EXPLORER.EXE caused a error in SHELL32.DLL

[Lowdown]

Ok, this is pretty much the error I got on my friends computer and he is running Windows ME. The computer boots up and before any icons show on the desktop or anything like that this message pops up. EXPLORER.EXE caused a error in SHELL32.DLL press close to close the application. Something like that anyway. I know the shell32.dll file holds information like icons and things like that and it sounds pretty important overall for operation of the OS. After I close it all is left is the wallpaper and it does nothing after that. Is there a way I can recover his computer. I need to save what is on the computer so reinstalling is out if possible. The shell32.dll file was right around 2mb in size, not sure if that is right or not. Could I copy a shell32.dll file from somebody elses computer running Windows ME or would installing Windows ME over the current installing to fix any of the files that are messed up? Didn't have a Windows ME disk handy when I tried fixing the computer so I am kind of at a rut right now. Any ideas?

Thanks

[Fedr0]

Originally posted by Lowdown

Ok, this is pretty much the error I got on my friends computer and he is running Windows ME.

Tell him: Welcome to the wonderful world of Windows Millennium Edition!!!

ROTFL!!! :)

Nah, seriously, I suggest you a quick format and replace that $hit of ME with something serious like Win2k or XP. Forget the crap os based on dos (tough I love dos). And don't tell me that ME isn't based on dos, because the extended x86 is still there.

[Prasanth]

u can restore the file with systenm file checker (start>run>type sfc)

usually a copy of the windows setup resides in C:WINDOWSoptionscabsdir resore the file from here

i think a copy of the shell32.dll can also be found in C:windowssystem32dllcache

hope this helps:)

[Prasanth]

Originally posted by Fedr0

Tell him: Welcome to the wonderful world of Windows Millennium Edition!!!

lol

[Ja450n]

get rid of Win ME...

if you can't afford xp.. or can't *cough*

then go back to Win 98...

ME is very hard on DLL files..

if you replace the shell.dll (which you would have to do from dos)

it'll only give you bout a month.. before you have to fix it again...

[Lowdown]

Well, I understand how you guys feel about Windows ME. I got rid of it a long time ago. Its getting close to finals here at school and my friend needs the stuff off of the computer. If not I wouldn't mind just putting XP on his computer by reformatting it. Hopefully something will work.

[Prasanth]

Originally posted by Ja450n

ME is very hard on DLL files..

if you replace the shell.dll (which you would have to do from dos)

it'll only give you bout a month.. before you have to fix it again...

i think with SFC we can replace sys files without booting to dos

[Dazzla Veteran]

Windows ME doesn't have "dllcache" in the system32 folder because it doesn't have anything in there, system files will be in "System".

I'm not sure about sfc in windows ME but you can try.

Another thing I'd suggest is if you manage to get a windowsME disk handy, you can extract shell32.dll from there.

[Ja450n]

Originally posted by prasanth16

i think with SFC we can replace sys files without booting to dos

SFC isn't in Windows ME..

it's a NT only thing....

Windows ME doesn't have a System32 folder.. because the 9x OS wasn't designed to distinguish between 16 and 32 bit... NT however was... (this is why it has 2 system folders)

[mortensen]

SFC isn't in Windows ME.

I thought it was.

NEway, 98 is better for gaming than ME (for instance Half-Life has more bugs in ME because it is an unsupported OS... but it runs fine in XP).

[ahodes1]

Originally posted by mortensen  

 

I thought it was.

NEway, 98 is better for gaming than ME (for instance Half-Life has more bugs in ME because it is an unsupported OS... but it runs fine in XP).

You thought correctly. Or at least it was in 98. So it should be in ME.

[freeza]

it is in ME just like it is in 2K and 2K is older than ME

i didnt think it was in 98 though.......maybe SE but not 98

[Ja450n]

There is no need for the Sfc.exe tool in Windows Me because SFP is always actively scanning the computer for file changes. Because of this activity, and because the files monitored by Sfc.exe and SFP are similar, the Sfc.exe tool is not necessary in Windows Me, nor does the option to run this tool exist.

however... 2000, and XP have put the SFC tool back in...

yes.. 2k came b4 ME.. but they are not related... ME is a Flashy upgrade to 98, which was built on 95, which was a faulty upgrade to win 3.0 which was built on dos...

2k and XP, are build on Winnt (or win 3.11) which was later upgraded to NT 4, and then NT 5.0 (2k) and NT 5.1 (xp) both of which are not build on DOS.. and are TRUE 32-bit Operating Systems..

The SFP tool in ME is what causes A LOT of problems,, and mostlikely is what has caused this error to begin with..

[Steven]

Originally posted by Ja450n  

There is no need for the Sfc.exe tool in Windows Me because SFP is always actively scanning the computer for file changes. Because of this activity, and because the files monitored by Sfc.exe and SFP are similar, the Sfc.exe tool is not necessary in Windows Me, nor does the option to run this tool exist.  

however... 2000, and XP have put the SFC tool back in...

yes.. 2k came b4 ME.. but  they are not related... ME is a Flashy upgrade to 98, which was built on 95, which was a faulty upgrade to win 3.0 which was built on dos...

2k and XP, are build on Winnt (or win 3.11) which was later upgraded to NT 4, and then NT 5.0 (2k) and NT 5.1 (xp) both of which are not build on DOS.. and are TRUE 32-bit Operating Systems..  

The SFP tool in ME is what causes A LOT of problems,, and mostlikely is what has caused this error to begin with..

i think you goofed

what the hell happend to NT 3.51? hmm?

Personal -- 3.1x > 95 > 98 > ME > XP Home Edition

Power Users/Business 3.51 > NT4 > 2000 > XP Pro