[Showtyme]

Hi. My explorer.exe has been replaced, so that the explorer shell does not boot. As a result, there is no taskbar or start menu. Instead, the file explorer starts up whenever I try to run explorer.exe (including upon startup, as well as when I try to run explorer.exe from the Task Manager). Is there a quick way to get this back before I try using Windows repair from the CD (which would take me a while to scrounge up)? I don't actually know how to even bring up System Restore without access to control panel, and I'm not really a fan of it (although if it would work for sure, I'd be glad to do it).

I do have different shell-altering programs running (Konfabulator, StyleXP) but this sort of came out of nowhere. I did just install a program, ExamSoft, and this was the first reboot after that.

All of my programs are working, it's just that I have to go find the file under Program Files and execute them from there.

Also, is this something that malware/spyware would do or is this something that my shell-altering programs would do? They've been stable for a long time...

Thanks!

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I've tinkered recently with my own shell... Almost had the same predicament as you, if I hadn't thought about copying explorer.exe to another location, just to be safe... And as you are guessing, yep, crashed explorer.exe at one point, but got thigns right back up by replacing the corrupt with the original.

I still have the explorer.exe in my databanks ( and well I'm running on a good one too )

Perhaps I can send it to you via MSN or something... Wouldn't take long and you'd be back on your feet.

PM me if you'd like that.

[Vaillant]

I've tinkered recently with my own shell... Almost had the same predicament as you, if I hadn't thought about copying explorer.exe to another location, just to be safe... And as you are guessing, yep, crashed explorer.exe at one point, but got thigns right back up by replacing the corrupt with the original.

I still have the explorer.exe in my databanks ( and well I'm running on a good one too )

Perhaps I can send it to you via MSN or something... Wouldn't take long and you'd be back on your feet.

PM me if you'd like that.

[Showtyme]

Thanks, I got Ad-Aware to catch something weird in the shell and now everything seems to be okay. I'm going to follow your lead and make a copy of explorer elsewhere, though; it seems to be a popular target for programs to alter (both benign and malware).

Thanks for the tip.

[Vaillant]

Glad it's resolved. Thanks for letting me know.

(Ironically I never cought any spyware that did that to my shell... and I've dealt with alot in my time hehe)