Why does windows explorer automatically load when I log in?

Question

Please help - using Windows XP professional. Every time I or other users on the PC open their account, windows explorer launches, targeted at c://program files/dell. I've tried everything I can think of to remove this...

maxindia · Answer

Hi, Please Tell me the model name and number and also whether you have recieved the cd's with this comp or not. Check whether you have some startup items in MSCONFIG utility. Regards, ===MAX===

nick_dutton · Answer

sorry, no CDs were supplied

nick_dutton · Answer

Max, many thanks for your help. I'm using a Dimension 5000. There are 31 items in startup on sysconfig, the only 2 that to my untrained eye look suspicious are one which is blank for startup item and for command, and one for DMX Launcher which points to  c:\program files\dell\media experience\DMXLauncher.exe. I did try to disable this last one before, but on rebooting the PC booted in selective startup mode.

Mary G · Answer

Call or chat with Dell and get the operating system disk. You are going to need it sometime, if not now.

maxindia · Answer

that is ok, check the box which says 'do not show this message again' or a similar one and that will not bother you any more. however I believe the prob must have been fixed by now.... :smileyhappy:

RoHe · Answer

Try unchecking the 'blank' entry on msconfig Startup tab. Reboot and put a check in the message box as previously noted. Does that prevent Explorer from opening?

When similar problem happens, it usually opens the windows\system32 folder and there's an explantion of that here:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;170086

If you have Spybot, run it and select mode>advanced mode on toolbar. Now click Tools in lower left corner of the opening window. Click System Startup. Find "blank" entry in Value column and look in Command column to see exactly what the command line is for that entry. The path\filename should tell you where it comes from. If the details box doesn't open when you highlight the entry, click those arrowheads way over at right side of the window to toggle the help box. If the blank entry is for that Dell software, you can highlight it and click Delete at the top of the window.

Now click System Internals over at the left side and then click Check at top of the panel. It will identify errors in the Registry and allow you to delete them. Spybot will create a backup which allows you to undo any chances, just in case. To do that, click Spybot on the list at the left and then click the Recovery button.

Ron

ganash1 · Answer

An easy fix is to run (as said in an earlier post) msconfig, then click on startup usually the last tab in the window that opens after running msconfig.After clicking on startup find the item that is opening on startup that you don't want to,if you uncheck it the system will automatically go into selective start up,so instead look for the registry key at the end of the string of the item. It is usually HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run.You can now run regedit and go to HKeyLocal Machine then Software then Microsoft then Windows then Current Version then Run once you are there look under Run for the Program or Item that is starting that you don't want to on startup.You can then highlight the line right click it and delete it.Now collapse all of the lines in registry that you opened to get to run and close regedit.Then close msconfig,you close this last because you will have to restart your system after closing msconfig. This should do the trick.If you are not comfortable doing this someone who knows how can help,also it is a good idea to backup your system registry prior to this just in case.

ganash

Windows General

Why does windows explorer automatically load when I log in?

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