Win2k (bizarre) Login Trouble

PCMike · #1 October 21st, 2003, 04:07 PM

The Problem: When a user logs on a windows 2000 machine they encounter a blank desktop. Explorer.exe does not launch. I am unable to launch explorer.exe from new task in the task manager. Explorer.exe will launch for anyone logging in with Admin rights. This problem is somewhat intermittent as some are able to logon without problem getting their desktop as ussual.

The machines in question are running win2k sp4 on FAT32 drives.
All users who have the issue are power users on each workstation.

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

modmidget · #2 October 21st, 2003, 09:16 PM

Don't know if I'm understanding your question correctly so I'll just take a stab at it. This may be one of the Win2000 features courtesy of Bill Gates.

You log in as a user with admin rights and install all the software. Then someone else comes along and logs in (doesn't matter if they are a power user or admin) but none of the icons show for the software you installed with your user name. If this is your problem it's normal for Win2000. That's how it works. Here's what I do to solve the problem. I log in as myself with admin rights and I install all the software & set up the desktop the way I want it. When I am completely finished I reboot the PC and login as Administrator. I go into Windows explorer, open My Computer, open Local Disk C:, and open the Documents and Settings folder. The I click on Tools, Folder Options, and click on the View tab. In the 4th option down I select "show hidden files and folders" then click OK. I then rename the Default User folder to Default User.old and then I rename my 'user name' folder to Default User. Now you can reboot the PC and anyone who logs on will get all of the icons and programs that you installed using your user name. In addition, the next time you log in a new folder will be created for you and all of the settings will be copied from the Default User folder.

**AnnMarie** · #3 October 21st, 2003, 10:16 PM

Any help here PCMike? BTW, I now recommend RAV online. It doesnt clean but it does a better job of detecting viruses and trojans than any other online scanner.

PCMike · #4 October 21st, 2003, 10:25 PM

Basically explorer.exe is not running when they login. So they don't get any desktop at all. No start menu no task bar, zero icons etc. The issue does not seem to be profile driven, rather rights driven. The wierd thing is, there are no rights assigned to files or folders with FAT32. Thanks for the suggestion though!

modmidget · #5 October 22nd, 2003, 12:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PCMike

Basically explorer.exe is not running when they login. So they don't get any desktop at all. No start menu no task bar, zero icons etc. The issue does not seem to be profile driven, rather rights driven. The wierd thing is, there are no rights assigned to files or folders with FAT32. Thanks for the suggestion though!

I'm no expert on Win2000 but if these machines have been in use for a while I think my next steps would be to run MS regclean (if it works on 2000), and I would clean out all temp directories and temporary internet files. I've had stuff in those temp directories do strange things in Win98Se.

Just grabbin' at straws here.

PCMike · #6 October 22nd, 2003, 02:59 PM

I will try reg clean, we do have a version that works with win2k. The workstations have not been in use very long; however it is something to try. Thanks!

PCMike · #7 October 22nd, 2003, 03:03 PM

BTW One of the machines with the logon issue is having the issue below. Wondering if we just got a bad pre-install from Dell.

http://www.cybertechhelp.com/forums/...ad.php?t=24075