Missing: taskbar, start button, My Computer, Windows Explorer menu bar

[Jim Walsh]

When I logged into my WinXP system today, several standard Windows elements
were missing:

1. Taskbar: tray is visible on right, but the rest of the task bar appears
to be one big gray button with nothing on it.That is, all gray with a little
blue visible around the edges. If I right click on the taskbar and select
properties, I get that menu. I can put some toolbars on, but nothing
actually appears on the taskbar. If I select task manager, the task manager
does not appear.

2. Start button is missing

3. My Computer icon is missing. If I right click on desktop, properties,
desktop, customize and check My Computer. Apply. OK. No effect My computer
is still missing.

4. If I run Windows Explorer, the menu bar is blank.

I have logged on in different account both network and local and get the
same result.

Has anyone seen this before?

Thanks,
Jim

 

[Jim Walsh]

A followup to my original posting:

Could this be related to Windows Update? The symptoms appeared right after I
finished doing a Windows Update and reboot.

I would uninstall the Windows Update, but the Installation History choice is
grayed out now.

Thanks,
Jim

 

[Jim Walsh]

Another follow-up.

I solved this problem by using WinXP System Restore to restore to a point
before I ran the Windows Update this morning. This reverses all of the
symptoms that I have described.

Has anyone else had similar problems with this update?

What do I do now? Do I now abandon Windows Update??

Jim