Windows Explorer window is running each time I log in

[binghamjc]

I searched for an answer to this in the forum but too many matches came back that had nothing to do with the question that I asked, so if this has been answered already please just point me to the answer.
I have a Dell GX260 running Windows XP SP3
This is a refurbished computer that I purchased to replace a computer that died. So I am installing software on it that was on the old computer. I removed the optical drives from the old computer installed them on the Dell.
I installed some software from for the HP optical drive which hung at the end of the installation during the restart process. Now every time I log in to any account on the computer a Windows Explorer window is open in the C:\Program Files\HP directory. Which makes me suspect that it is something that did not get cleaned up when the installation hung.
I would really like to know what to do to clean this up so that Windows Explorer will no longer start up each time I log on.

Thanks in advance
Jay

[Allan]

Go to the following registry locations, look for an incomplete entry on the right side, and delete it:

HKCU / Software / Microsoft / Windows / Current Version / Run

HKLM / Software / Microsoft / Windows / Current Version / Run

[blackrainbow]

Windows Explorer is a file manager application that is included with releases of the Microsoft Windows operating system from Windows 95 onwards. It provides a graphical user interface for accessing the file systems. It is also the component of the operating system that presents many user interface items on the monitor such as the taskbar and desktop. Controlling the computer is possible without Windows Explorer running (for example, the File | Run command in Task Manager on NT-derived versions of Windows will function without it, as will commands typed in a command prompt window). It is sometimes referred to as the Windows Shell, explorer.exe, or simply “Explorer”.

[BC_Programmer]

Windows Explorer is a file manager application that is included with releases of the Microsoft Windows operating system from Windows 95 onwards. It provides a graphical user interface for accessing the file systems. It is also the component of the operating system that presents many user interface items on the monitor such as the taskbar and desktop. Controlling the computer is possible without Windows Explorer running (for example, the File | Run command in Task Manager on NT-derived versions of Windows will function without it, as will commands typed in a command prompt window). It is sometimes referred to as the Windows Shell, explorer.exe, or simply “Explorer”.

And this helps how?

it doesn't. Please read the post before responding instead of just the title.

[binghamjc]

Allan,

Go to the following registry locations, look for an incomplete entry on the right side, and delete it:

HKCU / Software / Microsoft / Windows / Current Version / Run

HKLM / Software / Microsoft / Windows / Current Version / Run

Thanks for your reply, unfortunately I am not sure I completely understand what you mean by an incomplete entry. 

I found the following entries at HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run:
"PowerPanel Personal Edition User Interaction"="\"C:\\Program Files\\CyberPower PowerPanel Personal Edition\\pppeuser.exe\""
"LDM"="C:\\Program Files\\Logitech\\Desktop Messenger\\8876480\\Program\\LogitechDesktopMessenger.exe"
"ctfmon.exe"="C:\\WINDOWS\\system32\\ctfmon.exe"
They all look complete to me.

I found the following entries at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run:
"IgfxTray"="C:\\WINDOWS\\system32\\igfxtray.exe"
"HotKeysCmds"="C:\\WINDOWS\\system32\\hkcmd.exe"
"PDVDDXSrv"="\"C:\\Program Files\\CyberLink\\PowerDVD DX\\PDVDDXSrv.exe\""
"hpqSRMon"=""
"avgnt"="\"C:\\Program Files\\Avira\\AntiVir Desktop\\avgnt.exe\" /min"
"PD0620 STISvc"="RunDLL32.exe P0620Pin.dll,RunDLL32EP 513"
"EvtMgr6"="C:\\Program Files\\Logitech\\SetPointP\\SetPoint.exe /launchGaming"
"Adobe Reader Speed Launcher"="\"C:\\Program Files\\Adobe\\Reader 9.0\\Reader\\Reader_sl.exe\""
"Adobe ARM"="\"C:\\Program Files\\Common Files\\Adobe\\ARM\\1.0\\AdobeARM.exe\""
"DVDTray"="C:\\Program Files\\HP DVD\\Umbrella\\DVDTray.exe"
"DVDBitSet"="C:\\Program Files\\HP DVD\\Umbrella\\DVDBitSet.exe /NOUI"
"QuickTime Task"="\"C:\\Program Files\\QuickTime\\qttask.exe\" -atboottime"
"SunJavaUpdateSched"="\"C:\\Program Files\\Java\\jre6\\bin\\jusched.exe\""
"WinPatrol"="C:\\Program Files\\BillP Studios\\WinPatrol\\winpatrol.exe -expressboot"
The only one that looks incomplete to me is the hpqSRMon entry, which has nothing in the data portion. Is that what you mean by incomplete?
I assumed that it was and deleted the entry.
Unfortunately that did not seem to have any effect, when I logged in as another user the Windows Explorer window still came up displaying the C:\Program Files\HP directory.

In my profile I say that I am "experienced" because I worked in the software development industry for 30 years, but most of my experience is with programing for operating systems other than windows. So while I have a great deal of experience most of it is not with making Windows do what I want it to do. That being said I believe that fundamentally Windows is not any different than any other operating system, to make it do something it must be told to do it and it must be told where to do it. So in this case I believe that I should be looking for someplace that is telling Windows Explorer to run and open the C:\Program Files\HP directory each time a user logs in. That makes the HKLM entries in the registry a logical place  to look since all users are affected. However, I do not see anything in the SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run list that indicates that Windows Explorer is being started from that location in the registry. While it may be possible that starting Windows Explorer is a default action when Windows cant figure out what it is supposed to do, it seems to me that the default directory to open would not be C:\Program Files\HP, so that information needs to be stored somewhere, most likely in the registry.

[jason2074]

Check this site for Win-xp: Previous issue posted was solved and website was referred courtesy of Mastermind Broni.
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp.htm
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_conflicts.htm
You might find the article for your problem.

[Allan]

Yes, "hpqSRMon"="" is the entry. Delete it in each user profile and reboot. Let's see what happens

[Broni]

Windows Explorer window is running each time I log in

Can you explain more?
Windows Explorer window opens, when your computer boots up, or...?

[Allan]

Now every time I log in to any account on the computer a Windows Explorer window is open in the C:\Program Files\HP directory.

Broni - this issue is usually due to an incomplete entry in one of the RUN keys

[Broni]

I thought, I've seen that issue on HP computers and...
Take a look here: http://forums13.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?admit=109447627+1280250246461+28353475&threadId=841671
It seems to have some connection to HP updater running at the startup.

[Allan]

Hmmm. Okay, thanks for that. Still, I don't see any such task in his startup items (unless it's in the startup folder, and I think that would be very unlikely). I'm still guessing it's that incomplete startup entry.

[Broni]

Startups can be located in more registry locations, than just those two...

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServicesOnce
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServicesOnce
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceEx
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\Run
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\Run
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Userinit
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows\load
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Notify
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ShellServiceObjectDelayLoad
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\SharedTaskScheduler

Also, explorer.exe doesn't have to be a startup per se. It may be simply triggered by some other startup.

[Allan]

I understand. But if it happens every time that rules out runonce. And we both know the keys I listed are the most likely. But nice list

[BC_Programmer]

I understand. But if it happens every time that rules out runonce. And we both know the keys I listed are the most likely.

One problem: they listed the contents of the "most likely" locations, and aside from the empty value there weren't any "incomplete" keys, and deleting the one "incomplete" key (which was empty and therefore wasn't going to be responsible for starting windows explorer in a specific folder) didn't resolve the problem.

HP(heck, most OEMs) like to put startups not just in the RUN key but also in win.ini, why? I don't know.

for example, the lack of "any such task" being in either of the RUN keys is hardly evidence against Broni's theory, considering another common location for it to be located is in win.ini in a:

Code: [Select]

run=hpfsched

My point is, yes. the run key is the most likely. but clearly nothing there is (directly) causing the problem, so either it's elsewhere, or, as Broni mentioned, one of the other applications listed there may very well be starting Explorer.

I'd remove All the HP startups.

[JJ 3000]

Have you checked add/remove programs to see if the software is listed there?

Tried a system restore yet?