New
#11
It's a virus, sure it was a mistake
A Guy
I re-installed the file explorerframe.dll from the Win7installer.iso file, which I have on my HDD on a separate data partition. That went without any problems, although I had to take ownership of the *.dll file. However the problem with the back-and-forward buttons loosing their history is clearly not solved; at *each* booting of the computer the history of the back-and-forward buttons is gone. I did not re-install the explorer.exe because I think is not going to solve the issue with the history of the buttons.
As for the sporadic disappearance of the address bar and search box, logging off and back on from the Windows account restores the address bar and search box---that is at least faster than rebooting the computer. I've done a test by consecutively rebooting the computer 10 to 20 times after each other, without running any apps in between. In my case the disappearance of the address bar and search box is really sporadic and has nothing to do with any apps doing whatever---also the address bar and search box of the control panel window disappeared a few times.
On my Asus computer I got 2 (TWO) Win7 HP SP1 system partitions. My everyday work account, which is a clean install from Digital River, and another up-to-date Win7 partition from Asus which I call the OEM version (and full of bloatware which I never needed). The OEM I almost never use but its handy as I can boot into the OEM version and do operations on my clean installed system partition.
Now I noticed that the OEM Win7 version has exactly the same problem as my work Win7 clean installed version; that is, address bars and search boxes disappear sporadically and the history of my back-and-forward buttons is always gone too after rebooting.
I cannot get rid of the impression that the problem of the disappearing address bar and search boxes, and the loss of the history of the back-and-forward buttons has little to do with damaged ExplorerFrame.dll and Explorer.exe files, as those files are probably not damaged at all. (Note that >sfc /verifyonly did not come up with any corrupted file(s), all files were intact.) If those 2 files would've been damaged, then logging off and on, or rebooting, would not have such a healing effect on the problem, and probably the frequency with which the problem would occur, in case of damaged ExplorerFrame.dll and Explorer.exe files, would be higher than what it is now, so meaning probably more systematic than sporadic.
The only option is clean re-install I think.
j
I agree, loading of the files is the issue. Almost like a webpage that only partially loads without a refresh. And odd problem when not very infrequent. You could try a repair install if the next step would be a fresh install anyway. A Guy