Windows 10 Explore.exe Frozen on Startup--Can't Do Anything! - Microsoft Community

without rhyme or reason, laptop froze 1 morning--just black screen. since nothing did unfrozen (i.e., control alt delete), pressed down power button force shut down. expected laptop reboot, unfreeze, , go working normally, mild irritation on whole thing.

instead, i'm able login, explorer.exe freezes , non-responsive. absolutely nothing works--i can't access cmd.exe, start menu, task manager, absolutely nothing. right clicking nothing, , control alt delete nothing. after maybe 15 minutes, window pop saying application (i.e., explorer) nonresponsive, giving me option wait or end process. waiting results in same nonresponsive message after 15 minutes, , ending process takes me blank screen. control alt delete, windows button, nothing works on blank screen. repeated few times (force shut down, reboot, , login), , still same issue.

then tried reboot safe mode. fortunately, 1 thing seems work login screen functional. i'm able restart or shut down there without having force shut down laptop. pressed shift key along "restart" enter options page. there, booted in safe mode. only, exact same problem occurred! in safe mode, explorer.exe frozen and, again, couldn't or access anything. went login screen (by forcibly shutting down laptop) , saw there diagnostics tool fix startup issues. ran it, said unable fix anything.

now desperate, saw option reset laptop without losing personal files. think uninstalls , reinstalls windows, or that. selected , after reaching 30% reset, stopped , said unable complete process (it said nothing reset result).

then tried system restore. windows had system restore saved december 13. while able complete system restore, explorer.exe problem still persists.

my laptop came windows 8.1. upgraded windows 10 several months ago and, while did have issues laptop after (mostly having slow/unresponsive mouse , keyboard), nothing has ever happened.

in addition, work home off of laptop--without it, can't work. please help!

(note while i'm internet-savvy, running commands , computer hardware lingo goes on head, please assume won't understand unless it's written out complete instructions.)

my laptop dell inspiron 5547.

i got caught in infinite loops in data application folders. luckily, i'm @ googling, found out adding /xj portion command line, solved problem.

thanks feedback. please remember mark reply "answer" question.

the recursive loops caused symbolic links has been irritation many years. microsoft not appear interested in removing flaw.

Windows / Windows 10 / Performance & system failures / PC