Explorer.exe does not load upon startup/login

Windows XP Pro SP2 on Win2k3 domain.
Since January's updates/patches, I've got 4 computers that sometimes will
not load explorer.exe upon reboot or login. All you see is the wallpaper.
It is intermittant, and there are no errors in any logs or popups. If you
launch Task Manager and start EXPLORER.EXE manually using "File, New Task
(Run)", everything comes up as it should.
This started on just 1 PC every couple of days, but is now on 4 and is
happening at least once per day. Anyone else have this problem or know of a
solution?

On Feb 28, 4:10 pm, Kirk <K...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
> Windows XP Pro SP2 on Win2k3 domain.
> Since January's updates/patches, I've got 4 computers that sometimes willnotloadexplorer.exeupon reboot or login. All you see is the wallpaper.
> It is intermittant, and there are no errors in any logs or popups. If you
> launch Task Manager and startEXPLORER.EXEmanually using "File, New Task
> (Run)", everything comes up as it should.
> This started on just 1 PC every couple of days, but is now on 4 and is
> happening at least once per day. Anyone else have this problem or know of a
> solution?

I don't have an answer for this, but I have been seeing the exact same
problem. It seems to be a growing issue. It also seems to happen
sometimes and not others.

(cross-post added to XP General)
"Kirk" <> wrote in message
news:7E287F47-D1E2-436F-8E25-...
> Windows XP Pro SP2 on Win2k3 domain.
> Since January's updates/patches, I've got 4 computers that sometimes will
> not load explorer.exe upon reboot or login. All you see is the wallpaper.
> It is intermittant, and there are no errors in any logs or popups. If you
> launch Task Manager and start EXPLORER.EXE manually using "File, New Task
> (Run)", everything comes up as it should.
> This started on just 1 PC every couple of days, but is now on 4 and is
> happening at least once per day. Anyone else have this problem or know of a
> solution?


Any clues in Event Viewer?

BTW this is not the best newsgroup for diagnosing problems with your OS.
Cross-posting to XP General.


---

Thanks for cross-posting this Robert.
I see that others are also experiencing this problem.

On one of the machines having the issue, I re-applied SP2.
I have not had the Explorer.exe startup problem since doing so, but do get
other various issues.
Because of this, I'm concerned I may have negated some recent security
patches but WSUS reports that the computer is fully patched.





"Robert Aldwinckle" wrote:

> (cross-post added to XP General)
> "Kirk" <> wrote in message
> news:7E287F47-D1E2-436F-8E25-...
> > Windows XP Pro SP2 on Win2k3 domain.
> > Since January's updates/patches, I've got 4 computers that sometimes will
> > not load explorer.exe upon reboot or login. All you see is the wallpaper.
> > It is intermittant, and there are no errors in any logs or popups. If you
> > launch Task Manager and start EXPLORER.EXE manually using "File, New Task
> > (Run)", everything comes up as it should.
> > This started on just 1 PC every couple of days, but is now on 4 and is
> > happening at least once per day. Anyone else have this problem or know of a
> > solution?
>
>
> Any clues in Event Viewer?
>
> BTW this is not the best newsgroup for diagnosing problems with your OS.
> Cross-posting to XP General.
>
>
> ---
>
>
>

I observered this problem also here. Your situation may be different, but
here's what I found:

1. in the Application Event Log , the following entries each time the
computer was restarted:

Source: MsiInstaller, Event ID: 11327, User:
computer\SMSCliToknLocalAcct&, Description: Product: Sun Java2Runtime
1.4.2_07 -- Error 1327. Invalid Drive: h:\
Source: MsiInstaller, Event ID: 11327, User:
computer\SMSCliToknLocalAcct&, Description: Product: IBM eGatherer 3.19.
Invalid Drive: h:\

2. in the registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows
NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList, I found the GUID for the user accounts:
SMSCliToknLocalAcct& and SMSCliSvcAcct& - the Value "ProfileImagePath"
inside the key for the GUID has the corresponding user account name
e.g. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows
NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList\S-1-5-21-2745678790-2165517387-3308722516-1026\ProfileImagePath
has the content - %SystemDrive%\Documents and
Settings\SMSCliSvcAcct&.WBCA29414.001

3. in the registry, the key
HKEY_USERS\GUID\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Explorer\User
Shell Folders had the content "h:\Faavorites" for Favorites and (in one
case) Personal
e.g. for teh SMSCliSvcAcct& user account, the key:
HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-2745678790-2165517387-3308722516-1026\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Exp lorer\User
Shell Folders
had the value "Favorites" set to "h:\"

4. I changed the value of Favorites to %USERPROFILE%\Favorites for the two
SMS related accounts and, for one of them, Personal from h:\ to
%USERPROFILE%\My Documents.

5. restarted the computer

This seems to have cured the problem - I'll post again if the problem
re-appears. I no longer get the Application Event Log entries (1 above) and
explorer starts automatically at logon. I've tried logging on and off with
different domain user accounts (both members of the local Administrators
group and not) and explorer started each time. I've also done a couple of
restarts then tested logon again with success.

I don't know exactly why, but, independently of the problem with explorer
not starting at logon, I've observed that some application installation
packages give the "Invalid drive: h:\" error and stop working if the
Favorites special folder (or somtimes the My Documents special folder) is
redirected to a network drive. In our logon script we map the drive letter
h to the user's "Home Directory", redirect My Documents to h:\ and redirect
Favorites to h:\Favorites. So, we observe this installation package failure
frequently. The cure is to temporarily redirect the My Documents and
Favorites back to the corresponding folders in the local copy of the user's
profile.

I suspected that the SMS accounts acquired the settings for the User Shell
Folders from the "Default User Profile" - I verified this in regedit by:

1. click HKEY_USERS
2. click File, Load Hive
3. browse to c:\Documents and Settings\Default User
4. select ntuser.dat; click Open
5. key the name def
6. navigate to
HKEY_USERS\def\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentV ersion\Explorer\User Shell
Folders
7. observe the content of the Values Favorites and Personal

--
Bruce Sanderson MVP
http://members.shaw.ca/bsanders/
It's perfectly useless to know the right answer to the wrong question.


"Robert Aldwinckle" <> wrote in message
news:%...
> (cross-post added to XP General)
> "Kirk" <> wrote in message
> news:7E287F47-D1E2-436F-8E25-...
>> Windows XP Pro SP2 on Win2k3 domain.
>> Since January's updates/patches, I've got 4 computers that sometimes will
>> not load explorer.exe upon reboot or login. All you see is the
>> wallpaper.
>> It is intermittant, and there are no errors in any logs or popups. If
>> you
>> launch Task Manager and start EXPLORER.EXE manually using "File, New Task
>> (Run)", everything comes up as it should.
>> This started on just 1 PC every couple of days, but is now on 4 and is
>> happening at least once per day. Anyone else have this problem or know
>> of a
>> solution?
>
>
> Any clues in Event Viewer?
>
> BTW this is not the best newsgroup for diagnosing problems with your OS.
> Cross-posting to XP General.
>
>
> ---
>
>

Thanks Bruce,

There is nothing in the logs that would indicate anything failing or even a
hiccup.
A user can be logged in just fine and when I log them off, and log on myself
(or another user) the desktop never initializes. Start explorer manually,
and you're off an running.

We don't use SMS or home directories and very little is even installed from
a network share that would cause the pointers that you're experiencing.

I appreciate your information.
Kirk

"Bruce Sanderson" wrote:

> I observered this problem also here. Your situation may be different, but
> here's what I found:
>
> 1. in the Application Event Log , the following entries each time the
> computer was restarted:
>
> Source: MsiInstaller, Event ID: 11327, User:
> computer\SMSCliToknLocalAcct&, Description: Product: Sun Java2Runtime
> 1.4.2_07 -- Error 1327. Invalid Drive: h:\
> Source: MsiInstaller, Event ID: 11327, User:
> computer\SMSCliToknLocalAcct&, Description: Product: IBM eGatherer 3.19.
> Invalid Drive: h:\
>

Well, the problem came back this morning, so the cure was not a cure!

--
Bruce Sanderson MVP
http://members.shaw.ca/bsanders/
It's perfectly useless to know the right answer to the wrong question.


"Bruce Sanderson" <> wrote in message
news:eCRkP%...
>I observered this problem also here. Your situation may be different, but
>here's what I found:
>
> 1. in the Application Event Log , the following entries each time the
> computer was restarted:
>
> Source: MsiInstaller, Event ID: 11327, User:
> computer\SMSCliToknLocalAcct&, Description: Product: Sun Java2Runtime
> 1.4.2_07 -- Error 1327. Invalid Drive: h:\
> Source: MsiInstaller, Event ID: 11327, User:
> computer\SMSCliToknLocalAcct&, Description: Product: IBM eGatherer 3.19.
> Invalid Drive: h:\
>
> 2. in the registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows
> NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList, I found the GUID for the user accounts:
> SMSCliToknLocalAcct& and SMSCliSvcAcct& - the Value "ProfileImagePath"
> inside the key for the GUID has the corresponding user account name
> e.g. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows
> NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList\S-1-5-21-2745678790-2165517387-3308722516-1026\ProfileImagePath
> has the content - %SystemDrive%\Documents and
> Settings\SMSCliSvcAcct&.WBCA29414.001
>
> 3. in the registry, the key
> HKEY_USERS\GUID\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Explorer\User
> Shell Folders had the content "h:\Faavorites" for Favorites and (in one
> case) Personal
> e.g. for teh SMSCliSvcAcct& user account, the key:
>
> HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-2745678790-2165517387-3308722516-1026\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Exp lorer\User
> Shell Folders
> had the value "Favorites" set to "h:\"
>
> 4. I changed the value of Favorites to %USERPROFILE%\Favorites for the two
> SMS related accounts and, for one of them, Personal from h:\ to
> %USERPROFILE%\My Documents.
>
> 5. restarted the computer
>
> This seems to have cured the problem - I'll post again if the problem
> re-appears. I no longer get the Application Event Log entries (1 above)
> and explorer starts automatically at logon. I've tried logging on and off
> with different domain user accounts (both members of the local
> Administrators group and not) and explorer started each time. I've also
> done a couple of restarts then tested logon again with success.
>
> I don't know exactly why, but, independently of the problem with explorer
> not starting at logon, I've observed that some application installation
> packages give the "Invalid drive: h:\" error and stop working if the
> Favorites special folder (or somtimes the My Documents special folder) is
> redirected to a network drive. In our logon script we map the drive
> letter h to the user's "Home Directory", redirect My Documents to h:\ and
> redirect Favorites to h:\Favorites. So, we observe this installation
> package failure frequently. The cure is to temporarily redirect the My
> Documents and Favorites back to the corresponding folders in the local
> copy of the user's profile.
>
> I suspected that the SMS accounts acquired the settings for the User Shell
> Folders from the "Default User Profile" - I verified this in regedit by:
>
> 1. click HKEY_USERS
> 2. click File, Load Hive
> 3. browse to c:\Documents and Settings\Default User
> 4. select ntuser.dat; click Open
> 5. key the name def
> 6. navigate to
> HKEY_USERS\def\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentV ersion\Explorer\User
> Shell Folders
> 7. observe the content of the Values Favorites and Personal
>
> --
> Bruce Sanderson MVP
> http://members.shaw.ca/bsanders/
> It's perfectly useless to know the right answer to the wrong question.
>
>
> "Robert Aldwinckle" <> wrote in message
> news:%...
>> (cross-post added to XP General)
>> "Kirk" <> wrote in message
>> news:7E287F47-D1E2-436F-8E25-...
>>> Windows XP Pro SP2 on Win2k3 domain.
>>> Since January's updates/patches, I've got 4 computers that sometimes
>>> will
>>> not load explorer.exe upon reboot or login. All you see is the
>>> wallpaper.
>>> It is intermittant, and there are no errors in any logs or popups. If
>>> you
>>> launch Task Manager and start EXPLORER.EXE manually using "File, New
>>> Task
>>> (Run)", everything comes up as it should.
>>> This started on just 1 PC every couple of days, but is now on 4 and is
>>> happening at least once per day. Anyone else have this problem or know
>>> of a
>>> solution?
>>
>>
>> Any clues in Event Viewer?
>>
>> BTW this is not the best newsgroup for diagnosing problems with your OS.
>> Cross-posting to XP General.
>>
>>
>> ---
>>
>>
>
>

Bruce,

Have you double checked the value for 'Shell' under
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon ?

Have you tried setting 'AutoRestartShell' set to 1 under
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon ?

Kevin

Bruce Sanderson wrote:
> Well, the problem came back this morning, so the cure was not a cure!
>

"Bruce Sanderson" <> wrote in message
news:...
> Well, the problem came back this morning, so the cure was not a cure!


Bruce,

If poster OMG!! symptom is the same problem notice that it isn't even
restricted to XP...

Dave Patrick suggested rebuilding the user profile in that one.

http://www.microsoft.com/communities...f-e8bce8ebaaca


FYI

Robert
---

The problem is intermittent, it does not happen at every logon. For
example, when I first logged on this morning, explorer did not start, but
after I restarted XP, explorer started automatically at logon, even after
two subsequent logoff, logon sequences. Based on recent experience, I
suspect the problem will come back again sometime in the near future.

At this point in time:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows
NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Shell is "explorer.exe"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows
NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\AutoRestartShell is 1 (DWORD).

--
Bruce Sanderson MVP
http://members.shaw.ca/bsanders/
It's perfectly useless to know the right answer to the wrong question.


"Kevin Murphy" <> wrote in message
news:...
> Bruce,
>
> Have you double checked the value for 'Shell' under
> HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon ?
>
> Have you tried setting 'AutoRestartShell' set to 1 under
> HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon ?
>
> Kevin
>
> Bruce Sanderson wrote:
>> Well, the problem came back this morning, so the cure was not a cure!
>>