Re: Dude, where's his desktop,start button,taskbar etc.,

Tech-Archive recommends: Fix windows errors by optimizing your registry

Mike Hyndman wrote:

A works colleague, running a Dell latitude laptop running XPPro SP2 is
experiencing a very "interesting" problem. He has no desktop icons,
task bar or start button. Right clicking on the area where the desktop
should be does not bring up any dialogue box either.
He is currently using this machine via Task Manager, which he starts
with the three fingured salute and then browses to the application or
file he wants to open. It displays exactly the same in safe mode also
apart from the usual "smart mode" etc on the screen.

History.
All was well untill he ran Xsoftspy and a registry "cleaner" and the
the problem appeared. I was able to go back in the registry checker
and undo the changes of the last sweep but this had no effect. He has
not been backing up the changes the spyware removed made so he was
unable to restore this as well. Neither can he do a system resore as
this is also turned off to save disc space. We have been able to run
two virus checkers, both of which fail to find any nasties. I've
checked group policies as well just in case, and nothing has been
configured regarding the desktop.

I have searched for this problem and the only reference I can find is
for missing desktop icons, which can be enabled by right clicking etc.
which we are unable to do.
Any help with this problem most gratefully received.

1. Have him back up his data.

2. Review these malware removal steps to see if his scanning procedures
were similar (i.e., used the same tools, scanned in Safe Mode, did the
prep/finishing work, etc.). If he didn't, have him do them.

3. If the machine really is clean, have him try the System File Checker.
Start>Run>sfc /scannow [enter]
He will need to have his XP install CD handy.

4. If none of that works, have him try a Repair Install:
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm - Repair Install
How-To

5. If none of that works, have him clean-install Windows and not use
registry cleaners again. This is why most techs, including me, don't
recommend them.

http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html - Clean Install How-To
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#reinstall_Windows - What
you will need on-hand

Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
.

Quantcast