I've lost Explorer.exe

[MicJ]

How difficult would it be to repair Windows 7 had someone in my household deleted Explorer.exe? Would it be possible to simply place the installation disk in the drive and have that rebuild the operating system without losing everything else? Thank you!!

 

[xit]

Try system restore, that should put everything back in place and not lose anything.

xit

 

[linney]

Assuming your question is hypothetical have a look at these.

How to Do a Repair Install to Fix Windows 7

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html

How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade on Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 & Windows Server 2008 R2

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2255099

How to repair the operating system and how to restore the operating system configuration to an earlier point in time in Windows Vista (or 7)

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/936212/#appliesto

How to analyze the log file entries that the Microsoft Windows Resource Checker (SFC.exe) program generates in Windows Vista

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/928228#appliesto

How to use the System File Checker tool to troubleshoot missing or corrupted system files on Windows Vista or on Windows 7

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929833

 

[MicJ]

Thank you xit, but unfortunately, System Restore isn't going to help in this matter. Linney, the links you provided look very promising, indeed. Thank you both for taking the time to try to help me out. In a way, it is hypothetical, and yet, having smart and young kids that think they know better... well, you get the idea. I will be locking things down even tighter from now on.

 

[ttech]

I had a customer with a virus that would keep deleting explorer.exe the culprit was a virus infected winlogon.exe.

The only way to fix it was to replace both files from a working copy of windows with the drive temporarily hooked up as a second drive in another computer.

 

[BadBigBen]

I would create a backup (once a week, once or twice a month, after successfully installing a piece of software, etc. your discretion), place it on a drive that ONLY you have access to (e.g. USB drive)...

when the OS goes down the tubes, it would be a simple restoration procedure...



Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[bobw]

MicJ,
You could try using "sfc/scannow" (no quotes) from a command prompt (what we used to call a dos window). Have your original installation disk handy because when the process finds a changed file it will ask for it. I usually put the disk in before running the sfc command.
Good luck!
BobW

"If the only tool you have is a hammer, you will see every problem as a nail." - Abraham Maslow

 

[flyboytim]

There's a backup copy of Explorer.exe in the folder that starts with:
\Windows\winsxs\x86_microsoft-windows-explorer_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7... and so on.

which could be copied to the Windows folder, or kept safely elsewhere if needed.