No desktop or start menu..only a blue screen

[Denise Robinson]

Everything was working fine tonight, I ran my Spybot Search and Destroy,
rebooted. Everything looked fine while rebooting, made it to the Windows log
in screen, clicked on my name, it said loading your personal settings, that
took a little longer than normal..and then it takes me to a plain bluish
green blank screen! No icons, no start menu..NOTHING! I have to do cntrl alt
delete to make the task manager come up and then go through there to make it
to the internet. I have a very important event to use my computer for on
Tuesday and worried this may create a problem. I have tried to reboot in safe
mode and try to fix the problem..that didn't work...I tried to go to last
good configuration at reboot and that didn't work either, keep getting the
same blue screen..PLEASE HELP.....FAST

 

[vanessa]

Is it a green blank screen or blue screen as in BSOD??

If you can execute the task manager but it doesn't give you the desktop, then
in task manager go to File -> New Task (Run...)
type "explorer" without the double-quotes then click OK.

If you have System Restore "on", you probably want to revert back to a
working configuration before the problem started.

 

[Denise Robinson]

Thank you SO MUCH!! Explorer worked! What happened to cause that, if you can
explain..Thanks again!

 

[vanessa]

Have u restarted the computer after successfully brought the explorer on?
I wonder if the same thing happen again to you after the system restarted.
If the same thing happen again then you may want to restore, but if not
then...well, have fun

 

[ju.c]

Desktop Icons and the Taskbar Fail to Load at Startup

This problem may be fixed by using one of these 5 repairs.

(1) Check that this policy is not enabled:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoDesktop"=hex:00,00,00,00


(2) Restore a Missing "userinit" Registry Value:

1. Copy below and paste into Notepad:

----------copy inside only----------
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon]
"Userinit"="C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM32\\userinit.exe,"

----------copy inside only----------

2. If your Windows is not on drive C: replace C: with your Windows
drive letter and Save-As Userinit.reg (or any name + .reg).

3. Double-click or right-click and merge into the registry.

4. Restart.


(3) Delete an Incorrect "Explorer.Exe" Entry in the Registry:

1. Open the Run box and enter: regedit

2. Go to this key:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options]

3. If you see "explorer.exe" as a subkey below, delete it.

4. Restart.


(4) Restore a Missing "explorer.exe" Entry in the Registry:

1. Copy below and paste into Notepad:

----------copy inside only----------
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon]
"Shell"="explorer.exe"

----------copy inside only----------

2. Save-As WinLogon.reg (or any name + .reg).

3. Double-click or right-click and merge into the registry.

4. Restart.


(5) Exlorer.exe is Missing:

If explorer.exe is not in C:\WINDOWS\ then insert your Windows CD and,
using the 'Task Manager' (File -> New Task), run the 'System File Checker'
utility with this command: sfc /scannow

If the 'System File Checker' didn't replace it, boot to the Recovery Console
with the Windows CD and copy explorer.exe manually:

1. Insert the Windows CD and restart.

2. When setup begins, choose the "Repair or Recover" option by pressing "R".

3. Once at the command prompt, enter:
expand D:\i386 /F:EXPLORER.EX_ C:\WINDOWS\explorer.exe /y
(D: is the CD drive letter, C: is the Windows partition, change if necessary

4. To exit the Recovery Console, type: exit.

If the desktop still does not load then, from within the Task Manager, run a
new task to open the Registry Editor: regedit.exe
and check the registry data from above, adding as necessary if it is missing
or incorrect.


ju.c

 

[Kelly]

Hi Denise,

Did you set a restore point before running these programs?

That being asked, a blank desktop generally is caused by display settings
being updated from the wrong place.

From here see if line 164 helps:
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

Good luck and keep us posted.



--

All the Best,
Kelly (MS-MVP/DTS&XP)

Taskbar Repair Tool Plus!
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/taskbarplus!.htm