Tools-System Startup-Explorer.exe

T

TreeHead

New member
Within the "Tools" area, while reviewing "System Startup", I noted the following entry (which I copied from "View Report"):

Located: System.ini, Shell
where: C:\WINDOWS\system.ini...
command: Explorer.exe
file:
size: 0
MD5: D41D8CD98F00B204E9800998ECF8427E
Warning: if the file is actually larger than 0 bytes,
the checksum could not be properly calculated!

ALL of the several "Database Status" descriptions indicate the above as "Not required - Virus - Spyware - Malware or other resource hog". Additionally, although I am able to toggle all other items listed in "System Startup", I cannot toggle (uncheck or otherwise deactivate) this particular item. I regularly check "System Startup" entries. Although this entry (Explorer.exe) is not shown in BOLD, I do believe it is new (within past two weeks). And YES, I am starting to have trouble while on the internet. Any advice, please?
 
Is startup highlighted with red color?
Go to Spybot-S&D>Tools>Process list and find explorer.exe.
If you find 2 processes, show their paths (real Explorer.exe should be in C:\WINDOWS\) and do not stop them because you can stop the real.
 
Tom, Thanks for reply

I found Explorer.exe in the upper window of Process list and highlighted it. In the lower window, Process Info., file name is shown as C:\Windows\Explorer.exe which you indicated is to be expected.

Nevertheless, I am confused and concerned by the "Database Status" which warns on ALL entries for this item
"Not required - Virus - Spyware - Malware or other resource hog" and which advises that Explorer.exe "would not normally appear in the MSCONFIG/STARTUP unless you added it manually". I don't recall ever "adding it manually" nor does Windows Explorer open up (to view) during startup. Additionally, I don't find any such entry in the actual Windows ME - MSCONFIG/STARTUP utility.

Do I, as indicated by Spybot, have a problem or is this some kind of mistake?

*NOTE- The "folder" icon along with several other icons (Cardfile, Calculator, Show Desktop, Internet Explorer and Email) appears near the "Start" button.
 
Related (Explorer) Error Messages

Forgot to mention recent error messages "Explorer has caused an erro in SHELL32.DLL" "Explorer will now close".
 
Can you find in system.ini which command is used for explorer.exe? If you have hijackthis, run it and find entry (DO NOT fix or delete anything!) F# (# - number) which contains something like this: system.ini: load=explorer.exe (or something else). Do not paste log!
 
Hijack This info. (HJT)

Although HJT is on my PC, I've never actually used it (till now).
Immediately after doing the scan (w/ logfile), I did not see anything with words "Explorer.exe" in the scan portion (which is the one with the small boxes in front of the entries).
I do have the following info. which I hope will provide some insight:

From logfile of HJT:
C:\WINDOWS\EXPLORER.EXE

From c:\windows\system.ini (opened with Notepad)
shell=Explorer.exe
 
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