Icons and start menu not loading after logging in

[mjfb80]

I have a Windows XP and I can log in but after that all I can get is the
wallpaper desktop. I have tried to start in the safe mode. I can access the
task manager through ctl-alt-del but have had no success on anything that can
make the icons and start menu reappear. I would appreciate if anyone had any
clue on how to fix this problem. Thanks for your help

Mathew

 

[Rich Barry]

Mathew, check here
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=no+icons+or+taskbar+xp&aq=2&oq=No+Icons+or+

 

[mjfb80]

This didn't help me, tried all of those things and it still isn't working.

 

[Elmo]

I have a Windows XP and I can log in but after that all I can get is the
wallpaper desktop. I have tried to start in the safe mode. I can access the
task manager through ctl-alt-del but have had no success on anything that can
make the icons and start menu reappear. I would appreciate if anyone had any
clue on how to fix this problem. Thanks for your help

Mathew

This is what ju.c suggested in another post:

Desktop Icons and the Taskbar Fail to Load at Startup

This problem may be fixed by using one of these 4 repairs.


(1) Restore a Missing "userinit" Registry Value:

1. Copy below and paste into Notepad:

----------copy inside only----------
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon]
"Userinit"="C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM32\\userinit.exe,"

----------copy inside only----------

2. If your Windows is not on drive C: replace C: with your Windows
drive letter and Save As Userinit.reg (or any name + .reg).
3. Double-click or right-click and merge into the registry.
4. Restart.


(2) Delete an Incorrect "Explorer.Exe" Entry in the Registry:

1. Open the Run box and enter:

regedit

2. Go to this key:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image
File Execution Options]
3. If you see "explorer.exe" as a subkey below, delete it.
4. Restart.


(3) Restore a Missing "explorer.exe" Entry in the Registry:

1. Copy below and paste into Notepad:

----------copy inside only----------
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon]
"Shell"="explorer.exe"

----------copy inside only----------

2. Save As WinLogon.reg (or any name + .reg).
3. Double-click or right-click and merge into the registry.
4. Restart.


(4) Exlorer.exe is Missing:

If explorer.exe is not in C:\WINDOWS\ then insert your Windows CD and,
using the 'Task Manager' (File -> New Task), run the 'System File
Checker' utility with this command:

sfc /scannow

If the 'System File Checker' didn't replace it, boot to the Recovery
Console with the Windows CD and copy explorer.exe manually:

1. Insert the Windows CD and restart.
2. When setup begins, choose the "Repair or Recover" option by pressing "R".
3. Once at the command prompt, enter:

expand D:\i386 /F:EXPLORER.EX_ C:\WINDOWS\explorer.exe /y

(D: is the CD drive letter, C: is the Windows partition, change if
necessary
4. To exit the Recovery Console, type:

exit.

If the desktop still does not load then, from within the Task Manager,
run a new task to open the Registry Editor:
regedit.exe
and check the registry data from above, adding as necessary if it is
missing or incorrect.

Also check that this policy is not enabled:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoDesktop"=hex:00,00,00,00

ju.c

 

[G. Morgan]

I have a Windows XP and I can log in but after that all I can get is the
wallpaper desktop. I have tried to start in the safe mode. I can access the
task manager through ctl-alt-del but have had no success on anything that can
make the icons and start menu reappear. I would appreciate if anyone had any
clue on how to fix this problem. Thanks for your help

Try to start Windows Explorer manually.

<ctrl + alt + del> -->
'Task Manager' -->
click "New Task" -->
type "explorer.exe", click OK

 

[mjfb80]

Thanks, I read that post earlier and it didn't work. I appreciate the quick
response.

I have a Windows XP and I can log in but after that all I can get is the
wallpaper desktop. I have tried to start in the safe mode. I can access the
task manager through ctl-alt-del but have had no success on anything that can
make the icons and start menu reappear. I would appreciate if anyone had any
clue on how to fix this problem. Thanks for your help

Mathew

This is what ju.c suggested in another post:

Desktop Icons and the Taskbar Fail to Load at Startup

This problem may be fixed by using one of these 4 repairs.


(1) Restore a Missing "userinit" Registry Value:

1. Copy below and paste into Notepad:

----------copy inside only----------
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon]
"Userinit"="C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM32\\userinit.exe,"

----------copy inside only----------

2. If your Windows is not on drive C: replace C: with your Windows
drive letter and Save As Userinit.reg (or any name + .reg).
3. Double-click or right-click and merge into the registry.
4. Restart.


(2) Delete an Incorrect "Explorer.Exe" Entry in the Registry:

1. Open the Run box and enter:

regedit

2. Go to this key:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image
File Execution Options]
3. If you see "explorer.exe" as a subkey below, delete it.
4. Restart.


(3) Restore a Missing "explorer.exe" Entry in the Registry:

1. Copy below and paste into Notepad:

----------copy inside only----------
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon]
"Shell"="explorer.exe"

----------copy inside only----------

2. Save As WinLogon.reg (or any name + .reg).
3. Double-click or right-click and merge into the registry.
4. Restart.


(4) Exlorer.exe is Missing:

If explorer.exe is not in C:\WINDOWS\ then insert your Windows CD and,
using the 'Task Manager' (File -> New Task), run the 'System File
Checker' utility with this command:

sfc /scannow

If the 'System File Checker' didn't replace it, boot to the Recovery
Console with the Windows CD and copy explorer.exe manually:

1. Insert the Windows CD and restart.
2. When setup begins, choose the "Repair or Recover" option by pressing "R".
3. Once at the command prompt, enter:

expand D:\i386 /F:EXPLORER.EX_ C:\WINDOWS\explorer.exe /y

(D: is the CD drive letter, C: is the Windows partition, change if
necessary
4. To exit the Recovery Console, type:

exit.

If the desktop still does not load then, from within the Task Manager,
run a new task to open the Registry Editor:
regedit.exe
and check the registry data from above, adding as necessary if it is
missing or incorrect.

Also check that this policy is not enabled:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoDesktop"=hex:00,00,00,00

ju.c

 

[mjfb80]

Thanks, that didn't help, I appreciate the quick response.

 

[G. Morgan]

Thanks, that didn't help, I appreciate the quick response.

This may be worth a shot...

Can you get a copy of c:\windows\explorer.exe off another machine?

If so, put it on a bootable USB stick.

Boot the bad machine off the USB stick and copy "explorer.exe" over to the
\windows directory.

 

[mjfb80]

Yeah, I can get it off another machine, just wondering how I would go about
doing this. Not a technical wizard so not sure what I need to do.

 

[Malke]

This didn't help me, tried all of those things and it still isn't working.

Since you've tried everything else, what is the virus/malware status of the
computer? If you think it is clean, what did you use to determine this?

http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Removing_Malware

You don't need explorer.exe to run antivirus/antimalware scans. Does the
Task Manager run (Ctrl-Alt-Del)?

Malke

 

[mjfb80]

Malke,

I can run the task manager through clt-alt-del, but not sure what I am
looking for or what to do to help alleviate the situation.

 

[G. Morgan]

Yeah, I can get it off another machine, just wondering how I would go about
doing this. Not a technical wizard so not sure what I need to do.

What do you need to know? How to make a USB key bootable?


Did you for sure try the suggestion another poster gave you, specifically #4??

(4) Explorer.exe is Missing:

If explorer.exe is not in C:\WINDOWS\ then insert your Windows CD and,
using the 'Task Manager' (File -> New Task), run the 'System File
Checker' utility with this command:

sfc /scannow

If the 'System File Checker' didn't replace it, boot to the Recovery
Console with the Windows CD and copy explorer.exe manually:

1. Insert the Windows CD and restart.
2. When setup begins, choose the "Repair or Recover" option by pressing "R".
3. Once at the command prompt, enter:

expand D:\i386 /F:EXPLORER.EX_ C:\WINDOWS\explorer.exe /y

(D: is the CD drive letter, C: is the Windows partition, change if
necessary
4. To exit the Recovery Console, type:

exit.

If the desktop still does not load then, from within the Task Manager,
run a new task to open the Registry Editor:
regedit.exe
and check the registry data from above, adding as necessary if it is
missing or incorrect.

Also check that this policy is not enabled:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoDesktop"=hex:00,00,00,00

 

[Malke]

Malke,

I can run the task manager through clt-alt-del, but not sure what I am
looking for or what to do to help alleviate the situation.

If you haven't scanned for malware, you should do so. You can use the New
Task function of Task Manager to run various antivirus/antimalware
executables.

http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Removing_Malware

Malke

 

[mjfb80]

I don't have the windows CD, is there any way I can use a flash drive and
download what i need from a different computer and then insert it into my
computer. Also it doesn't allow me to use the redegit.exe, it says the
registry is not allowed on my computer

Yeah, I can get it off another machine, just wondering how I would go about
doing this. Not a technical wizard so not sure what I need to do.

What do you need to know? How to make a USB key bootable?


Did you for sure try the suggestion another poster gave you, specifically #4??

(4) Explorer.exe is Missing:

If explorer.exe is not in C:\WINDOWS\ then insert your Windows CD and,
using the 'Task Manager' (File -> New Task), run the 'System File
Checker' utility with this command:

sfc /scannow

If the 'System File Checker' didn't replace it, boot to the Recovery
Console with the Windows CD and copy explorer.exe manually:

1. Insert the Windows CD and restart.
2. When setup begins, choose the "Repair or Recover" option by pressing "R".
3. Once at the command prompt, enter:

expand D:\i386 /F:EXPLORER.EX_ C:\WINDOWS\explorer.exe /y

(D: is the CD drive letter, C: is the Windows partition, change if
necessary
4. To exit the Recovery Console, type:

exit.

If the desktop still does not load then, from within the Task Manager,
run a new task to open the Registry Editor:
regedit.exe
and check the registry data from above, adding as necessary if it is
missing or incorrect.

Also check that this policy is not enabled:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoDesktop"=hex:00,00,00,00

----------

 

[mjfb80]

How do I ran various antivirus/antimalware executables. I tried using the
link and it didn't help

 

[G. Morgan]

I don't have the windows CD, is there any way I can use a flash drive and
download what i need from a different computer and then insert it into my
computer. Also it doesn't allow me to use the redegit.exe, it says the
registry is not allowed on my computer

Get this to format the USB drive and make it bootable:
HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool - v2.1.8
http://www.bootdisk.com/plan40/hpflash1.zip

It's going to ask for source files for DOS:
http://s93616405.onlinehome.us/bootdisk/win98sc.zip

But first you have to extract the DOS files from the Image using:
http://www.winimage.com/download.htm

 

[Malke]

How do I ran various antivirus/antimalware executables. I tried using the
link and it didn't help

I'm not saying this to offend you in any way, but you should take your
computer to a competent local repair person. I don't recommend using a
BigComputerStore/GeekSquad type of place.

From what you've written elsewhere in this thread, I believe your computer
is seriously infected and you simply don't appear to have the skills to
clean it. Again, I'm not saying this to be hurtful - just being practical.
The alternative is to back up your data using a rescue system such as a
Bart's PE or Linux Live CD like Knoppix if you are able and do a clean
install of Windows.

http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html - Clean Install How-To
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Reinstalling_Windows - What
you will need on-hand

Malke

 

[Kelly]

Hi Mat,

This generally happens after a video update mostly from MS updates. If this
is the case via the Device Manager do a roll-back.

If not see line 164: http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

Good luck and keep us posted.
--

All the Best,
Kelly (MS-MVP/DTS&XP)

Taskbar Repair Tool Plus!
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/taskbarplus!.htm