How to Replace Explorer.Exe

Viruses and malicious software can make deleterious changes to the computers they infect, often deleting or modifying important system files. If a virus or malware deletes or corrupts explorer.exe (the shell, or interface, of a Windows operating system), essential controls--such as the \"Start\" button or taskbar--will not appear, rendering Windows difficult to use.<br /><br />To replace explorer.exe, you can extract a good copy of the file from your Windows XP or Vista disk and use Command Prompt to write the file to your infected computer.

Things You'll Need

• USB drive, CD or DVD<br />Windows XP or Vista CD or DVD

Instructions

1. Insert your Windows Vista DVD or Windows XP CD into a computer with an available optical drive. You will need to use a computer other than the one with the infected explorer.exe.

2. Right-click \"Start\" and click \"Explore.\" Select your Windows CD or DVD. Type \"explorer.exe\" into the search box.

3. Insert a USB drive or blank disc into the computer. Right-click \"Explorer.exe\" and click \"Copy.\" Navigate to the USB drive, then click \"Paste.\" If you are using a CD or DVD, copy and paste the file to an empty folder on the PC, then use disc-burning software to burn the file to the writable media.

4. Insert the USB drive, CD or DVD into the infected computer. Simultaneously press \"Ctrl,\" \"Shift\" and \"Esc\" to open Task Manager.

5. Click the \"Processes\" tab. Click \"Image Name\" to sort the processes alphabetically. If \"explorer.exe\" is present, right-click the process, then click \"End process.\" Click \"End process\" again.

6. Click \"New Task\" on the Applications tab. Type \"cmd.exe\" into the box, then hit \"Enter.\"

7. Type \"rename %systemroot%\\explorer.exe %systemroot%\\texplorer.exe\" into Command Prompt. Hit \"Enter.\" Type \"Yes,\" then hit \"Enter,\" if prompted.

8. Type \"copy <drive1>:\\explorer.exe %systemroot%\", replacing \"<drive1>\" with the name of your USB or optical drive. Hit \"Enter.\"

9. Press \"Alt\" and \"Tab\" to return to Task Manager. Click \"New Task,\" then type \"explorer.exe\" into the window.

10. Hit \"Enter\" to launch explorer.exe.

Tips & Warnings

• After restoring explorer.exe, run an antivirus to eliminate any infections from your computer.<br /><br />If you saved or burnt explorer.exe to any location on your removable media other than the main directory, the \"copy\" command in Command Prompt must reflect that. If you saved explorer.exe to the \"new data\" folder on your USB drive, for example, you would need to change the copy command to read \"copy <USB drive>:\\new data\\explorer.exe %systemroot%.\"

• Viruses sometimes make changes to the registry to prevent explorer.exe from running properly. If explorer.exe still does not work after replacing the file, use the \"Startup Repair\" or \"Repair Install\" option on your Windows CD or DVD to repair Windows.

References

• Computer Hope: MS-DOS Copy Command Help
• Microsoft: Reinstalling Windows 95 with Internet Explorer 4.0