Squppy

Don't ask me why, but I managed to remove explorer.exe from my startup programs...


Every time I boot up I have to manually start a new process named "explorer.exe" to enable my interface.

Is there a way to add explorer.exe back to my start up programs?

jamiemac2005

lol, if thats true then a simple workaround would be to check to see if its still in the startup items (but not checked)...

have you checked the startup items in msconfig to see if the entry is still in there?
i assume you know how to do that if you disabled it... but if not then (run-> msconfig.exe) and in the startup tab see if its there but unchecked... what was the process you went by to remove it? that could help us understand the situation...

p.s. innapropriate thread title, if you want serious help i advise you use the title as something to describe the problem in.

Alternatively run regedit.exe and locate the key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

study it, and add a key accordingly (i dont know wether this will work etc. sorry i ahvent tried it)

Be warned changing your registry can mess up your computer...

l_b_rex

NOTE: Always backup your registry before modifying it!

File->export and save it wherever you like.

If something goes wrong just double click your backup file and say yes to reinstall that old registry.

Leticron

If you don't want to mess with the registry, just use the "old fashioned" methode: put a shortcut to c:\windows\explorer.exe in your startup folder ;)

-le

jamiemac2005

Leticron, just out of curiosity (because i dont know myself) if understand correctly the startup folder item's are loaded last? Does explorer.exe have to be running before they're loaded?
sorry, i've just always thought they were loaded with explorer.exe

i haven't ever read into it, do you know?

Leticron

To be honest, jamiemac....I didn't try it out...it was just a "shot from the hip" since, even if it doesn't work, you can't mess anything up that way.
Under Xp there used to be an "Shell=" entry in the Boot.ini but under Vista the mechanics have changed, so I guess there is no avoiding Regedit (which I always try to avoid as long as I'm not sure that I deals with experienced users)
That's why all the alternative shells like Litestep, Aston etc have so called shell switcher programs which simply changes that entry for you ;)

BTW: I believe, under VISTA it's the following entry:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\winlogon\Shell = explorer.exe

Just check an see if that if that entry is still there and MOST IMPORTANT, that the value of "Shell" is ONLY "explorer.exe" without any switches or parameters (that might well be a worm/virus)

-le