Help please... desktop disappeared

[rascal]

Using Win XP Pro.. for no apparent reason when started I see only the blank
blue screen (the wallpaper, not blue screen of death), none of my folders
or files appear, and the start button does not work. The only way I can
open applications is from within the task manager. I looked in the startup
and it shows two instances of desktop.ini as usual, but when I reboot it
doesn't help. I have NOD antivirus installed, but I'm not sure if any
applicattions are starting in the startup process.

Thanks for any help, especially if it doesn't involve reinstalling Windows.

 

[Gerry Cornell]

What happens if you right click on the Desktop background? Does
Display Properties appear?

--

Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England

Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[rascal]

What happens if you right click on the Desktop background? Does
Display Properties appear?

No.

 

[LittleMoo]

No.

It could be a problem with Active Desktop.
To see if it is bring up Task Manager, go to File -> New Task (Run)...
Type in control and press enter (this will bring up the Control Panel)
Double click Display, go to the Desktop tab
Click Customize Desktop..., and then to to the Web tab
If My Current Home Page is checked then uncheck it, click OK, then Apply in
Display Properties.
If it isn't checked then check the box, click OK, then Apply, then go back
into Customize Desktop, then the Web tab, and uncheck the box, click OK then
Apply in Display Properties.

-Dan

 

[rascal]

It could be a problem with Active Desktop.
To see if it is bring up Task Manager, go to File -> New Task (Run)...
Type in control and press enter (this will bring up the Control Panel)
Double click Display, go to the Desktop tab
Click Customize Desktop..., and then to to the Web tab
If My Current Home Page is checked then uncheck it, click OK, then Apply in
Display Properties.
If it isn't checked then check the box, click OK, then Apply, then go back
into Customize Desktop, then the Web tab, and uncheck the box, click OK then
Apply in Display Properties.

-Dan

Thanks but this is didn't work for me. When I try to open the control.exe
the task bar flashes into view at the bottom of the screen for just a split
second and then disappears. The Control Panel does not appear, and it's
not listed in the active process list, so it's not running.

 

[LittleMoo]

Thanks but this is didn't work for me. When I try to open the control.exe
the task bar flashes into view at the bottom of the screen for just a
split
second and then disappears. The Control Panel does not appear, and it's
not listed in the active process list, so it's not running.

Wow, that doesn't sound very good. You might want to try a repair
installation.
Perform a Repair Installation:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/helpandsupport/learnmore/tips/doug92.mspx

There is also more Repair Install information at MVP Michael Stevens web
site if you need it: http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

-Dan