Desktop completely blank

[Guest]

I have WinXP SP2 computer that boots to a blank blue screen. No icons, no
taskbar. Ctrl-Alt-Delete does nothing. Hitting the Windows Key does not
launch the Start Bar.

We have tried booting into safe mode. We have tried Last Known Good Config.
We tried to repair the Windows installation. Still boot up to a blank blue
screen. I safe mode it is a blank black screen.

Suggestions other than formatting and reinstalling?

 

[Galen]

In Terri <[email protected]> had this to say:

My reply is at the bottom of your sent message:

I have WinXP SP2 computer that boots to a blank blue screen. No
icons, no taskbar. Ctrl-Alt-Delete does nothing. Hitting the Windows
Key does not launch the Start Bar.

We have tried booting into safe mode. We have tried Last Known Good
Config. We tried to repair the Windows installation. Still boot up
to a blank blue screen. I safe mode it is a blank black screen.

Suggestions other than formatting and reinstalling?

A repair installation and then a malware scan...

Repair Installation of XP :
http://kgiii.info/windows/XP/general/xprepair.html

Malware Cleaners and Repair :
http://kgiii.info/windows/all/general/malwarefix.html

Galen
--

"You know that a conjurer gets no credit when once he has explained his
trick; and if I show you too much of my method of working, you will
come to the conclusion that I am a very ordinary individual after all."

Sherlock Holmes

 

[Guest]

We did try a repair installation. Same end result. Blue screen.

 

[NotMe]

You might try recovery console or a repair install, but if it won't boot to
safe mode, it's pretty tough to fix anything.

 

[S.Sengupta]

If the repair installation doesn't help you then go for a clean
installation.

regards,
S.Sengupta [MS-MVP]

 

[Guest]

Tried that as well. Unfortunately still goes to the blue screen no icons.
--
Terri

If the repair installation doesn't help you then go for a clean
installation.

regards,
S.Sengupta [MS-MVP]

I have WinXP SP2 computer that boots to a blank blue screen. No icons, no
taskbar. Ctrl-Alt-Delete does nothing. Hitting the Windows Key does not
launch the Start Bar.

We have tried booting into safe mode. We have tried Last Known Good Config.
We tried to repair the Windows installation. Still boot up to a blank blue
screen. I safe mode it is a blank black screen.

Suggestions other than formatting and reinstalling?

 

[S.Sengupta]

Seems to be a display driver problem.Check your graphic card.

regards,
S.Sengupta [MS-MVP]

 

[Guest]

Unfortunately it's onboard video.

I re-ran Dell hard drive diagnostics this morning and the drive is passing.

I can boot to an A drive prompt with a floppy disk but if I try to go to c:
I get invalid drive specification.

What do you think about my putting the hard drive in another computer?

--
Terri

Seems to be a display driver problem.Check your graphic card.

regards,
S.Sengupta [MS-MVP]

Tried that as well. Unfortunately still goes to the blue screen no icons.

 

[Malke]

Tried that as well. Unfortunately still goes to the blue screen no
icons.

In all the long thread, you haven't told us what changed between the
time things worked and the time they didn't? Remove malware? Add
software or hardware? Try any hardware troubleshooting? Otherwise, your
only choice at this point is to back up your data (you don't need
Windows operational to do this*) and - if you know the hardware is good
- format the drive and clean install Windows.

*Ways to retrieve data without Windows:
1. Slave the drive in a working XP machine and copy off data with
Explorer.
2. Boot with Knoppix, a Linux distro that runs from cd, and copy off
data by burning to cd-r or transferring to usb thumbdrive.
3. Boot with a Bart's PE to get data.
4. Boot with rescue program like ERD Commander (very expensive) to get
data.

Malke

 

[Guest]

The user said his email hung and then he suddenly had a blue screen. Said
there was no error message. He booted the computer before he called us and
from that point forward we see the Windows logo bootup screen, but then we
get a blue/aqua screen with nothing on it. You actually see the mouse
cursor and can move it around but no keyboard commands or mouse clicks will
work.

At this point I'd just like to get the files off the computer so I will try
one of your suggestions. Thank you.

 

[NotMe]

Take the HDD out. Install a new one, install XP.
If it works, you know it was probably a software problem.
If not...fix the defective hardware.
Once running, reinstall the old drive as a slave. You should be able to
retrieve the data files.