Taskbar missing, explorer.exe does not run

Hi,

I am trying to fix a Windows XP home system. The Icons and taskbar do not show up. If I try to run explorer.exe from Task Manager or a command prompt; It runs briefly and terminates. The taskbar shows up briefly at that time, and disapears, along with explorer.exe in Task Manager.

I have read other postings and have tried http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/taskbarplus!.htm with no result.

Thanks In Advance

 

For troubleshooting purposes, logon to the main, usually hidden, Administrator account in Safe Mode. (Repeatedly press and release the F8 key as the computer starts booting up, when the boot menu appears, choose Safe Mode, click on the Administrator account. If you didn't password that account, leave the password field blank and click OK.)

If it will boot into Safe Mode in the main Administrator account, go to Control Panel>User Accounts and set up a new user account with Administrator privileges. Reboot into normal mode in the new account.

If things work as they are supposed to in the new user account, it's likely the account you were using is corrupt.

Following the instructions in the Microsoft Knowledge Base article, How to copy data from a corrupted user profile to a new profile, to transfer your stuff to the new account is probably the best way to go.

 

More explorer.exe does not run [long]; Taskbar and Icons missing

Thanks, Miz

Here is some further information:
The problem occurs in safe mode as well as normal.
The Administrator, the normal user, and Guest account
are all affected.
I am capable of running any program and can get to
control panel items through Task manager File->Run.

I don't see it as a case of account corruption because
the Guest account was turned off when it occured.

Explorer displays no errors when it terminates. I think
it's a case of an invalid registry key, or perhaps a bad
DLL.

Thanks again

 

Taskbar missing: explorer.exe does not run

I have run sfc /scannow on the afflicted system, several times,
with no result.
I am in the process of scrounging up a Windows XP Home edition disk;
it seems that Dell did not ship any OS CDs with the system. Would it
be possible to use a Windows XP Professional CD to effect this repair?

Thanks in Advance

 

Taskbar missing; explorer.exe does not run

I went through the steps, thanks for the URL... but I could not find the
program or link to create the recovery CD. I am limitted to command line
work, bu did find \documents and Settings\Administrator\Start Menu\Dell Accesories\.... and all ther was there was some utility to display a
machine specific serial number for support purposes.

Thanks Again

P.S.
Mea Culpa... it was in "All Users "
now I'm making the recovery CD and crossing fingers
P.P.S.
Just went through the whole process, and it's just as bad.
explorer.exe dies even faster now, though