explorer.exe restarting.....

I have noticed that my desktop seems to reset. Sometimes when I click on "My Computer ", the desktop icons will disappear, and then come back, along with the icons in the system tray.

This is the same thing that happens when you shut down explorer.exe and then restart it.

Except I dont think windows is supposed to do this?

Any ideas?

This happens on my laptop as well. It has XP Pro, SP1a with all updates. 1GB ram, 3.2GHz P4, ATI Mobility Radeon 9600 Video.

 

When you speak of shutting down and restarting explorer.exe is that what you mean or do you mean starting and closing Windows Explorer?

For instance, on my XP-pro system right now I have no Windows Explorer sessions open but take a look at my list of running processes.

 

Am I looking at the same thing ?

I found, started and shutdown Windows Explorer And notthing happened.

I went directly to the C:\Windows folder and started/shutdown Explorer.exe and nothing happened.

If we are talking ( when you open it, it shows what is on the drive ) the same thing PowerDesk from VCom is far better anyway. With PowerDesk opening two panes and copying, drag-N-Droping, Moving files to another partition or to a CRDW CD is a Breeze.

Open two panes with the hassle of having to do any resizing.

The PowerDesk Version I am using has been on here since days of 98FE.

If we are not talking the same thing then I gotta back outta here

BillyBob

 

Newt

I wondered about that too.

But opening Explorer.exe and Windows Explorer produce the same results.

A list of what is on the partiton selected.

Mine defauts to My Docouments.

BillyBob

 

BB - explorer.exe is certainly the program that runs windows explorer. And I can do the same as you by going to task manager and closing the process with no ill effects other the app window closing (or if it wasn't open, my taskbar vanishing).

I was mainly trying to clarify a couple points based on the above points

1) closing windows explorer does not stop the exe from being present

2) I doubt if many folks close windows explorer by killing that .exe.

While trying to figure out just what was going on I did manage to kill off my taskbar and since having to ALT-TAB to move from window to window is a real pain (plus no quick launch or clock) I went back to task manager and started a 'new' process by running explorer.exe and presto, my task bar was back but windows explorer was not running. However, running explorer.exe a 2nd time (from start~run) did open a WE window.

 

WOW !!! how is this for timing.

I just went to Task Manager ( completely ignoring the warning ) and did an End Task on Explorer.exe. I lost the Desktop and everything. The reset Button was my ONLY recourse for a restart.

I WILL NOT DO THAT AGAIN VERY scary messages on a restart. And every TMP Int file was listed as MISSING. Which realy is true because I have them clear when IE gets shut down.

But the explorer.exe I was refering to in my other reply was started by going to Start~Programs~Accessories and selecting Windows Explorer. That bring up the file manager showing the contents of My Documents.

This is why I asked before. Are we talking about starting and stopping Explorer.exe from the same place.

I also went directly to the Windows folder and started Explorer.exe. Got the same results as above.

But I MUST ADMIT that I have always been confused about this.

Does starting and stopping it from the Windows folder do a different thing ? It seems to because from there is does nothing to the desktop.

There CAN'T BE more than one Explorer.exe ? Can there ?

BillyBob

 

Now that I go back and re-read the original post which says;

I get the SAME thing but ONLY SOMETIMES. But also it was only when I shut My Computer down.

BillyBob

 

BTW. Something that I forgot.

After I messed with Explorer.exe from TM and got the machiine restarted I had ONE HELLO of a time getting HERE. and a couple of other sites.

BillyBob

 

It is normal for the desktop to "refresh" periodically, and all the icons kind of dim and then come back. It probably happens more than we realize because windows cover the desktop. (Don't believe me? Drag this one off the screen and look underneath!)

Johanna

 

I was just about to post a new thread when this one caught my eye

I am having the desktop disappear and reappear problem but it only happens when i RIGHT click a drive or folder in Windows Explorer.It's getting quite annoying but thanks BillyBob ,I had forgot all about Powerdesk...I am away to look for it now.
If anyone knows an answer to my 'Right Click' prob I'd be happy to hear from them.

 

You are welcome. And I think you will be happy with PowerDesk. I have used in since way back in the days of Win95.

BillyBob

 

I just tried Powerdesk and I'm having the same problem.

HELP :

 

For those who want to know, when you shut down explorer.exe through TM, you can still save your windows session.

With task manger open, (or reopen it if you need to), go to File > New Task (Run...) and then run explorer.exe

Your windows should come back to life.

The problem I was having was that explorer.exe was resetting itself, with my icons disappearing and then coming back. In regards to the system tray, when the icons disappear, only some them re-appear, even though everything is running.

There are no errors or flags popping up in event manager.

 

I have done a windows restore and both Windows Explorer and Powerdesk are working properly now.

I am now going through the programs I installed one by one to find the culprit.
My instinct says it's Spy Sweeper....just an instinct though....I feel it's either that or Alcohol 120%.
If I find which prog it is I'll post again.

 

bluenose12

I was thinking along the same lines. ( about checking what was running in the background )

That may well explain why myself and neonhomer only have it happen sometimes.

neonhomer

Check what is running in the background when the problem happens.

BillyBob

 

Well both Windows Explorer and Powerdesk are still working and the only things I still have to install are Spy Sweeper and Spybot 1.3 (where could it be possible that when I allowed Spybot to Immunise my PC it could be causing the prob?)

Anyway I am leaving it as it is just now,I will make a Ghost Image tomorrow and maybe experiment some more.I am running Adaware 6 professional for adware removal and also Trojan Hunter.

I also had a file called wuamgrd.exe on my machine which I looked up and was told it was a worm as was wuam.exe.I deleted both exe files and used Registry First Aid to remove all registry entries for these files,there doesn't seem to be any sign of them now.There was a wuamgrd entry in Starup of the System Configuration utility but that is also gone since I ran Reg. first aid.I ran a full scan with Norton AV and it was clear.Dores this mean I have managed to remove the threat?

 

sorry i missed this thread yesterday..
If your desktop, INCLUDING the start button bar at the bottom, is dissapearing and coming back seconds later, then your shell just crashed and was auto-restarted. This is a real exception and should generate a dump file/drwatson entry that can be analyzed for cause via the usual means. Check in your C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Microsoft\Dr Watson\ directory for a file named USER.DMP with a date aligned with your last crash.


Tons of stuff will load inside explorer.exe's process space and cause all manner of problems. Occasionally, the desktop icons might repaint abruptly, in normal operations, but the start button wouldn't dissapear. thats how you can tell the difference between normal, and bad.

 

You should be able to get them all back by logging off and back on.

 

JoeHobart

Thank you for the confirmation. The Start button's role is good to know.

Johanna