Desktop switches back and forth from desktop to background pic

I am running WinXP and after boot up my Desktop shows Restore active desktop but before I can do anything the screen toggles to my background picture with no desktop icons or start taskbar. This toggles back and forth a few times and then freezes on the background pic. with no icons and no start taskbar again. This began after the computer was working fine, no problems and then the next day this started happening. I have tried many things to fix the problem, even running the repair tool from the XP disk, which did not fix the problem. Please help if you can.

 

Follow the directions given HERE to get back to normal.

 

Tryed to restore desktop and it is still switching from white backdrop desktop with icons to background pic with no icons.

 

Right-click the Desktop and select Properties and then click the Desktop Tab, then click the Customize Desktop tab, then the Web tab, then under web pages, clear all the boxes, click OK and exit.

 

There were no boxes checked.

 

i don't know if this will help, but i notice once the page has stop switching back and forth and stops on the background page, in processes tab in Task manager the explorer.exe is taking up all the cpu usage. if i stop this task and restart the task by retyping it in the new task box it starts the computer switching the pages again.

 

That's normal if you stop explorer.exe while it's having a problem with the wallpaper.

Right-click the Desktop and select Properties > Desktop Tab > scroll the list and select "None" > Apply > OK and post back your results.

 

I did this and it is still doing the problem just with a black screen instead of the pic. I have ran scannow and downloaded windows malicious software check and still having the problem. I am running out of ideas.

 

Me too! Try this:

Do a drive search for explorer.exe and note the path to where all versions are found. Also note if they are all the same size and date. You may need to set your system to see hidden files. The normally used one is in System32 of course. Now, bring up Task manager and end process on explorer.exe. Then use the File > Run New Task feature to browse to the location of one of the alternate versions of explorer.exe and double-click it. Test all versions for effect and let's see what we can learn.

 

Perhaps dump all your Temporary Internet Files. Then check your Start Up Folder for anything suspicious. Run MSCONFIG and click the Startup tab and disable all item and reboot for a test.

Reinstall your video drivers.

Try Safe Mode to see if it works there.

Report results back for all to evaluate here and perhaps someone will come up with something short of a Clean Install.

 

Search your drive for all the IconCache.db file and delete all versions found. Be sure you are set to show/search for hidden files. It will recreate as needed and eliminate the possibility of a corrupt one.

Create a new User and log on to it. See what happens there.