Icons and Taskbar disapearing

[Danib]

Hi,

Recently I found a virus or malware on my computer which kept posting a
pop-up window with an error message about a dll file not being a "valid
windows image"

Apparently I succeeded to remove the problem, because all the antivirus
scans I make do not show any problems. The error message also stopped.

However, when the computer starts I get one of the following situations :

- I can only see the wall paper
or
- The icons and taskbar appear for just a few seconds, then dissapear and
briefly reapear.
or
- the taskbar is visible, but the pointer changes to an hourglass when I
move the mose over it

I can operate the computer by by typing Ctrl-Alt-Del, and typing command
directly in the 'new task'
For example I can run windows explorer. I upgraded to ie7, I installed sp3,
and loaded all the security upgrades.
BUt still, I cannot work normally with my taskbar and desktop icons

Does anywane have an idea how to solve this problem ?

Thank In advance
Dan

 

[ju.c]

Sounds similar to this, see if anything here helps:

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 between the lines:

----------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. Paste into Notepad, 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:
[HKLM\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 between the lines:

----------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. Paste into Notepad and 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', 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:
copy D:\I386\EXPLORER.EX_ C:\WINDOWS\
(Change drive letters accordingly)

4. The file, "EXPLORER.EX_" is compressed and should be
automatically expanded on copy. If it doesn't just enter
this command: expand C:\WINDOWS\EXPLORER.EX_ C:\WINDOWS\explorer.exe

5. 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 manually enter the registry data from above, if it is
missing or incorrect.


ju.c

 

[Danib]

Thank you for your reply. I was suspecting that the problem is related to
explorer.exe

However, it seems that after almost a whole week of struggles, my problem
was solved in the following way :

I received a pop-up window from "Windows Defender" ( which I installed
yesterday ) informing me that a Trojan was found. I followed the
recommenadation to erase the files, and restart. After this restart, the
computer is working perfectly.

Dan

Sounds similar to this, see if anything here helps:

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 between the lines:

----------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. Paste into Notepad, 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:
[HKLM\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 between the lines:

----------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. Paste into Notepad and 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', 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:
copy D:\I386\EXPLORER.EX_ C:\WINDOWS\
(Change drive letters accordingly)

4. The file, "EXPLORER.EX_" is compressed and should be
automatically expanded on copy. If it doesn't just enter
this command: expand C:\WINDOWS\EXPLORER.EX_ C:\WINDOWS\explorer.exe

5. 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 manually enter the registry data from above, if it is
missing or incorrect.


ju.c

Hi,

Recently I found a virus or malware on my computer which kept posting a
pop-up window with an error message about a dll file not being a "valid
windows image"

Apparently I succeeded to remove the problem, because all the antivirus
scans I make do not show any problems. The error message also stopped.

However, when the computer starts I get one of the following situations :

- I can only see the wall paper
or
- The icons and taskbar appear for just a few seconds, then dissapear and
briefly reapear.
or
- the taskbar is visible, but the pointer changes to an hourglass when I
move the mose over it

I can operate the computer by by typing Ctrl-Alt-Del, and typing command
directly in the 'new task'
For example I can run windows explorer. I upgraded to ie7, I installed sp3,
and loaded all the security upgrades.
BUt still, I cannot work normally with my taskbar and desktop icons

Does anywane have an idea how to solve this problem ?

Thank In advance
Dan