Member Avatar for spudly1987

I went into the following location of the registry

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\Current Version\Winlogon
and the String key was there for 'shell' with value of 'explorer.exe'

however still would not run on startup.
I also went into the location of
HKLU\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\Current Version\Winlogon
the string key for 'shell' was not there, so I added it and still would not run

now I'm at a lost
Windows 7 Home Prem

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confirmed the Winlogon "shell" entries were checked at both machine and user levels but the Windows shell still fails to appear. ’s clarification that the shell is not the browser is useful background, and ’s point about trying a manual launch and verifying the shell binary exists is the right immediate diagnostic. The next steps focus on file/registry integrity, startup interference (third‑party shell replacements or startup items), and possible infection or profile corruption.

Common diagnostics and fixes to try (in order):

  • Verify the shell binary exists in the Windows folder and that its file permissions allow the System and Administrators accounts to execute it.

  • Run System File Checker from an elevated command prompt to repair system files:

    sfc /scannow

  • Check and repair disk errors, then re-run SFC if needed:

    chkdsk C: /f

  • Inspect Application and System logs in Event Viewer for Winlogon or shell‑related errors around the time of logon (use the Event Viewer GUI or eventvwr).

  • Boot into Safe Mode and test whether the shell starts there; if it does, the cause is likely a startup item, driver, or third‑party shell. Use msconfig or Autoruns (Sysinternals) to identify offending entries.

  • Create a new local administrator account: if the new account gets a normal shell, the original profile is probably corrupted.

  • Run a full offline malware scan if the binary is missing, blocked, or repeatedly killed.

If none of the above restores normal logon, consider restoring to a known good system restore point or performing an in‑place repair (repair install) after backing up data. Caution: editing Winlogon/Userinit values can block logon — always export the registry key before changing it and document original values. Linking these actions back to ’s manual‑launch check will quickly show whether the problem is the shell binary itself or something earlier in the logon sequence.

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Member Avatar for cgeier

explorer.exe is not internet explorer. What are you trying to accomplish?

Member Avatar for gerbil

You only need the HKLM value to launch explorer. Will it run at all, ie. can you launch it from Task Manager, or cmd console? ...just enter explorer.exe.
If you use internet explorer to navigate to the /Windows folder, does explorer.exe exist? Will it launch if you dclick it? Enter C:\Windows in the address bar.... you should be able to launch explorer from there, also.... enter C:\windows\explorer.exe

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