Which explorer.exe is it?

After doing a malware clean my desktop is not opening when I turn on my pc.
I dug out two different explorer.exe's from my task mgr. (one outdated one in i386 folder and the other buried in windows/softwaredistribution/download folder.
Both are reliable (can't even open my trash) and files are impossible to open out of folders. ALso I have to launch from the task mgr when I start my pc.

Help? How do I find the right one, add a new one and make it launch automatically?

 

What version of Windows are you running?

 

In XP Home, the "correct" explorer.exe is in C:\windows\

 

XP Home is correct but there isnt any explorer.exe in the windows folder. should i move it from the other locations described above?

 

That's a good question. I would just copy it, leaving a copy in the location it is now and also putting a copy in C:\Windows\... just in case. I your first post you mention "an outdated" copy of explorer.exe; As far as I know, Explorer doesn't become outdated. It get installed when you install Windows (duh ) and after that it's pretty much left alone. I don't think it can get outdated.... It may be a real good idea to run the system file checker on your PC. I explained how in another post here> http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=143668

 

I was unable to copy the explorer.exe by right clicking an copying.

I have not done the test you forwarded me as I do not have the xp disc handy.

Unless there's a work around, I will try this later.

Thanks!

P.S. Another odd thing is when I load the desktop from the task mgr I am asked to insert disc in reponse to a window called "unload" then when I close it I get an error message.