Windows Explorer opens at every boot

I understand that on Windows start up the Windows Explorer automatically opens to show the bit locker drive. For better understanding of the issue, please answer the following questions:

1) How many partitions are there on your hard drive? The explorer opens to show the bitlocker drive, Is this the only drive present on the computer or there are other drive partitions also?

2) Have you put the checkmark on “Restore previous folder Windows logon” under the View tab Change folder and search options?

I would recommend you to follow the suggested methods and check if that helps:

Method 1: Check the issue in Safe mode with Clean boot:

Step 1: Safe mode:

Refer to the following link to boot the computer in safe mode and check if the issue persists in safe mode:

a) Start your computer in safe mode:

b) Advanced startup options (including safe mode):

Step 2: Perform Clean Boot:

If the issue does not occur in Safe Mode, you may set the computer to ‘Clean boot’ state to check software conflicts. We also need to perform a clean boot on the computer to check if the issue is caused by any software conflicts. A clean boot helps to eliminate software conflicts and to determine what is causing the problem.

Perform a clean boot on the computer by following the steps given in the link:

Note: After you have finished troubleshooting, refer the article “How to reset the computer to start as usual after troubleshooting with clean boot” for Windows 8, given under the section “More Information” to reset the computer to start as usual from the above link.

Method 2: Uncheck “Restore previous folder Windows logon” under the View tab Change folder and search options.

a) Type Computer on the start screen

b) Click View Tab and then click options (click change folder and search options).

c) Under Folder options click view tab.

d) Scroll down and uncheck “Restore previous folder Windows logon”

e) Click Apply and Ok.

f) Shut down and restart the computer to check the status of the issue.

Please get back to us with the results, if you have any other query related to Windows, feel free to post.

How to Boot Safe Mode Windows 10, 8, 7 (7 ways)

What is Safe Mode and how to boot Safe mode Windows.

💡 For Windows 10, 8, 7; for laptop and computer.

Contents

Safe Mode and Options

is a diagnostic mode of a computer operating system. Safe mode is intended to help fix most, if not all problems within an operating system.

Booting in Safe Mode Windows is often used to remove viruses and programs that cannot be removed during normal mode of the Operating System (OS).

Safe Mode Windows 10

In this mode, the minimum set of system programs and services necessary to start the system is loaded.

Starting non-system services from startup and not system programs is ignored.

🔔 The ability to work in this mode is limited.

There are three modes for starting Windows Safe Mode:

Safe Mode	The minimum set of system services is loaded, the launch of not system programs and services is disabled.
Safe mode with Networking	The minimum set of system services and network services is loaded, the launch of not system programs and services is disabled.
Safe mode with Command Promt	The minimum set of system services + network services is loaded, the launch of not system programs and services is disabled. The command line starts, before starting Windows Explorer.

Three modes of Safe Mode Windows 10

The mode is designed to diagnose startup, fix problems and errors OS .

Safe mode after reboot (Windows 10, 8)

An easy way to reboot Windows in safe mode.

💡 Suitable for Windows 10, 8.

1. Press the START button;
2. Click the Power button;
3. Press and hold the SHIFT button and then click Restart. The advanced Windows boot menu is loading;
4. Select the Troubleshoot;

Choose an options

5. In the Troubleshoot window, select the Advanced options;

Troubleshoot

6. In the Advanced options window, select the Startup Settings;

Advanced options

7. In the Startup Setting window, click the Restart button;

Startup Settings

8. After restarting your computer, In the Boot Options window (Advanced Boot Options), select the required Windows boot mode.

Advanced Boot Options for Windows 10

Windows will boot in Safe mode.

To exit Safe Mode, restart your computer.

Using msconfig (Windows 10, 8, 7)

We use the msconfig utility to boot Windows in safe mode.

💡 Suitable for Windows 10, 8, 7.

1. Right-click on the START button and select Run or press the key combination Windows+R;
2. Enter the name of the msconfig utility and click OK;
3. Switch to the Boot tab, check the Safe Mode checkbox, select Minimal and press ОК;
4. Click Restart to start Windows Safe Mode.

Select computer restart options

To exit Safe mode, restart your computer.

🔔 The msconfig utility provides additional options for starting the computer (disabling the launch of services and applications).

Enable Advanced boot options (Windows 10, 8)

💡 Suitable for Windows 10, 8.

In Windows 10, 8, the call to this menu with the F8 button must be turned on manually.

1. Run the command prompt as administrator;
2. Enter the command:

bcdedit command

Close the command prompt window, restart the computer.

Before loading the operating system, press the F8 button, the Advanced boot options menu opens, where we can choose several options for starting Safe Mode or other Windows boot options.

🔔 If you have a laptop, you may have to press the Fn + F8 key combination.

Advanced Boot Options for Windows 10

Safe Mode from System Restore (Windows 10, 8)

💡 Suitable for Windows 10, 8.

You can boot Safe Mode Windows 10, 8 from Recovery mode, after an incorrect OS boot.

After three consecutive power outages when loading Windows 10, 8, the system will start to boot Recovery mode.

Recovery mode Windows 10, 8

Select See advanced repair options recovery options.

Further, the launch of Safe Mode will occur as in paragraph – Safe Mode after reboot (Windows 10, 8).

🔔 We dont recommend using this method of loading Windows Safe Mode, as this can cause permanent damage to the system!

Safe mode from the command prompt (bcdedit)

The bcdedit command changes persistent Windows boot options. After enabling Safe Mode, enter the command to change the configuration and disable booting into Safe Mode.

You can also use the bcdedit command in the command prompt in Windows Recovery mode.

You can boot Windows in Safe Mode by running the bcdedit command in the Command Prompt running with administrator rights.

Enable Safe Mode:

Enable Safe Mode with Networking:

Enable Safe Mode with Command Prompt (enter two commands):

Restart your computer to apply the new configuration settings.

To disable booting Safe Mode, in Windows configuration, run:

Safe mode using shutdown utility

The shutdown utility is a built-in Windows program that allows you to restart, shutdown, hibernate, or end a user session.

After rebooting, in the System Restore window, select the required option.

Learn more about the startup parameters of the shutdown utility – here.

I hope you were able to boot Windows in Safe Mode in a convenient way.

How to boot Windows Safe Mode:

SHIFT button and Reboot

Hold the SHIFT button and press Reset button. More…

Run the msconfig utility, select the Safe Mode – Minimal option. More…

Enabling the Advanced Boot Menu

Use the bcdedit command to enable the Advanced boot menu and the press F8 button (as on Windows 7, XP) to call up the menu, when the Windows boot. More…

Three times, power off the system to enable the Recovery mode and boot Windows Safe Mode. More…

These were the available options for boot Safe Mode Windows 10, 8, 7.

🟢 How to boot Safe Mode in Windows 10, 8, 7 was discussed in this article. I hope you can now configure Windows to start in Safe Mode. However, if you run into any problems, do not hesitate to write in the comments. I will try to help.

Boot to windows explorer

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The Shell registry entry at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon should only be explorer.exe

Have you tried running the following?
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Let us know if it helps!

Kind regards,
Leon

I have this same issue. The registry has the correct entry for . explorer.exe . I have checked the environment variables and they have the correct paths. Windows just starts with a black screen with the command prompt. If I type in explorer it all then works. I do not want to this every time I log in.

I decided to create a new admin user and that starts correctly. So the problem is with the user account. I could use the new account but that is a fudge I would really like to resolve the problem if anyone can help.

Looks like something is corrupted with one of your user profiles.

You could also try the suggestions in the link below (even if it’s for win7):

I found that you might need to also go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon, then delete shell

So, overall, make sure in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon shell is set to explorer.exe
In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon, The shell registry entry is removed entirely, and in HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Command Processor, remove Autorun if it exists

Also, check to make sure that you don’t have some malware in C:\Users\your username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\SoundModule\SoundModule.exe. I do not know if there’s a legitimate «SoundModule.exe» but I know that the one that was on my drive was malicious.

In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon, The shell registry entry is removed entirely

Mine was set to %comspec%, removed that in hope that it will help.
Otherwise I need to type «explorer» in the cmd on boot.. It’s getting seriously annoying.

EDIT: That one reg key solved my issue. Thanks mate.

In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon, The shell registry entry is removed entirely

Mine was set to %comspec%, removed that in hope that it will help.
Otherwise I need to type «explorer» in the cmd on boot.. It’s getting seriously annoying.

EDIT: That one reg key solved my issue. Thanks mate.

This is the same thing, so you might want to remove those other entries/files.

from reddit user spiralspectra: (Just replace «soundmixer» with whatever your virus called itself)

Mate i fixed it, it seemed like a virus:

Here is a step by step on how to do away with these.

1.a) Open Run (windows key + r) and enter «%appdata%» without quotes and press enter.

1.b) Go to the Microsoft folder and delete the SoundMixer folder contained within (This is the mining software).

1.c) Open Run and enter «regedit.exe» without quotes.

1.d) Find the registry entry mentioned as([HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Command Processor]) and remove it. This entry attempts to run the miner whenever a CMD is started.

2.a) Go to the winlogon registry entry in the same regedit software ([HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon])