Vista startup problem

[misle]

This problem started a week or so ago. The Vista install is only ~2 months old.

When I start my computer, it loads up like this : PIC

I can CTL-ALT-DEL to the task manager and other stuff. The only way I can get the system to run normally is to navigate to C:\Windows\ and launch explorer.exe

This also happens when the system sleeps and I have to log back in.

Any reason explorer.exe wouldn't launch at startup? Any ideas?

 

[NewMaxx]

Haven't seen this before but I will look into it. However, I do know that explorer (for Windows Explorer) by default opens to the Documents folder just like that. My first guess would be that the call for explorer is for some reason calling to Windows Explorer rather than the normal shell.

I just took a quick peek in the registry (run - regedit) and found the following key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

In the right pane here, you see Shell with value "explorer.exe" (no parentheses), is your value different than that?

 

[misle]

Yes, the value is different.

Explorer.exe C:\WINDOWS\Config\lsass.exe

 

[misle]

Oh nice, looks like it's a virus if not located in the C:\Windows\System32 folder.

I have McAfee, we'll see if it has already found it.

Edit: I was referring to the lsass.exe file.

 

[misle]

Well, I don't even have a C:\Windows\Config folder and can't find the lsass.exe file. I'll run a complete system scan tonight.

I've changed the reg entry back to explorer.exe, so I think that will fix it.