Installed XP SP2, No Desktop or Start Menu

[Guest]

I installed XP SP2 on my second computer and everything went fine.
So I decided to give it a go on my main computer. Everything went wrong!
Now, I'm no newbie, and I would consider myself rather advanced. What was
happening was XP would not boot to Safe Mode... only normal boot, BUT, it took
about 5 minutes for the desktop to come up after the welcome screen, and the
entire computer was slow (5 minutes to open Windows Explorer, 5 minutes to
open a folder in it). I got on the second computer, and while researching
how to
uninstall SP2 outside of Windows (would have been impossible to do so in
Windows)
, I came across a change to the registry required if uninstalling SP2 with
the Recovery Console.

It said that after I do so, the computer would reboot, but you wouldn't have a
desktop or start menu. Hmmmmmm... sounded familiar. It said to modify the
following key: HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\RPCSS\ObjectName. It
said to change the value to "LocalSystem". Mine was set to "NT
Authority\NetworkService".

After a reboot, all is fine. I'm much relieved to have my computer back,
but I
would like to know what the cause of this problem was. Was the original value
incorrect? If so, how could that have happened? Is it okay to leave this
new value
as it is?

I also had a similar problem when I tried to create a new profile without
Admin
Rights. I got the no Start Menu or Desktop thing. I eventually gave up and
decided
it wasn't going to work on this computer. Are the two related? Any insight
into this
setting or problem would be greatly appreciated.

 

[elsoca]

Hi. I am having a similar problem, but instead of not able to boot
into safe mode, I can't boot normally. After logging in, I only see
the blue background, nothing else. I just did a system restore and
will hold off on this until I can find out why.

 

[Guest]

Well, it seems to me that it was a permission problem, either with folders on
the
hard drive or registry or both. Apparently SP2 changes some settings
(i.e. "LocalSystem") to "NT Authority\NetworkService". It almost appears that
somehow the changes weren't complete, that is to say the upgrade wasn't
complete.
My problems got worse because I decided to uninstall SP2. I did get my
computer
working again by changing that registry key, but didn't like the fact that
things were
rigged to make it work. After uninstalling SP2 and rebooting, I couldn't do
anything!
No Safe Mode, no Normal startup. Tried Recovery Console, and said Admin PW
was
incorrect.... problem is I never set up an Admin PW! How could it be
wrong?!?!
So I was basically screwed.
I took the HD out, added it to my other computer, copied my important files,
then
reformatted and re-installed XP. As soon as I got the internet going again,
I down-
loaded SP2 again (aren't I a glutton for punishment?). I figured it was as
fresh of
an install of XP as you can ever get, so it should work. Well, it did. So
I am all
up to date, and after installing my favorite programs and copying all of my
backed-
up files to their appropriate places, I have everything back the way it was.

It was supposed to be a simple upgrade.... simple......

 

[Theodat]

Thank you! This little trick worked for me...can't say why but it did...

Thanks Again...