The Windows Explorer process launches whenever you start your computer. It helps you find, organize, manage, and view the files and folders on your computer. But sometimes, it doesn’t respond. So you will open Task Manager with dedicated shortcuts and try to run task explorer.exe. But that is a temporary solution.
Some of the possible reasons for this problem include Fast Startup, faulty Windows update, service malfunction or system file corruption. Try the following methods to troubleshoot Explorer.exe not working on startup on your Windows 11 computer.
1. Disable fast startup
Quickstart hibernates the core system and kernel-level processes while closing the rest. But it can cause problems when starting the desktop if hibernate processes are not working properly. So disabling Fast Startup can solve the problem. This is the way:
Step 1: Press the Windows + R keyboard shortcut to launch the Run dialog box. Type the following shortcode in the text box and press Enter:
control/name Microsoft.PowerOptions/page GlobalSettings
Step 2: When the System Settings window opens, click on the ‘Change settings that are currently unavailable’ option.
Step 3: Uncheck the ‘Turn on fast startup (recommended)’ option checkbox. Click the Save Changes button.
Step 4: Close the Control Panel window.
When there is a conflict between services to access the same resource, Windows Explorer may crash or prevent it from launching. Application Availability is one of the notorious services that hinders Explorer.exe from launching at startup. You might consider disabling it temporarily.
Step 1: Press the Windows key, type service.msc in the Start menu search bar and press Enter to launch the Services utility.
Step 2: Find the App Ready service in the list, right click on it and select the Properties option.
Step 3: Go to the Startup Type section and select the Disabled option from the drop-down menu.
Step 4: Click the Apply button and then click the OK button.
Step 5: Restart your computer.
Step 6: If you encounter a black screen again, press the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keyboard shortcut to launch the Task Manager and click the Run New Task button. Type sihost.exe in the text box and press Enter. Close Task Manager.
3. Update Graphics Driver
Outdated and corrupted graphics drivers can cause problems with display settings. So you have to update them manually using the device manager. Here’s how to do it:
Step 1: Right-click the Start button to open the Power User menu. Select the Device Manager option.
Step 2: Expand the Display adapters section and right-click on the graphics card name. Select the Update Driver option.
Step 3: Select the ‘Automatically search for drivers’ option. Wait for the tool to download and install the latest driver on your system.
Step 4: Close the Driver update window.
4. Tweak the registry
A misconfigured registry entry can cause Windows Explorer to not launch at startup. So you have to manually configure it to launch explorer.exe on startup. But before you do that, back up your registry so you have the option to revert back to the original registry if something goes wrong. Repeat the following steps:
Step 1: Press the Windows key, type re-editthen press Enter.
Step 2: User Account Control will pop up. Click the Yes button.
Step 3: Paste the following path into the address bar and press Enter:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
Step 4: Find the shell value in the right pane. If it doesn’t exist, right click in the right pane, select New and select String Value.
Step 5: Name the newly created value Cover and double click it. Enter the following text in the Value data field and click the OK button.
C:\Windows\explorer.exe
Step 6: Close Registry Editor and restart your computer to apply the changes.
5. Run SFC and DISM . Scan
System File Checker (SFC) and Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) are system-level scans that check and replace damaged or missing files with a new and repair copy. Repair the component repository of the Windows image. You will need to run each of these scans using an elevated command prompt. Here’s how to do it:
Step 1: Press the Windows key, type cmdand click Run as administrator option.
Step 2: The User Account Control window will launch. Click the Yes button.
Step 3: Now, type the following command and press Enter:
SFC /scan
Step 4: After the SFC scan is complete, enter cls in the Command Prompt window and press Enter.
Step 5: Enter the following commands and execute them one by one:
DISM /Online /Cleanup Image /CheckHealthDISM /Online /Cleanup Image /ScanHealthDISM /Online /Cleanup Image /Restore Health
Step 6: Wait for this scan to complete. Restart your computer and check if you are facing the same problem with explorer.exe.
6. Create a new user account
Corrupt user profiles can lead to Windows errors and unexpected crashes. So you have to create a new user account with administrator rights. Here’s how to do it:
Step 1: Disconnect your computer from the Internet. Press the Windows key, type other users and press Enter.
Step 2: Click the Add Account button. A new Microsoft account window will launch.
Step 3: Enter your username, password and select three security questions and their answers. Then click the Next button.
Step 4: The new user account will appear on the Other Users page. Click the arrow button to expand the options and then click the Change account type button.
Step 5: Expand the drop-down list next to the Account type option. Select the Administrator option. Click the OK button.
Step 6: Press the Windows key to open the Start menu. Click the Profile icon and then select the newly created user.
Step 7: You will be logged out. Enter the password for the new account and wait for the system to prepare the new configuration and boot to the Desktop.
7. Restore Windows Updates
Windows updates bring new features and security fixes. But often, they can disrupt important system features. If you experience Explorer issues after installing a system update, you must rollback the update. Repeat the following steps:
Step 1: Press the Windows + I keyboard shortcut to launch the Settings app. Click the Windows update icon.
Step 2: Click on Update History option.
Step 3: Navigate to the bottom of the screen and click on the option to Uninstall updated.
Step 4: Find the most recent installation by checking the installation date. Click the Uninstall button.
Step 5: Click the Uninstall button again. Wait for Windows to remove the update from your computer.
Get Explorer working again
If explorer.exe doesn’t run at startup, browsing the files on your computer will be really difficult. Start with the preliminary fixes and then disable the App Ready service. Then edit the registry to start explorer.exe when you log on to Windows. Only restore Windows updates when all other options fail.
Categories: How to
Source: thpttranhungdao.edu.vn/en/
