Lost desktop facility

[Rayo]

Hi, I am using Windows XP Family edition, service pack 2 and was having some
difficulties with an application. My son thought it may be due to changes
made by using Spybot search and Destroy. He reversed what he thought the
changes were using the facility within the Spybot programme, but
unfortunately this has made matters worse. When I log on my desktop is
completely blank. It's just a blue screen with no icons or features
whatsoever. I am at a complete loss as to how to change this. Hope you can
help. Many Thanks...........Ray

 

[Tim Meddick]

Hi Rayo,
As soon ass you turn on your computer press repeatedly on the
[F8] key to bring up the XP Start-up Options menu. Choose 'Safe mode with
networking' and when you get the choice, go into the Administrator account.
you can do a couple of things. First create a new user account as it seems
the one you were using as become unfunctional. Why spend time trying to fix
this user account when you can just create a new one with default settings?
Remember to copy any important files from the 'My Documents' folder of the
old user account to another location before deleting the user account.
But if you really want to fix this damaged user account may I suggest
that now is the time to do a System Restore instead.
Next, there has to be a reason for why this user account became damaged.
Without knowing what you were doing (SpyBot would not have done this damage)
is may well be that your computer has been the victim of malware/virus. Do
a full scan of your system with your anti-virus program while still in the
Admin account. Then download MalwareBytes from off the web and run a
complete scan with that also. Reboot. This should give you a working user
account again.

 

[Rayo]

Hi Tim, Many thanks for your prompt reply. I have already tried logging on
in Safe Mode and Safe Mode with networking but I still just get a blank
screen.
I was doing this to use system restore as you have suggested but without any
desktop icons or start menu I am unable to do so.
Any other ideas how to sort it out?
Regards
Ray

Hi Rayo,
As soon ass you turn on your computer press repeatedly on the
[F8] key to bring up the XP Start-up Options menu. Choose 'Safe mode with
networking' and when you get the choice, go into the Administrator account.
you can do a couple of things. First create a new user account as it seems
the one you were using as become unfunctional. Why spend time trying to fix
this user account when you can just create a new one with default settings?
Remember to copy any important files from the 'My Documents' folder of the
old user account to another location before deleting the user account.
But if you really want to fix this damaged user account may I suggest
that now is the time to do a System Restore instead.
Next, there has to be a reason for why this user account became damaged.
Without knowing what you were doing (SpyBot would not have done this damage)
is may well be that your computer has been the victim of malware/virus. Do
a full scan of your system with your anti-virus program while still in the
Admin account. Then download MalwareBytes from off the web and run a
complete scan with that also. Reboot. This should give you a working user
account again.

--

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.

Hi, I am using Windows XP Family edition, service pack 2 and was having
some
difficulties with an application. My son thought it may be due to changes
made by using Spybot search and Destroy. He reversed what he thought the
changes were using the facility within the Spybot programme, but
unfortunately this has made matters worse. When I log on my desktop is
completely blank. It's just a blue screen with no icons or features
whatsoever. I am at a complete loss as to how to change this. Hope you can
help. Many Thanks...........Ray

 

[Tim Meddick]

You have tried, I suppose, going to the boot menu and choosing 'Last Known
Good Configuration' have you?

--

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.

Hi Tim, Many thanks for your prompt reply. I have already tried logging on
in Safe Mode and Safe Mode with networking but I still just get a blank
screen.
I was doing this to use system restore as you have suggested but without
any
desktop icons or start menu I am unable to do so.
Any other ideas how to sort it out?
Regards
Ray

Hi Rayo,
As soon ass you turn on your computer press repeatedly on the
[F8] key to bring up the XP Start-up Options menu. Choose 'Safe mode
with
networking' and when you get the choice, go into the Administrator
account.
you can do a couple of things. First create a new user account as it
seems
the one you were using as become unfunctional. Why spend time trying to
fix
this user account when you can just create a new one with default
settings?
Remember to copy any important files from the 'My Documents' folder of
the
old user account to another location before deleting the user account.
But if you really want to fix this damaged user account may I suggest
that now is the time to do a System Restore instead.
Next, there has to be a reason for why this user account became
damaged.
Without knowing what you were doing (SpyBot would not have done this
damage)
is may well be that your computer has been the victim of malware/virus.
Do
a full scan of your system with your anti-virus program while still in
the
Admin account. Then download MalwareBytes from off the web and run a
complete scan with that also. Reboot. This should give you a working
user
account again.

--

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.

Hi, I am using Windows XP Family edition, service pack 2 and was having
some
difficulties with an application. My son thought it may be due to
changes
made by using Spybot search and Destroy. He reversed what he thought
the
changes were using the facility within the Spybot programme, but
unfortunately this has made matters worse. When I log on my desktop is
completely blank. It's just a blue screen with no icons or features
whatsoever. I am at a complete loss as to how to change this. Hope you
can
help. Many Thanks...........Ray

 

[Rayo]

Hi Tim
Yes I've tried that too without any success.
The same outcome in fact

You have tried, I suppose, going to the boot menu and choosing 'Last Known
Good Configuration' have you?

--

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.

Hi Tim, Many thanks for your prompt reply. I have already tried logging on
in Safe Mode and Safe Mode with networking but I still just get a blank
screen.
I was doing this to use system restore as you have suggested but without
any
desktop icons or start menu I am unable to do so.
Any other ideas how to sort it out?
Regards
Ray

Hi Rayo,
As soon ass you turn on your computer press repeatedly on the
[F8] key to bring up the XP Start-up Options menu. Choose 'Safe mode
with
networking' and when you get the choice, go into the Administrator
account.
you can do a couple of things. First create a new user account as it
seems
the one you were using as become unfunctional. Why spend time trying to
fix
this user account when you can just create a new one with default
settings?
Remember to copy any important files from the 'My Documents' folder of
the
old user account to another location before deleting the user account.
But if you really want to fix this damaged user account may I suggest
that now is the time to do a System Restore instead.
Next, there has to be a reason for why this user account became
damaged.
Without knowing what you were doing (SpyBot would not have done this
damage)
is may well be that your computer has been the victim of malware/virus.
Do
a full scan of your system with your anti-virus program while still in
the
Admin account. Then download MalwareBytes from off the web and run a
complete scan with that also. Reboot. This should give you a working
user
account again.

--

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.


Hi, I am using Windows XP Family edition, service pack 2 and was having
some
difficulties with an application. My son thought it may be due to
changes
made by using Spybot search and Destroy. He reversed what he thought
the
changes were using the facility within the Spybot programme, but
unfortunately this has made matters worse. When I log on my desktop is
completely blank. It's just a blue screen with no icons or features
whatsoever. I am at a complete loss as to how to change this. Hope you
can
help. Many Thanks...........Ray

 

[Tim Meddick]

I can't really see any other option for you except for you to reinstall
Windows XP again from scratch. Unless your computer came with a restore
partition, that is. You would find, in that case, a prompt to press F10 (or
similar) on boot (just before XP starts to load) for 'restore' options.
This happens on some machines like Acer and Dell and some others. Try
looking for this option as the boot process starts. Sorry, but I personally
have no 'fixes' for a blank screen in all user accounts both in normal and
safe modes with no registry backup other than 'Last Known Good', and that
not working. You might try a 'Repair Install' using the XP disk that came
with your computer. To do that boot from the cd and choose 'Repair the
existing Windows installation' (something like that).
If no backup partition, I can see no other course of action other than
trying a repair install and if no joy with that a complete reinstall.

--

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.

Hi Tim
Yes I've tried that too without any success.
The same outcome in fact

You have tried, I suppose, going to the boot menu and choosing 'Last
Known
Good Configuration' have you?

--

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.

Hi Tim, Many thanks for your prompt reply. I have already tried logging
on
in Safe Mode and Safe Mode with networking but I still just get a blank
screen.
I was doing this to use system restore as you have suggested but
without
any
desktop icons or start menu I am unable to do so.
Any other ideas how to sort it out?
Regards
Ray
:

Hi Rayo,
As soon ass you turn on your computer press repeatedly on
the
[F8] key to bring up the XP Start-up Options menu. Choose 'Safe mode
with
networking' and when you get the choice, go into the Administrator
account.
you can do a couple of things. First create a new user account as it
seems
the one you were using as become unfunctional. Why spend time trying
to
fix
this user account when you can just create a new one with default
settings?
Remember to copy any important files from the 'My Documents' folder of
the
old user account to another location before deleting the user account.
But if you really want to fix this damaged user account may I
suggest
that now is the time to do a System Restore instead.
Next, there has to be a reason for why this user account became
damaged.
Without knowing what you were doing (SpyBot would not have done this
damage)
is may well be that your computer has been the victim of
malware/virus.
Do
a full scan of your system with your anti-virus program while still in
the
Admin account. Then download MalwareBytes from off the web and run a
complete scan with that also. Reboot. This should give you a working
user
account again.

--

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.


Hi, I am using Windows XP Family edition, service pack 2 and was
having
some
difficulties with an application. My son thought it may be due to
changes
made by using Spybot search and Destroy. He reversed what he thought
the
changes were using the facility within the Spybot programme, but
unfortunately this has made matters worse. When I log on my desktop
is
completely blank. It's just a blue screen with no icons or features
whatsoever. I am at a complete loss as to how to change this. Hope
you
can
help. Many Thanks...........Ray

 

[Rayo]

O.k Tim,
Thanks very much for trying.
Ray

I can't really see any other option for you except for you to reinstall
Windows XP again from scratch. Unless your computer came with a restore
partition, that is. You would find, in that case, a prompt to press F10 (or
similar) on boot (just before XP starts to load) for 'restore' options.
This happens on some machines like Acer and Dell and some others. Try
looking for this option as the boot process starts. Sorry, but I personally
have no 'fixes' for a blank screen in all user accounts both in normal and
safe modes with no registry backup other than 'Last Known Good', and that
not working. You might try a 'Repair Install' using the XP disk that came
with your computer. To do that boot from the cd and choose 'Repair the
existing Windows installation' (something like that).
If no backup partition, I can see no other course of action other than
trying a repair install and if no joy with that a complete reinstall.

--

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.

Hi Tim
Yes I've tried that too without any success.
The same outcome in fact

You have tried, I suppose, going to the boot menu and choosing 'Last
Known
Good Configuration' have you?

--

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.



Hi Tim, Many thanks for your prompt reply. I have already tried logging
on
in Safe Mode and Safe Mode with networking but I still just get a blank
screen.
I was doing this to use system restore as you have suggested but
without
any
desktop icons or start menu I am unable to do so.
Any other ideas how to sort it out?
Regards
Ray
:

Hi Rayo,
As soon ass you turn on your computer press repeatedly on
the
[F8] key to bring up the XP Start-up Options menu. Choose 'Safe mode
with
networking' and when you get the choice, go into the Administrator
account.
you can do a couple of things. First create a new user account as it
seems
the one you were using as become unfunctional. Why spend time trying
to
fix
this user account when you can just create a new one with default
settings?
Remember to copy any important files from the 'My Documents' folder of
the
old user account to another location before deleting the user account.
But if you really want to fix this damaged user account may I
suggest
that now is the time to do a System Restore instead.
Next, there has to be a reason for why this user account became
damaged.
Without knowing what you were doing (SpyBot would not have done this
damage)
is may well be that your computer has been the victim of
malware/virus.
Do
a full scan of your system with your anti-virus program while still in
the
Admin account. Then download MalwareBytes from off the web and run a
complete scan with that also. Reboot. This should give you a working
user
account again.

--

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.


Hi, I am using Windows XP Family edition, service pack 2 and was
having
some
difficulties with an application. My son thought it may be due to
changes
made by using Spybot search and Destroy. He reversed what he thought
the
changes were using the facility within the Spybot programme, but
unfortunately this has made matters worse. When I log on my desktop
is
completely blank. It's just a blue screen with no icons or features
whatsoever. I am at a complete loss as to how to change this. Hope
you
can
help. Many Thanks...........Ray

 

[Tim Meddick]

Rayo,
Please try re-posting in:

microsoft.public.windowsxp.general

....you may well get a better response.

--

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.

O.k Tim,
Thanks very much for trying.
Ray

I can't really see any other option for you except for you to reinstall
Windows XP again from scratch. Unless your computer came with a restore
partition, that is. You would find, in that case, a prompt to press F10
(or
similar) on boot (just before XP starts to load) for 'restore' options.
This happens on some machines like Acer and Dell and some others. Try
looking for this option as the boot process starts. Sorry, but I
personally
have no 'fixes' for a blank screen in all user accounts both in normal
and
safe modes with no registry backup other than 'Last Known Good', and that
not working. You might try a 'Repair Install' using the XP disk that
came
with your computer. To do that boot from the cd and choose 'Repair the
existing Windows installation' (something like that).
If no backup partition, I can see no other course of action other
than
trying a repair install and if no joy with that a complete reinstall.

--

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.

Hi Tim
Yes I've tried that too without any success.
The same outcome in fact

:

You have tried, I suppose, going to the boot menu and choosing 'Last
Known
Good Configuration' have you?

--

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.



Hi Tim, Many thanks for your prompt reply. I have already tried
logging
on
in Safe Mode and Safe Mode with networking but I still just get a
blank
screen.
I was doing this to use system restore as you have suggested but
without
any
desktop icons or start menu I am unable to do so.
Any other ideas how to sort it out?
Regards
Ray
:

Hi Rayo,
As soon ass you turn on your computer press repeatedly
on
the
[F8] key to bring up the XP Start-up Options menu. Choose 'Safe
mode
with
networking' and when you get the choice, go into the Administrator
account.
you can do a couple of things. First create a new user account as
it
seems
the one you were using as become unfunctional. Why spend time
trying
to
fix
this user account when you can just create a new one with default
settings?
Remember to copy any important files from the 'My Documents' folder
of
the
old user account to another location before deleting the user
account.
But if you really want to fix this damaged user account may I
suggest
that now is the time to do a System Restore instead.
Next, there has to be a reason for why this user account became
damaged.
Without knowing what you were doing (SpyBot would not have done
this
damage)
is may well be that your computer has been the victim of
malware/virus.
Do
a full scan of your system with your anti-virus program while still
in
the
Admin account. Then download MalwareBytes from off the web and run
a
complete scan with that also. Reboot. This should give you a
working
user
account again.

--

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.


Hi, I am using Windows XP Family edition, service pack 2 and was
having
some
difficulties with an application. My son thought it may be due to
changes
made by using Spybot search and Destroy. He reversed what he
thought
the
changes were using the facility within the Spybot programme, but
unfortunately this has made matters worse. When I log on my
desktop
is
completely blank. It's just a blue screen with no icons or
features
whatsoever. I am at a complete loss as to how to change this.
Hope
you
can
help. Many Thanks...........Ray

 

[Brian K]

Rayo,
Please try re-posting in:

microsoft.public.windowsxp.general

....you may well get a better response.

I have had something very similar happen. I've tried the remedies you
have suggested to Rayo. No joy. Then I noticed if I pressed
CTRL+ALT+DEL to invoke task manager suddenly my task bar came up and the
desktop populated with icons. But I wasn't out of the woods. I left
task manager up and running, to see if I could identify any trends in
behavior. While certain apps behave like a drunken sailor, others run
smoothly. The one common denominator is anything connected to desktop,
my documents or Windows Explorer. This was making me a little crazy. I
used "Check it" and put my entire system through the tests. Everything
passed. This is where crazy comes to be useful.

I have a WD IDE 160 G drive where Windows XP SP3 resides plus all my
most used apps and data storage. It's not very noisy but there's a
sound that any hard drive makes when the actuator arm is moving. It is
barely audible. In fact it falls into one of those sounds you really
need to listen for to hear. When my system halted with anything
involving dialogs or apps that read folders and/or files and display
their location the way Windows Explorer does, I got a funny feeling.
It's the kind of feeling you get when you quickly have moved from a big
city into the country. It's a feeling that something audible is missing.

You can laugh, but I decided to repeat the hard drive tests that passed
and listen to my hard drive with a stethoscope. That's what I said, a
stethoscope. While running the test where everything passed, the drive
had a background wherr...sound. But there was also a lively popping
sound. It was not really popping, more like the sound you hear when tiny
little seeds or small bits of sand fall onto a slightly resonating surface.

Then since the halting then resuming happens the most when changing from
one folder all the way to another parent or root folder... I listened
again. At first there was the seeds or sand fall. Then it abruptly
stopped. Excluding the background wherrr.... silence. Then I heard
amuffled ka-thump, ka-thump sound. This went on for quite a while,
maybe 10 seconds or more. At that time Task manager was displaying
Explorer_SOMEFOLDER not responding. Exactly when it changed back to
Running, I heard the seeds/sands sound again as Explorer moved from
Documents and Settings back to My Computer.

It slowly dawned on me. I was hearing "sticktion". If specific drive
heads pass over the same spot over and over again it becomes
magnetized. Eventually the actuator will not be able to unstick the
drive head and you get head crash. The hard drive is DOA.

While my drive is still functioning, I've backed up everything to my
backup drive. Only one Folder Read error, it is most likely the
sticktion point. Before I run off to buy a new hard drive, I am going to
have a friend check things out with more sophisticated and appropriate
equipment than a stethoscope. That way I won't spend money on a hard
drive if other critical components are about to fail too.

Rayo, before you wipe everything and try to reinstall Windows and
everything all over again. Even with data backup, this is a very
daunting task. Have your hard drive checked. It may be giving you a
warning sign that it is about to fail altogether. Or it may be another
component that produces a similar effect. Usually with a video card it
may work displaying dos but then when displaying a graphical environment
like your desktop, it may freeze. So, if you don't have anyone handy
WHO KNOWS WHAT THEY ARE DOING. Bring your system to a repair shop for a
diagnostic. If it turns out it's the hard drive, you can replace that
yourself with a little instruction.


It may turn out to be something in the Registry; there is hope. If
you have Norton System Works or similar, there is a Registry repair
tool. DO NOT USE IT UNLESS YOU KNOW HOW IT WORKS AND WHAT IS SAFE TO
DELETE!!! I MEAN IT!!! If you are confident using it go ahead, but be
certain that you've activated any undo capabilities first.

As for me, I am almost 100% on the money that my problem is hardware
related as there is a pattern to when the ka-thump and when the
seeds/sands sounds are heard.

Good luck, there is hope for those who research thoroughly and then move
to the next step.

 

[Rayo]

Thanks for the advice Brian.
I thought I had problems but reading your post I'm feeling that mine are
minimal.
It seems that the only thing missing from your 'adventure' is a heroin and a
windswept location on the Yorkshire moors.
Hopefully yours has a happy ending.

I actually came back to update Tim on what I had managed to do.
I used the 'control alt delete' method and managed to locate system restore
again. Once I had done this my desktop was sorted out. I have no idea why
this method wouldn't work in 'safe mode with networking' but it did.
The only problem I have now is that the shortcuts in my start menu are still
missing.
Just prior to all of this happening my desktop background dissapeared.
It was possible to replace it with the standard Windows image options but
not with any image I had of my own.

Thats not too much of a problem but my e-mail account access is.
I use IncrediMail and have 3 account names. I can't access any of them.
I tried to upgrade and even reinstall the programme but keep getting an
error message telling me I don't have access and to try using an
administrative account. I have admisitrator priveledges on my account so
can't understand it.
I created a new account as Tim suggested and opened a new IncrediMail
account. Neither give me any problems at all.

So I am still having problems I need to sort out but at least my stupid
machine is working O.K.

 

[Rayo]

I might add that when I click on my start menu, I don't have my shortcuts
available, so I have to trawl through the 'All programmes menu'.