explorer.exe doesn't start

[bendenfield]

hey guys.
you are my last hope.
after minutes i have finally managed to open a firefox windows, and gladly my pc connects automatically to the internet as soon as i open firefox.

so, here is my problem:
I downloaded a VisualStyle from DeviantART. It told me to rename the "shell32.dll" (C:\Windows\system32\) to "shell32.dll.original". After that I copied the dll from the zip archive to system32. I restarted the computer and then it happend. "explorer.exe" cannot start. i think you have not to be a expert to know what that means. via the taskmanager i opened the cmd and tried various commands, such like copy or rename.
nothing helped.

is there any possibility to get explorer working?
or is there any possibility to rename the original "shell32.dll" and overwrite the dll from the zip without explorer?

any help is really appreciated.
thanks in advance

PS: i know it's absolutly idiotic to replace the shell32.dll, but i really trusted in this download. at least i have still the original file... please help me

[JamesAC]

Wow that must be annoying,

It should be possible to change a filename through CMD. This might help

[jsmorley]

Wow that must be annoying,

It should be possible to change a filename through CMD. This might help

If you can get to the start menu, type "Restore" in the "run / search" box and use a "Restore Point" to put your computer's system back to how it was before you lost your mind.

[bendenfield]

thank you for your help you two. and yes, it is really annoying
i figured it out now, eventhough not the way you suggested.

as the problem was obviously the shell32.dll i simply searched for an alternative for explorer. i installed it and opened it. i renamed the files, restarted and everything was done. damn, that made me go crazy
sometimes sollutions are so simple, you don't even think about them :shock:
god, thank you, that i just renamed the old dll instead of deleting it...

jsmorley: even if i tried, i could not get to the startmenu i think, since i did not even had a taskbar. loosing explorer is like using the thing, that makes your computer such "simple"
anyway thank you. to you both of course