Vista HomeEd can't run explorer/cpanel etc - access denied/16bit error msg 1

Hi all

A friend gave me their laptop to look at - it has vista home edition (64bit I think) on it and when you try to run explorer it says it can't find it or access is denied. If you try to run control panel or a dll or anything you will get an error message saying it can't run some 16bit process or access is denied.

I did a lot of googling and nothing anyone said worked - including giving 'everyone' full access to C:\WINDOWS\Registration, running a secedit command, running an sfc /scannow, doing a system restore to the oldest point, making a new user account, booting to safe mode ...

So now I'm pretty stuck. I'm SURE I've seen this issue before with the error messages referring to 16bit etc but being home edition I don't have the users & groups mmc (had to make new user using password renew while booted into another environment) or the security tab in file/folder properties for NTFS permissions etc (had to use icacls).

Can anyone shed some shiney light of justice on this? I don't wanna have to redo the whole install as I'm sure this is something fixable ...

_________________________________
Leozack

MakeUniverse($infinity,1,42);

 

[goombawaho]

1. Run memory test (my bet as the problem source)
2. Run manufacturer's hard drive test

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[Leozack]

Sorry I didn't get notified of a reply - I can try this tonight though I'm not hopeful of memory/disk chceking relating to the problems.
The problem has the same messages as this - though I DO have a taskbar and desktop/icons I think

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...-program/f1bb7917-49f9-4d7b-a0c7-abde2544537f

_________________________________
Leozack

MakeUniverse($infinity,1,42);

 

[goombawaho]

though I'm not hopeful of memory/disk chceking relating to the problems

Trust me, I play a computer repair person in real life.
If Explorer.exe is corrupted as the other article says, you have problems that an S.F.C. MAY fix it, but you want to make sure a lower level (hardware) problem is not causing it first. Hardware problems always trump software problems and you have to identify them first.

I'd probably add to do a CHKDSK on the windows drive as well before the SFC. So,
1. Run memory test (my bet as the problem source)
2. Run manufacturer's hard drive test
3. Run CHKDSK on windows drive Link
4. Run SFC Link

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[Leozack]

I play one of those in my pasttime aswell as my job also And I sware I've seen this problem before but can't work out when or where or who it was (the problem of spending most of your time fixing stuff for everyone ...)
I'll try it tonight (already ran a check and sfc I think), but I've been browsing further and found someone else who's end result was that the system registry hive was corrupt so required a reinstall.
Hoping I don't need a reinstall since it's not my laptop (and since vista blows) but I'll see what I can do I guess! The error is this
"\??\C:\windows\explorer.exe" cannot start or run due to the incompatibility with 64-bit version of windows
but also comes up for other stuff you try to run like control panel gives a rundll32 version

_________________________________
Leozack

MakeUniverse($infinity,1,42);

 

[Leozack]

Turns out actually most of the errors are access denied errors
"Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file. You may not have the appropriate permissions to access the item."
If I try to open control panel, that is when I get the same thing for rundll32 but then also the 64-bit error mentioned above.
I've already run checks etc but am now running a memory check and I guess I can sfc /scannow again.
I found a large amount of stuff in the user's logon recycle bin using explorer++ since explorer won't work. Not sure if that's relevant. I'd reset all the windows folder permissions if I knew what they should be!

_________________________________
Leozack

MakeUniverse($infinity,1,42);

 

[Leozack]

Ok so the real problem is that running explorer.exe or rundll32 or nearly anything will give you the "can't find it or access denied" message, and some stuff will also give you the 16bit application not compatible with 64bit windows message (eg control panel)

It passed a couple passes of memtest86+, it passed the seatools quick hd check, I've made a new user, I've reset the NTFS permissions on windows and programdata to include everyone full control - STILL no joy.

Looks like I'm gonna have to backup the data and reinstall

_________________________________
Leozack

MakeUniverse($infinity,1,42);

 

[Leozack]

In safe mode if I run control panel then the "unsupported 16-bit application" dialog says
"The program of feature "\??\C:\windows\system32\verclsid.exe" cannot start or run due to incompatibility with 64-bit versions of windows."
followed by the rundll32 dialog called "::{21ec2020-3aea-1069-a2dd-08002b30309d}" says
Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file"
which is what explorer gives me too so I can't really do anything even in safe mode, even after memory scans, disk scans, disk checks, everyone having full control on windows folder tree ... blah :/

_________________________________
Leozack

MakeUniverse($infinity,1,42);

 

[goombawaho]

Before reload, try this from a CMD (administrator) prompt.
Go to the the C:/windows/system32 folder and type "rename verclsid.exe verclsid.old"
reboot

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[Leozack]

You absolute legend! I had seen that filename come up in some of the popups, and I read up it was used to verify stuff. I couldn't rename it even in admin console so I booted to another environment and renamed the copy in system32 and syswow64. Now I've booted and bang things seem to be ok! I guess I should try and replace it with a known working version? That or just give it back. I doubt making all of c:\windows everyone full control should be tooooo harmful, right ... right?
^5 Brofist for you! Why has no one else said this anywhere online? I would've come across it when searching the filename otherwise!

_________________________________
Leozack

MakeUniverse($infinity,1,42);

 

[goombawaho]

Thanks, wow. I'm blushing. I just found it another post somewhere, so NOT my original idea. You can try to replace it with a known good file, but I don't think you need it from reading those posts.

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[dilettante]

I wonder if this is all about:

You may experience problems in Windows Explorer or in the Windows shell after you install security update MS06-015