Windows boot hangs on bare wallpaper?

List,

On Windows XP SP2 home edition I was on the pc online, working as normal when I get an "explorer needs to shut down error and sorry..yada yada ". I shut done and re-start and now I am stuck at the blank desk top wall paper with a working mouse but nothing else will load? Safe mode does the same with the safe mode logos, working mouse but never gets past that screen. I tried to use a previous restore point as someone else on this board suggested to someone else with a simular problem but it would not load past the wall paper.

I have recently removed some nasty spy ware but was working and running fine and all of a sudden this? I need some help as I really can't afford to format as I have business work etc on this hard drive. Is there a way I can restore without losing my data?

Thanks in advance to any and all help.

Chris

 

If your mouse functions perhaps using the keycombo of cntrl/alt/del will bring up taskmanager. If so, on the "Processes tab" do you see "explorer.exe "? If not see if you can start it by using the toolbar>file>new task>runline. Either type in explorer.exe or browse to *\windows\explorer.exe and clicking on it.

If taskmanager opens you can also checkout the other processes and see if something strange is running that may need an "endtask" to kill it. On the applications tab is something showing as not responding? Run newtask of eventvwr.msc. Look for applications errors. Run new task of services.msc. Check for problems with disabled services. Run newtask of any virus program you have. Scan for such. Not sure if this is possible without explorer shell but it's worth a shot.

Tried logging on as "True Addministrator" or another user? May have to run checkdisk but give the above a shot and let's see if any work.

 

Did you have Google Desktop Search installed?

Ctrl-Alt-Delete to bring up Task Manager
File, New Task, CMD
. Type "cd C:\Program Files\Google\Google Desktop Search" (without quotes) to change directories.
. Type "GoogleDesktopSetup.exe -uninstall" (without quotes) to uninstall.

Reboot and test.