Computer now in a complete mess!

[Guest]

Long story: The taskbar suddenly started disappearing and I followed a few
links to a 3P utility that got it back, but all of the icons on the left hand
side are missing and it still keeps disappearing even after the fix. Then I
tried a system restore but that didn't work (I found what to do about that
problem on another thread!). Another idea was to reinstall Windows XP, but I
haven't got a Windows XP disc as it was pre-installed on my machine. The
taskbar problem seemed to start after I downloaded a fix from MS following a
separate problem I was having when I did "Restart". This fix was apparently
part of SP2. I already have SP2 on my machine but I hit upon the idea of
re-installing that from a CD. The process got part the way through and then
failed with some message about a library??? So now I have a PC which has got
bits of this and that on it, which seems to have slowed right down and STILL
hasn't got a taskbar displaying correctly.

 

[t.cruise]

If you haven't already, right click on your desktop, left click: Arrange Icons By, and
make sure that: Show Desktop Icons has a checkmark to the left of it. If it doesn't, then
click that item to put a checkmark to the left of it. If that is not applicable: Download
and install TweakUI For Windows XP, one of the Microsoft Powertoys for Windows XP?

You can find it at:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx

tweakui.exe is located on the right side of the page. Click the link to download and save
that file to your hard drive. Once saved to your hard drive, double click the file to
install it. Once installed, Click your Start button/ All Programs/Powertoys For Windows
XP/TweakUI. When TweakUI opens, at the bottom in the left pane click on Repair, in the
right pane make sure that Rebuild Icons is showing on the drop down menu and click the
Repair Now button. Then reboot your system.

As for the Taskbar Problems:

Try Kelly's Taskbar Repair Tool Plus!

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/taskbarplus!.htm

 

[Guest]

Thanks for advice but TweakUI didn't work and nor did the kelly's-korner
thing.
What now??

 

[Rock]

Thanks for advice but TweakUI didn't work and nor did the kelly's-korner
thing.
What now??

Install the drive as a slave drive in another XP or Win2k computer and
copy all essential data files. The restore the computer using the
restore method provided by the vendor. If they didn't give you any
disks, then there should be a hidden partition on the hard drive with an
image of the drive as received from the vendor. Consult the
documentation or tech support for the vendor on how to restore it. Then
copy back the data files.

 

[Guest]

I've restored Windows (not done a clean re-install) and the problem hasn't
been fixed. Please don't tell me I have to do a full re-install!

 

[Malke]

I've restored Windows (not done a clean re-install) and the problem
hasn't been fixed. Please don't tell me I have to do a full
re-install!

OK, I won't. Then I guess you will just need to live with the problems
you created by installing something that hosed your system.

Seriously, we don't know enough about your computer to give you a good
answer. Is it old? Is the hardware good? What was wrong that led you to
install whatever it was you installed?

Since you don't have a real operating system disk, your options are
limited. You probably should run the System File Checker, but it may
want an operating system cd. If SFC doesn't work, you can try a Repair
Install, but you'll need an operating system cd. If the Repair Install
doesn't work, then yes you need to clean install. At that point, since
you have a Restore cd from the OEM just use that.

So find a friend who has the same version of XP (Home or Pro, and
probably should be an OEM version too) and borrow his disk to try some
other repairs. Or take the machine to a professional computer repair
shop (not your local equivalent of BigStoreUSA). No matter what you
try, back up your data first.

Malke

 

[Guest]

Thanks for replies. In the end the answer was ridiculously simple. I hadn't
got the Quick Launch option ticked, so doing that restored the left hand
icons. Then I locked the taskbar and it doesn't disappear now. Then I changed
the screensaver (which I had downloaded from the web) to a standard Windows
one and all is well! The bonus is that re-installing Windows has allowed me
to open links in some web sites which previously I couldn't, so another
problem solved! Moral of the story- don't panic

 

[Malke]

Thanks for replies. In the end the answer was ridiculously simple. I
hadn't got the Quick Launch option ticked, so doing that restored the
left hand icons. Then I locked the taskbar and it doesn't disappear
now. Then I changed the screensaver (which I had downloaded from the
web) to a standard Windows one and all is well! The bonus is that
re-installing Windows has allowed me to open links in some web sites
which previously I couldn't, so another problem solved! Moral of the
story- don't panic

Glad you got it sorted. Thanks for posting the solution. You should
still back up your data regularly.

Malke

 

[Rock]

Thanks for replies. In the end the answer was ridiculously simple. I hadn't
got the Quick Launch option ticked, so doing that restored the left hand
icons. Then I locked the taskbar and it doesn't disappear now. Then I changed
the screensaver (which I had downloaded from the web) to a standard Windows
one and all is well! The bonus is that re-installing Windows has allowed me
to open links in some web sites which previously I couldn't, so another
problem solved! Moral of the story- don't panic

Amazing...all of that hulabaloo (lol how do you spell it?) for a few
simple settings. Glad it's fixed, and double ditto on Malke's backup
comment. Always - Always have a full and complete backupl.

 

[t.cruise]

Amazing...all of that hulabaloo (lol how do you spell it?) for a few
simple settings. Glad it's fixed, and double ditto on Malke's backup
comment. Always - Always have a full and complete backupl.

Amen. The first thing that I tell my clients is BACKUP, BACKUP, BACKUP.