Desktop Icons/Start Bar Disappear

[Jerry Squidlo]

When I log on, the desktop icons and start menu do not
appear. Only the background image. I can bring up the Task
Manager, and load programs through there, but I can't run
explorer.exe

I can boot into SAFE mode, and everything is fine. Icons,
start menu, etc. But when I boot normally, they disappear
again. I've tried creating a new account, but it has the
same problem.

I've looked through support sites, and tried running
scandisk, virusscan, spybot, and ad-aware.

I've tried renaming shdocvw and other .dll files, and it
isn't the SYSU or DDM stuff, either. (Or I can't find them
if it is)

Has anybody had a problem like this? Any suggestions? (I'm
running Windows 2000 SP4, BTW)

 

[Dave Patrick]

Check that explorer.exe is the default shell to start. Look at the Reg_Sz
string value of;
"Shell"="Explorer.exe"
found at
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

Else these may help you.


No Desktop or Blank Desktop After Logging On to Windows 2000 (Q256194)
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q256194

How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade of Windows 2000
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q292175

What an In-Place Windows 2000 Upgrade Changes and What It Does Not Change
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q306952


--
Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft MVP [Windows NT/2000 Operating Systems]
Microsoft Certified Professional [Windows 2000]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect.


:
| When I log on, the desktop icons and start menu do not
| appear. Only the background image. I can bring up the Task
| Manager, and load programs through there, but I can't run
| explorer.exe
|
| I can boot into SAFE mode, and everything is fine. Icons,
| start menu, etc. But when I boot normally, they disappear
| again. I've tried creating a new account, but it has the
| same problem.
|
| I've looked through support sites, and tried running
| scandisk, virusscan, spybot, and ad-aware.
|
| I've tried renaming shdocvw and other .dll files, and it
| isn't the SYSU or DDM stuff, either. (Or I can't find them
| if it is)
|
| Has anybody had a problem like this? Any suggestions? (I'm
| running Windows 2000 SP4, BTW)

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the reply!

I'm not too familiar with the registry, so I thought I'd
double check before changing.

Using regedit to look at the folder you specify, there are
four entries (?):
Default
BuildNumber
ExludeProfileDirs
ParseAutoexec

In the Default entry, type REG_SZ, the data field
says: "(value not set)"

I should change that to:
" "Shell"="Explorer.exe" ", save, and restart?

Thanks for the help, I did check the kb256194 before
coming here, and it didn't seem to fix the problem.

Thanks again.

 

[Guest]

Scratch my last reply. I was checking under HKCU and
didn't see the proper folder.

I just checked HKLM\..\Winlogon
and "Shell"="Explorer.exe"

It looks like I'll have to do a re-install, because I
can't figure out what's happened..