Help--my icons and start button have disappeared!

Hi---For some reason when I rebooting my computer, all of my Icons were missing. Additionally, the Start button is missing--thus, I cannot access any of my programs. The only thing on my desktop is my background scene. I don't know what to do. I pressed ctrl alt delete and accessed the task manager where I was able to access msconfig. From there I was able to reboot in safe mode---but the desktop was still blank (and no start button). I was thinking my files were deleted, but they are not. I went to the task manager and went to run--and I was able to access a few files---(ex. when I clicked on a music file--it played.) But I have no idea how to get my icons and start menu back. Hopefully this will be easy to fix.

I do have Windox XP--and obviously--this is the first time this has happened to me. I thought I was computer literate until this problem arose. If anyone has suggestions---or questions, please let respond as I will greatly appreciate it. You can email me at : removed - Newt . Thank you,
MsG

 

Hi MsGPG and welcome. I removed your email address. We keep all responses on the forum for two reasons.

- it will be easier for anyone wanting to offer you assistance if we have a complete record of suggestions and the results

- it will make the thread useful to others who find it while searching for help with a similar issue.

First thing I would suggest is to click on start, on run, key in sfc /scannow (note the space after sfc) and OK.

 

have you tried bringing your mouse down to the very bottom of the screen and trying to "lift" up the task bar? if this works, make sure to right click onto the taskbar and "locking" it.

"be sure" to hold down the left mouse button when "lifting "

 

Hi pro1driver and welcome.

Good suggestion if only the taskbar (with start button) has gone missing but with his icons having vanished as well, we are probably looking at something being busted.

 

Okay--It is true---I can't access the task bar--and there's no way to pull it up--and my icons are still gone. Plus I cant right click anywhere either. I did go through the task manager and entered sfc /scannow. A black box "tried" to pop up---but for some reason it won't appear...beyone half a second.

Thanks for your suggestions--

Any other ideas?

 

MsGPG--TweakUI might be able to fix this. Is TweakUI on your PC? If so, open TweakUI||look in left panel|My Computer|Drives and check (in right panel) all the drive letters.
If you do not have TweakUI, can you access the internet to get it?
If yes,
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx
If no, can some friend download it for you? It is only 147KB so will fit on a floppy, and, of course, any other removeable medium.
TweakUI also has a fix for Desktop icons.
"Repair" in left panel, in dropdown menu Rebuild Icons.

 

Try running explorer.exe in the run box in task manager. Probably won't work but it sounds like it's not running. Is explorer.exe listed in the list of processes in task manager?

 

???

THanks guys--
Okay--its explorer.exe is not listed in the list of processes. I typed it in the run box--and got no result.


Im about to try and download TweakUI. I'll let you all know how that goes. Strangely....I can connect to MSN messenger fine---but I can't open up the internet explorer. Thankfully I have my laptop here and so that is how i'm accessing the internet now.

 

Ok--I downloaded it and burned it on a cd---however when I tried opening it up on it said there was an error with the download. I put the cd in my laptop and tried opening it up and it worked fine.

HELP

 

Maybe try system restore? Type "%SystemRoot%\System32\restore\rstrui.exe" into the run box (without the quotes).

 

Okay--I tried this and a box popped up that said system restore....only problem...there was nothing else in the box. The only thing I could do with the box was close,minimize or maximize.

HELP!!!

 

Okay--I tried this and a box popped up that said system restore....only problem...there was nothing else in the box. The only thing I could do with the box was close,minimize or maximize.

HELP!!!

 

Okay, when you tap F8 to get the safe mode boot option, is there a "last known good" option? If so choose it.

Your system restore popping up with an empty box makes me fear you have listened to someone who advised disabling system restore for unknown reasons and do not have any restore points. Thus when the registry gets corrupted, or something goes wrong you have no backup to restore to.

Here is what is happening, basically when windows is loaded, it fetches various files called hives which combine to make the registry and as they load, they send calls to load various files and programs.
You are at a point where it tells it to load your desktop and startup programs and something is not there or not loading, so windows sits there waiting before proceeding.
It appears to be something which loads not only in normal mode, but also safe mode (meaning it is probably not a device driver or installed program but something located in the windows folder , probably a virus or trojan; or a corruption of your profile)

When you boot to safe mode, are you logging in using your username and password, or are you logging in as the safe mode system administrator with the user name
Administrator?
If you are not logging in as Administrator , do so. If you never set a password for it, leave it blank. If this works, then it means your account got damaged. Just go to control panel/ users / create a new account (with different name and password) and give it full admin privileges.
Reboot and log in to that one and ask for next step.

 

I rebooted under last knwn good--and got the same results. I have been logging under administrator---in both normal mode and safe mode. Should I try creating a user with administrative priv. even though the administrator itself does not work? If so, how do I access the control panel from the task manager?


If there are viruses or trojans---what should/can I do?

It does seem to be doing exactly what you were describing---once I boot up I can hear it trying to load, but nothing appears. So some link, or file appears to be missing at this "middle" stage.

Additionally, I can open up word documents, pdf's in adobe reader, msn messenger fine. However I cannot access the internet explorer of norton antivirus. Hopefully this additional info will help.

 

You're right. It's explorer.exe. Something's damaged and explorer won't load because of it. If not your profile perhaps explorer.exe itself. IE is tied to explorer so it wouldn't surprise me that it doesn't work if explorer.exe isn't loaded. You're AV program hooks into the system in many ways and it wouldn't be a big surprise that that doesn't work either. I'm sort of at an end for things to suggest to you though other than to try running system restore from a command prompt. My guess is that if the last known good config wouldn't work, this probably won't work either but it's worth a try. Other than that, I'm sort of out of suggestions other than to try reinstalling windows. Do you have a XP cd?

System restore should never be just an empty box. You should have something to click on. The option to create or restore a restore point for example.

How to start the System Restore tool at a command prompt in Windows XP

 

Have you tried running chkdsk? You might try running chkdsk c: /r in the run box in task manager. If you're prompted to restart, do it. If it doesn't work from there you could try booting to a command prompt and running it from there.

 

Check for this hkey value in the registry:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon]
"Shell "= "explorer.exe "

---Desperate last ditch effort that is relatively easy---
Note the odd procedure the last member in this thread used. It may be worth a shot. If it worked for him it may work for you:
http://www.windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?t=47181&highlight=blank+desktop

--------------

 

You can try this tool
Download WinPFind.zip
Save it and unzip it to your C: directory
So you now have C:\WinPFind folder

Use your task manager and click on FILE>>New Task(Run...)
Use the browse button and navigate to the WinPFind folder
Open the folder and double click on WinPFind.exe
Click OK
Then Start Scan

This could take some time as it will scan your drive

When it's done
Post the results of the WindPFind.txt located in the WinPFind folder

This may show some hidden bad files and registry settings

Edit>>Forgot to mention
WPFind will also show us that Winlogon key that goddez1 was directing you too
But I'm more concerned about another key in the registry that may be corrupt

 

Okay I did download Taskbar Repair ToolPlus, but when I try opening it on my desktop it says..Run-Time error 429- Active X component can't create object. Nevertheless it works fine when I try running it on my laptop.

Right now I'm running the scan-WinPFind--I'll let you all know what it says when it is complete.

I also ran chkdsk and it took about 4 hours to complete--however I have no idea what the result was b/c it completed while I was out of the room and of course automatically when to the log-on screen.

 

If you hit the windows key (flag) + r does a run box come up?
If so , type in explorer and hit enter.
See what you get.

Try typing control see if control panel opens. If so use that to create a new account and see if you can log in to it.

Try regedit (or regedt32)
The line goddez mentioned
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon]
"Shell "= "explorer.exe "
Id it says anything different like "Shell "= "explorer.exe nail.exe"
change it to "Shell "= "explorer.exe "

(You will actually select the folder winlogon, and on the right pane you will see name shell type Reg_sz data explorer.exe)