IE icon missing, desktop and display properties

[cream_shagger]

Hi,
I'm new here. My knowledge of computers is limited to basics and operational.
The problem I'm facing is that when I'm starting my system running on XP
SP2, after about 10-15 sec of full startup my desktop vanishes and only the
background image stares at me...nothing is there on the screen incl start
button etc and right click doesn't work too!
After 15-20 secs the desktop appears to vanish again in some seconds. This
repeats for some more time and then the desktop dosn't appear at all!
I'm operating my system through "Task Manager".
Otherwise the system is working perfectly.
My hard disc is worn out and hence want to avoid reinstalling XP.
Is there any solution that I can get from this elite and special group for XP?
Thanks in advance

 

[Leonard Grey]

We're a community of ordinary people just like you who try to help each
other out with what knowledge we have.

"Unexplained computer behavior may be caused by deceptive software
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/827315/en-us

1- If you have anti-virus and anti-spyware programs already installed on
your computer, update the programs and scan your computer. With luck,
the programs will detect and remove the problem.

2- If the scan doesn't produce results, contact the program's technical
support. Most of the major anti-virus/spyware programs will help you to
remove an infection that their software did not detect.

3- Scan your system with /several/ of the better free online scanners,
such as (no order implied):

Kaspersky Antivirus (http://www.kaspersky.com/virusscanner)
Trend Micro Housecall (http://housecall.trendmicro.com)
Panda ActiveScan (http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan)
Sophos
(http://www.sophos.com/products/free-tools/sophos-threat-detection-test.ht
ml)
Avast! (http://www.avast.com/eng/avast-virus-cleaner.html)
GrisSoft AVG (http://www.grisoft.com/doc/34/ww/crp/0)

4- HijackThis is a hijacker detector and remover, but expanded with a
lot of other checks against hijacker tricks. It is continually updated
to detect and remove new hijacks. More information here:

http://www.whatthetech.com/hijackthis_v2/

You can post your HiJack This logs in several forums (NOT here), such as
this one:

http://forums.whatthetech.com/HijackThis_Logs_and_Infections_Removal_f27.h
tml

If none of the above remove the malware, you may want to show the
computer to a professional.

"So how did I get infected in the first place?"
http://forums.spywareinfo.com/index.php?showtopic=60955

 

[Twayne]

Hi,

I'm new here. My knowledge of computers is limited to basics and
operational. The problem I'm facing is that when I'm starting my
system running on XP
SP2, after about 10-15 sec of full startup my desktop vanishes and
only the background image stares at me...nothing is there on the
screen incl start button etc and right click doesn't work too!
After 15-20 secs the desktop appears to vanish again in some seconds.
This repeats for some more time and then the desktop dosn't appear at
all!

That really sounds like you've been the victim of malware; a virus,
trojan, worm, malware dropper, several different types exist.
If you think that's possible the best advice it to update and run
your anti-virus application, followed by all of your spyware/malware
detectors, at least 3 different ones such as Adaware, Spybot Search &
Destroy, Spyware Guard, Windows Defender, Windows Malicious software
scanner, etc. etc. etc. Each and every one must be updated of course.

IS your desktop marked to display? It can be turned off in the desktop
Properties area.

I'm operating my system through "Task Manager".
Otherwise the system is working perfectly.

I guess that would work and is a work-around. Since you DO manage to
run your OS then, is all of your software working correctly? Or are
there other problems?
Have you looked in Event Viewer for any errors? Have you looked at
your firewall logs and system logs? Have you tried running chkdsk?
What were the results of each?
Rather than using Task Manager, you could instead put the desktop
onto a toolbar visible on the Task Bar with the Desktop properties.

My hard disc is worn out and hence want to avoid reinstalling XP.

I don't know what you mean by "worn out". Normally a disc works
perfectly or it doesn't work at all if the physical drive has problems.
If that's the case, you're running on borrowed time anyway and are about
to experience a catastrophic failure.
What do you mean by "worn out"? This could relate to the problems
you're having of course.

Is there any solution that I can get from this elite and special
group for XP? Thanks in advance

There isn't anything "special" about this group: It's just a bunch of
users, similar to you, who have opted to share their knowledge and
experience with others in solving problems. Microsoft employees are not
normally participants here and if they are it's just a volunteer effort,
same as everyone else.

Answer those questions and maybe someone will have some better advice
for you.

HTH

Twayne



--
Twayne

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