Greetings

There are times, though rare, that Windows starts with a blank Desktop - no
taskbar, no icons, just the back ground. Usually, not even Ctrl-Alt-Del
works; it's like the shell hung on start. But after a har reset, when
everything comes up, I find no errors in the systems or applications logs.
For all apparent purposes, everything has started fine.

I can right click and get the desktops properties to come up e.g Arrange
Icons by >, Refresh, NEW, properties, etc. What I'd like to add is the
ability to launch a command processor (cmd.exe) similar to what many of the
Linux and Unix flavors have as options.

By launching a cmd prompt I could run a program like Process Explorer and
see what is actually going on, do a controlled restart, etc.

Is there a reg hack for that? I could not find one, so TIA for the help.

CapWx

Hi CapWx,

Unfortunately, adding static context menu items to the Desktop is not possible in Windows 9x/XP.

>> By launching a cmd prompt I could run a program like Process Explorer

Does Task Manager open when you press CTRL+ALt+DEL (or CTRL+SHIFT+ESC). If so, you can launch applications from Task Manager [File - New Task]

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


"CapWx" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:AA2B5C96-A836-4911-9D6B-(E-Mail Removed)...
Greetings

There are times, though rare, that Windows starts with a blank Desktop - no
taskbar, no icons, just the back ground. Usually, not even Ctrl-Alt-Del
works; it's like the shell hung on start. But after a har reset, when
everything comes up, I find no errors in the systems or applications logs.
For all apparent purposes, everything has started fine.

I can right click and get the desktops properties to come up e.g Arrange
Icons by >, Refresh, NEW, properties, etc. What I'd like to add is the
ability to launch a command processor (cmd.exe) similar to what many of the
Linux and Unix flavors have as options.

By launching a cmd prompt I could run a program like Process Explorer and
see what is actually going on, do a controlled restart, etc.

Is there a reg hack for that? I could not find one, so TIA for the help.

CapWx

Ramesh

Thanks for the response. I was afraid of that. Anyway, there are times when
Ctrl-Alt-Del yields no result at all, and I have no choice but to hit the
reset button. I was looking for a way to, in those rare instances, cleanly
exit and restart XP.

Thanks!

CapWx

"Ramesh, MS-MVP" wrote:

> Hi CapWx,
>
> Unfortunately, adding static context menu items to the Desktop is not possible in Windows 9x/XP.
>
> >> By launching a cmd prompt I could run a program like Process Explorer
>
> Does Task Manager open when you press CTRL+ALt+DEL (or CTRL+SHIFT+ESC). If so, you can launch applications from Task Manager [File - New Task]
>
> --
> Regards,
>
> Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
> Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com
>
>
> "CapWx" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:AA2B5C96-A836-4911-9D6B-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Greetings
>
> There are times, though rare, that Windows starts with a blank Desktop - no
> taskbar, no icons, just the back ground. Usually, not even Ctrl-Alt-Del
> works; it's like the shell hung on start. But after a har reset, when
> everything comes up, I find no errors in the systems or applications logs.
> For all apparent purposes, everything has started fine.
>
> I can right click and get the desktops properties to come up e.g Arrange
> Icons by >, Refresh, NEW, properties, etc. What I'd like to add is the
> ability to launch a command processor (cmd.exe) similar to what many of the
> Linux and Unix flavors have as options.
>
> By launching a cmd prompt I could run a program like Process Explorer and
> see what is actually going on, do a controlled restart, etc.
>
> Is there a reg hack for that? I could not find one, so TIA for the help.
>
> CapWx
>

It would seem that if the system is not recognizing the keyboard, a
command prompt would be of little use.

CapWx wrote:

> Ramesh
>
> Thanks for the response. I was afraid of that. Anyway, there are times when
> Ctrl-Alt-Del yields no result at all, and I have no choice but to hit the
> reset button. I was looking for a way to, in those rare instances, cleanly
> exit and restart XP.
>
> Thanks!
>
> CapWx
>
> "Ramesh, MS-MVP" wrote:
>
>
>>Hi CapWx,
>>
>>Unfortunately, adding static context menu items to the Desktop is not possible in Windows 9x/XP.
>>
>>
>>>>By launching a cmd prompt I could run a program like Process Explorer
>>
>>Does Task Manager open when you press CTRL+ALt+DEL (or CTRL+SHIFT+ESC). If so, you can launch applications from Task Manager [File - New Task]
>>
>>--
>>Regards,
>>
>>Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
>>Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com
>>
>>
>>"CapWx" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:AA2B5C96-A836-4911-9D6B-(E-Mail Removed)...
>>Greetings
>>
>>There are times, though rare, that Windows starts with a blank Desktop - no
>>taskbar, no icons, just the back ground. Usually, not even Ctrl-Alt-Del
>>works; it's like the shell hung on start. But after a har reset, when
>>everything comes up, I find no errors in the systems or applications logs.
>>For all apparent purposes, everything has started fine.
>>
>>I can right click and get the desktops properties to come up e.g Arrange
>>Icons by >, Refresh, NEW, properties, etc. What I'd like to add is the
>>ability to launch a command processor (cmd.exe) similar to what many of the
>>Linux and Unix flavors have as options.
>>
>>By launching a cmd prompt I could run a program like Process Explorer and
>>see what is actually going on, do a controlled restart, etc.
>>
>>Is there a reg hack for that? I could not find one, so TIA for the help.
>>
>>CapWx
>>

Bob I

That would be the acid test - to see if it's actually a keyboard failure
(USB sub service not starting or something of that nature) or some other
service not loading, such as explorer. Having a command prompt may or may not
make a difference, but it would be nice to know. I could program in a batch
file to run the shutdown command to perform a clean restart.

CapWx

"Bob I" wrote:

> It would seem that if the system is not recognizing the keyboard, a
> command prompt would be of little use.
>
> CapWx wrote:
>
> > Ramesh
> >
> > Thanks for the response. I was afraid of that. Anyway, there are times when
> > Ctrl-Alt-Del yields no result at all, and I have no choice but to hit the
> > reset button. I was looking for a way to, in those rare instances, cleanly
> > exit and restart XP.
> >
> > Thanks!
> >
> > CapWx
> >
> > "Ramesh, MS-MVP" wrote:
> >
> >
> >>Hi CapWx,
> >>
> >>Unfortunately, adding static context menu items to the Desktop is not possible in Windows 9x/XP.
> >>
> >>
> >>>>By launching a cmd prompt I could run a program like Process Explorer
> >>
> >>Does Task Manager open when you press CTRL+ALt+DEL (or CTRL+SHIFT+ESC). If so, you can launch applications from Task Manager [File - New Task]
> >>
> >>--
> >>Regards,
> >>
> >>Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
> >>Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com
> >>
> >>
> >>"CapWx" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:AA2B5C96-A836-4911-9D6B-(E-Mail Removed)...
> >>Greetings
> >>
> >>There are times, though rare, that Windows starts with a blank Desktop - no
> >>taskbar, no icons, just the back ground. Usually, not even Ctrl-Alt-Del
> >>works; it's like the shell hung on start. But after a har reset, when
> >>everything comes up, I find no errors in the systems or applications logs.
> >>For all apparent purposes, everything has started fine.
> >>
> >>I can right click and get the desktops properties to come up e.g Arrange
> >>Icons by >, Refresh, NEW, properties, etc. What I'd like to add is the
> >>ability to launch a command processor (cmd.exe) similar to what many of the
> >>Linux and Unix flavors have as options.
> >>
> >>By launching a cmd prompt I could run a program like Process Explorer and
> >>see what is actually going on, do a controlled restart, etc.
> >>
> >>Is there a reg hack for that? I could not find one, so TIA for the help.
> >>
> >>CapWx
> >>
>
>

You could also set the Power Options to do "Shutdown" when you press
Power Button. That would be the proper way to do what you want to
accomplish.

CapWx wrote:

> Bob I
>
> That would be the acid test - to see if it's actually a keyboard failure
> (USB sub service not starting or something of that nature) or some other
> service not loading, such as explorer. Having a command prompt may or may not
> make a difference, but it would be nice to know. I could program in a batch
> file to run the shutdown command to perform a clean restart.
>
> CapWx
>
> "Bob I" wrote:
>
>
>>It would seem that if the system is not recognizing the keyboard, a
>>command prompt would be of little use.
>>
>>CapWx wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Ramesh
>>>
>>>Thanks for the response. I was afraid of that. Anyway, there are times when
>>>Ctrl-Alt-Del yields no result at all, and I have no choice but to hit the
>>>reset button. I was looking for a way to, in those rare instances, cleanly
>>>exit and restart XP.
>>>
>>>Thanks!
>>>
>>>CapWx
>>>
>>>"Ramesh, MS-MVP" wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>Hi CapWx,
>>>>
>>>>Unfortunately, adding static context menu items to the Desktop is not possible in Windows 9x/XP.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>>By launching a cmd prompt I could run a program like Process Explorer
>>>>
>>>>Does Task Manager open when you press CTRL+ALt+DEL (or CTRL+SHIFT+ESC). If so, you can launch applications from Task Manager [File - New Task]
>>>>
>>>>--
>>>>Regards,
>>>>
>>>>Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
>>>>Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>"CapWx" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:AA2B5C96-A836-4911-9D6B-(E-Mail Removed)...
>>>>Greetings
>>>>
>>>>There are times, though rare, that Windows starts with a blank Desktop - no
>>>>taskbar, no icons, just the back ground. Usually, not even Ctrl-Alt-Del
>>>>works; it's like the shell hung on start. But after a har reset, when
>>>>everything comes up, I find no errors in the systems or applications logs.
>>>>For all apparent purposes, everything has started fine.
>>>>
>>>>I can right click and get the desktops properties to come up e.g Arrange
>>>>Icons by >, Refresh, NEW, properties, etc. What I'd like to add is the
>>>>ability to launch a command processor (cmd.exe) similar to what many of the
>>>>Linux and Unix flavors have as options.
>>>>
>>>>By launching a cmd prompt I could run a program like Process Explorer and
>>>>see what is actually going on, do a controlled restart, etc.
>>>>
>>>>Is there a reg hack for that? I could not find one, so TIA for the help.
>>>>
>>>>CapWx
>>>>
>>
>>