desktop

[Guest]

My problem is I have nothing on my desktop, no icons no tool bar. I cannot
right click to get to properties. I can Control. Alt, Delete to get Task
Manager and start a new process. After browsing for an application, I can
get to any program/processor, but this is REALLY annoying. I have done a
restore to 2 days ago and that didn't help. This just "happened" after the
computer had been in use, screen saver turned on and then when I went to use
it again, NOTHING. Can anyone give me some pointers on where to turn now.

 

[José Gallardo]

Does it happen whatever user you login? Does it happen if you boot up in
safe mode?

 

[Guest]

I haven't tried safe mode, it didn't seem that it would help. Wonder if my
video driver may have died?

 

[Maurice N ~ MVP]

Restart /reboot pc. Get into Safe Mode of Windows to see if desktop is
normal in there.
If you got a screensaver off the web, remove it. Modern displays do not need
screensavers.

As the pc is booting up & displaying the POST info, tap & repeat tapping
the F8 Function key.

In Safe mode, also, run MSCONFIG and review the Startup Tab. You may have a
stray entry in there that needs removing. Anyway, reduce startups to only
the necessities.

 

[Guest]

My fault, I worked on this problem all weekend and finally gave up last
night. I now think it may have been StopZilla after reading other posts.
But, anyway I reloaded Window XP on another Partition of the drive, but now I
can't get back to my original install -- Can I????

 

[Guest]

I have precisely the same problem, but there's no way I'm giving up on my
original installation yet.

To answer the questions from Jose and Maurice:
Yes, it always happens when I log in.
Safe mode (thankfully) works just fine.
System Restore doesn't help at all.
I can run executables from within Safe Mode, including internet explorer.
dskchk /r from the recovery console found and fixed a few things, but it
didn't help with this issue.

How do I invoke MSCONFIG?

"lady", where did you see that StopZilla was causing the problem? I will
try removing it.

Thanks!

 

[Guest]

from a post called "desktop blank"
With their last update Stopzilla accidentally added explorer.exe ( a vital
component to Windeos) to their black list. What you have to do is get into
task manager, stop the process called stopzilla.exe and SZNTSVC.exe and then
start the process (file>new) exporer.exe. This will bring your desktop and
taskbar back. It may also relaunch Stopzill! and everything will disappear
again. Don't worry, just do the Tsk Manager thing one more time and you will
be all set. Now to go Add/Remove Programs (Start>setting?control panel) and
uninstall stopzilla! and reinstall it. Then you shoud be all set. I'm
afraid I am doomed and have a "virgin" again. Hope this works for you!

 

[Maurice N ~ MVP]

Arun,

MSCONFIG is brought up as follows: get Start menu, look at menu entries, select RUN

then type in
MSCONFIG

 

[Guest]

Thanks to Maurice N I started using the very handy MSCONFIG tool. You were
correct that Stopzilla was causing the problem.

However you are NOT "doomed to virginity"!
1. Boot up on your original partition. You will have to set your BIOS to
bootup from that partition.
2. You should see that familiar blank desktop.
3. Ctrl-Alt-Del to get the task manager.
4. Under the applications tab, hit New Task... and enter MSCONFIG.
5. This should bring up a handy application that allows you to select which
processes load up with windows. Go to the General tab and hit Selective
Startup.
6. Under the Services and Startup tabs, unselect anything that mentions
Stopzilla. This will take some hunting, but you should find at least one
item on each tab.
7. Close MSCONFIG and it will reboot your computer, warning you that it
will autoload next time.
8. Your fully populated desktop should appear this time and MSCONFIG will
start.
9. Uninstall Stopzilla.
10. Close MSCONFIG and wait for another reboot (sigh...)
11. When the system comes up and MSCONFIG appears, go back to the General
tab and select Normal Startup. Close MSCONFIG and yes, reboot again.
12. Voila! You should be back where you were before that last update from
Stopzilla.