run executable (script) @ startup / login (before explorer.exe?)

Hi, everything's going well, fixing an issue a day, but the solution to this continues to elude me...

I have a (taskbar) toolbar (like quick launch) that shows the folder contents (as usual, like quick launch) on the toolbar. The target folder resides on a virtual volume, that's always attached....

One of the problems is that I don't know how windows (internally) performs this (virtual volume) load/mount/attach operation....

I had used VHDAttach or something in the past... until I realised

• there are NO safety controls - if you (context) detach the (system C:\) VHD, it's goodnight vienna - eternal sleep! Dead virtual machine!
• the "nice to have's" offered out-of-the-box are all easily attainable with a bit of (diskpart /s script) batch magic

The problem is that I have to restart explorer after login to refresh the systemiconcache; by then, the volume is attached, and the icons are read (as normal) and displayed...

I'm running attachLBS.bat @ (can you believe User Startup isn't in C:\users\username\startup?!) - this gives the volume a path letter (L:)... but it doesn't run in time..


So! My question is - how do I make windows ensure an operation is completed (attach volume, for example) BEFORE explorer.exe performs it's "display shell / user interface" task?!

Thanks!

A possibility could be to use Task Scheduler, as it lets you run programs before any user logs in (therefore, before explorer starts). Just put it in a trigger with an event of "system startup" and it will run before everything.