Error Loading Explorer.exe You must reinstall Windows

[crazyfrustrated]

Did an update package (don't ask what---updated on Microsoft site). Running Win98SE and IE6--everything fine until went to run Defrag--froze, so rebooted. Wallpaper comes up...then get message in subject line. If I hit OK, I get: The SHELL32.DLL file is linked to missing export SHLWAPI.DLL:SHRegGetUSValueA.

This is after I originally was getting the error message about the shlwapi.dll file is missing. So...after doing some research online..I copied the file onto a floppy disk and copied it into the Windows/System directory. It is there...but this is the new error message I get.

Also...I DO NOT have the emergency startup disk or CD. I had one awhile ago..but some technical problems landed me in the shop and he reinstalled Windows for me...I have nothing to reboot from or copy from!

 

[TekTippy4U]

A couple of quick thoughts;

It seems that the file(shlwapi.dll) was never registered....
Try this from the command line....Start>Run
Regsvr32 shlwapi.dll

Can u even get into safe mode....get there and do a scandisk also....if possible

Do a find on your C:\ for *.cab files..you may have all the install files on HDD....make sure you Check box "include sub folders"....although the shlwapi.dll is part of IE more so than Windows

If you can get into Windows try repairing IE.....

you can obtain a boot disk from

http://www.bootdisk.com

TT4U

Notification:
These are just "my" thoughts....and should be carefully measured against other opinions....I try very hard to impart correct info at all times.

 

[crazyfrustrated]

Thanks for the ideas....cannot get into windows at all to go to the start menu. Tried going in safe mode...but get same error message. It freezes after error message with wallpaper in background, no icons though. I did download from bootdisk...I think I got the right one...but when I restarted the computer with the floppy disk in...I got the error message for having a disk in at startup...says to press any key when ready...so I ejected the floppy and hit a key and it just went back into the error message. It won't go to the boot disk. Any more suggestions? Thanks!

 

[BionicJohn]

Hi,crazyfrustrated

You can download a Win98SE boot floppy from here:

http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm

Also, enter your error message into Google.

Iechyd da! John
18:00 22/11/2003 GMT

 

[crazyfrustrated]

Hi John!

Thanks...already did that. What is the difference between OEM and custom? I did download one onto floppy and put it in and rebooted...but I get the message NTLDR is missing Press any key to restart...so I have to take the floppy out. I also noticed on starting the computer...it goes to the CD rom drive first instead of the floppy drive. And does that disk reinstall windows? I lost my CD and floppy.

Thanks!

 

[TekTippy4U]

it should be OK that the system tries to Boot from CD first, then floppy second(this is set in the BIOS and very useful for booting from CDROM).....however if you'd like to try and change it, go into BIOS and set floppy as "First Boot device"...and CDRom second, HDD third.

Can u get to a command prompt only...by holding down the CTRL key on boot, towards the end of POST, with no disks in...?? If u can, use these commands to look for .cabs
CD\Windows\Options
Dir /p
also try
CD\Windows\Options\Install
dir /p
or
CD\Cabs
dir /p

Wherever u r in dos, type CD\, to get back to C:\> prompt
It would be nice to find your .cab files, so you can extract the original files to system....

Can u get to Safe mode...by holding down the CTRL key on boot, towards the end of POST, with no disks in...???
Run Scandisk and Defrag from SafeMode, if possible

No; the bootdisk does not contain the .cab install files, just diagnostics and tools(like Extract.exe, Format.com ,Fdisk,)....
These tools may be in C:\Windows\Command also;
look there while looking for .cabs

Get the OEM version of bootdisk....
from "Bootdisk's Read1st"
"Windows OEM bootdisks load basic tools like format, etc to a ramdrive. Watch the last line it will say "The diagnostic tools were loaded to your drive E:" or similiar. Go there to find the tools."
You need these
Look around the site for more info
Remember, if you ever get a hold of Install CD, that your CDROM drive is "R".....

IMO...Your first goal should be to get to(if possible)
1st. Safe mode
2nd. Command Prompt Only
then, if you can't
3rd. Bootdisk (floppy startup disc)


TT4U

Notification:
These are just "my" thoughts....and should be carefully measured against other opinions....I try very hard to impart correct info at all times.

 

[BeenThereDoneThat]

crazyfrustrated:

Noticed that you said you downloaded a bootdisk to a floppy. It won't work that way, you'll just get a non system disk error. You download it to the desktop and double click on it and it will create a bootable disk. Then while you're still on the workable computer, go to C:\windows and copy the file explorer.exe to the bootdisk also. It should fit on there easily. Now start the bad computer with this disk. At the prompt copy explorer.exe into C:\windows overwriting the one that's in there. Take out the floppy and restart. Let's see if that will get you into windows and we can go from there.

 

[crazyfrustrated]

OK guys...
1st -- cannot get into safe mode
2nd -- can get to command prompt

Found CABS directory under Windows\Options (1 of three directories... one was . other was .. and then CABS)

Successfully download OEM version of Win98 from bootdisk.com onto my desktop on good computer and created floppy. Also copied explorer.exe off good computer. Put floppy into bad computer and it said the diagnostic tools were successfully loaded to Drive D. (I opted for the choice without CD Rom Support...since I don't have the CD). At A: prompt....copied explorer.exe from floppy and overwrote version on bad computer...in Windows.

Now what?

 

[crazyfrustrated]

Oh...also....tried to reboot after copying explorer.exe onto bad computer....either in safe mode or regular...still same error loading explorer.exe You must reinstall Windows and the SHELL32.DLL file is linked to missing export SHLWAPI.DLL:SHRegGetUSValueA message. No go...sorry!

 

[BeenThereDoneThat]

crazyfrustrated:

Sounds like the registry is messed up. Since you can get to a command prompt try running 'scanreg /restore' and see if you can find a good backup to restore to.

My only other advice after that would be an overlay install since you do have the cab files. That should not destroy any of your data, but you never know.

 

[crazyfrustrated]

Alright then....this is where I am now!

Did scanreg...got good date...entered it. Restarted. Same error message.

Tried to do a reinstall through cab files in DOS...but keep getting bad command when I put in setup.exe or setup period.

So...looks like I will have to get my hands on a Win98 CD. I called a few friends. Can get one tomorrow. So when I reinstall....I keep my files, etc....they won't be lost?

And once I do this...is 2000 a better edition? I would love to get rid of 98!!!

 

[TekTippy4U]

Ok good so far;
By the way, the Directories . and .. are always there(don't worry about it for now)
Go to the command prompt and hit enter after each line
cd\Windows\Options\Cabs
(each extract, is all one command below, again notice the blank spaces

extract /a /y /e /l c:\windows\system base4.cab Shdocvw.dll Mshtml.dll Comctl32.dll Shlwapi.dll Shell32.dll

extract /a /y /e /l c:\windows base4.cab explorer.exe

Restart the computer;
I'm saying to do explorer again, just to make sure you got the correct version.....and hey, why not.......?


TT4U

Notification:
These are just "my" thoughts....and should be carefully measured against other opinions....I try very hard to impart correct info at all times.

 

[crazyfrustrated]

Tried the extract your way...but it gave me a message saying this program cannot be run in DOS mode.

This is a copy of a thread that someone else was helping me with. As you can see...I did the extract of the shlwapi.dll file....but got a new error message when I start windows.

Symonds: Please insert the Windows 98 startup disk into drive A, and then restart your computer
CrazyFrustrated: ok...at startup menu
Symonds: When the Microsoft Windows 98 Startup menu appears, choose Start computer with CD-ROM support.

CrazyFrustrated: ok...at A: prompt
Symonds: Type ext at the command prompt, press ENTER.
Symonds: Please let me know the options you get.
CrazyFrustrated: says to enter the path to the Windows CAB files (a
Symonds: Okay Tina. Type C:\Windows\options\cabs
CrazyFrustrated: Says to enter the name(s) of the file(s) you want to extract:
Symonds: Ok.
Symonds: Type shlwapi.dll
CrazyFrustrated: says to enter the path to extract to ("enter" for current directory)
Symonds: Type C:\windows\system and press ENTER.
CrazyFrustrated: ok....zipped through cabinet WIN98_41.cab (last one shown) and now it says overwrite c:\windows\system\shlwapi.dll (yes, no or all?)
Symonds: Press Yes.
CrazyFrustrated: alright...back to a: prompt
Symonds: Please restart the system and check to see if you are able to get into Windows.
CrazyFrustrated: gave me Rpcss error box saying this program has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down. Do you want details?
Symonds: No Tina.
CrazyFrustrated: ok
Symonds: Please give me a moment while I look into this issue.
CrazyFrustrated: ok
Symonds: Thank you.
Symonds: Tina, in this case you need to re-install Windows 98 on the same location. Please be assured that your data and applications will remain safe.

CrazyFrustrated: how do I reinstall if I don't have the CD?
Symonds: Let me explain it you, Tina.
CrazyFrustrated: ok
Symonds: Please go to the command prompt C:\>
CrazyFrustrated: ok, I'm there
Symonds: Whne you are the command prompt type cd windows and hit enter key.
CrazyFrustrated: at windows prompt
Symonds: Type cd options and press enter key.
CrazyFrustrated: ok
Symonds: Type cd cabs and hit Enter.
CrazyFrustrated: ok
Symonds: Now Type setup.exe and press Enter.
CrazyFrustrated: bad command or file name
Symonds: Ok.
Symonds: Please type setup and enter.
CrazyFrustrated: bad command or file name
Symonds: OK.
Symonds: Tina, it seems that the operating system cannot be installed from the cabs folder, and to resolve to this issue we need a Windows 98 installation disk. Is it possible for you to get a Win98 disk from any of your friends or neighbours?

CrazyFrustrated: I think I know someone who can give me one
Symonds: Okay Tina.

So...if and when I get the disk today...I'll try and let you all know how it turns out!

Thanks so much for all your help!

 

[TekTippy4U]

Ok
For speed sake and easier communications,
Try what symonds said at first to get to A:\ prompt by booting from floppy
(you either don't have a Setup.exe file in your CABS folder or something's amiss)(cont. below)
Use the EXT command from A:\ and reinstall/overwrite all the 6 files i list above...one by one
(Shdocvw.dll Mshtml.dll Comctl32.dll Shlwapi.dll Shell32.dll Explorer.exe)
Once you extract one file, and end up at A:\ ...type EXT again and repeat procedure

My last long extract post probably needs to be done from C:\Windows\Command(yet we don't know if the "extract.exe" file is in there either)

To find out what is and what isn't in *any* folder(Directory).....you can always type DIR /p
which will "pause the screen" until you hit any key to continue
for alphabetical listing type DIR /p /o:n

If you'd like to look in your C:\windows\options\cabs directory for the Setup.exe file and others......use my alphabetical listing command once your there.

TT4U

Notification:
These are just "my" thoughts....and should be carefully measured against other opinions....I try very hard to impart correct info at all times.

 

[crazyfrustrated]

Ok...reinstalled Win98SE with disk from friend and bootup disk. Everything came up just fine. All is working! Thanks for all the help!

 

[TekTippy4U]

Listen; while you have it(98 CD) there.....create a New folder on HDD called C:\CABS ....and copy THAT cd's win98 directory into it.....
Go to <E:>\Win98 (<E> is whatever your cdrom drive is) in windows explorer and from the Edit menu>Select all.....right click Drag-n-Drop to C:\CABS....choose &quot;Copy Here&quot;
(check to make sure the Setup.exe file is there, now also)

Also check your C:\Windows\Command folder for Startup disc files.....
If u selected to &quot;make a startup disc&quot; DURING the setup process, then they'll be in the Command Directory.....
If not.....you'll have to copy them over from a Startup disk
(which u can do from within Explorer)
Create fairly frequent new startup discs...date them

Did u enter your original Product Key (C.O.A.) or your friend's during Setup?....it shouldn't matter much either way, but just make a note of it

Just trying to give you some pre-cautionary steps to take should this awful situation arise again....
Glad to see you up and running!!



TT4U

Notification:
These are just &quot;my&quot; thoughts....and should be carefully measured against other opinions....I try very hard to impart correct info at all times.