friends crap on it GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!

07-22-2003, 08:44 PM	#6 (permalink)
smjsky Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: MN Posts: 45 OS: XP Pro	What operating system are you using? Use a Win98 boot disk. Trick: Turn puter off. (Cold BOOT) Put in Win98 boot disk drive A:. turn computer on, start computer with cd rom support. after done you get, A:prompt, remove disk from A:drive, hit ctrl,alt,del=restart. System restored. Of course (after lots clicking and deciding on the hardrive part) But you have to use a Win95 startup disk to format the drive. If thats what you want to do. Win98 boot disk does NOT have format on it. Universal DOS disk does but sometimes the sys dont recognize it. If you are using a recovery disk from the manufacturer like Dell Gateway HP or Compac you have to stick the CD in before you turn it off. After you put the CD in and turn it back on it does everything by itself. I think your problem will be solved. But if you bought a system preloaded with all your friends crap on it GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!

07-22-2003, 08:44 PM	#7 (permalink)
smjsky Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: MN Posts: 45 OS: XP Pro	What operating system are you using? Use a Win98 boot disk. Trick: Turn puter off. (Cold BOOT) Put in Win98 boot disk drive A:. turn computer on, start computer with cd rom support. after done you get, A:prompt, remove disk from A:drive, hit ctrl,alt,del=restart. System restored. Of course (after lots clicking and deciding on the hardrive part) But you have to use a Win95 startup disk to format the drive. If thats what you want to do. Win98 boot disk does NOT have format on it. Universal DOS disk does but sometimes the sys dont recognize it. If you are using a recovery disk from the manufacturer like Dell Gateway HP or Compac you have to stick the CD in before you turn it off. After you put the CD in and turn it back on it does everything by itself. I think your problem will be solved. But if you bought a system preloaded with all your friends crap on it GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!

07-22-2003, 09:07 PM	#8 (permalink)
SPEEDO Guest Posts: n/a OS:	Nice triple post and W98 boot disk does have format on it.

07-24-2003, 09:31 PM	#11 (permalink)
SPEEDO Guest Posts: n/a OS:	That's true but if you fdisk and format with a W95 boot disk you wind up with FAT16 which is pretty useless by todays standards.

07-25-2003, 07:30 AM	#13 (permalink)
SPEEDO Guest Posts: n/a OS:	OK back to the original topic..................:D kaski, could you post what OS you are using and also the brand of computer if it's a name brand. If it uses a restore disk then I'm assuming it must be.