No desktop icons at all!

[msliny]

I'm trying to help a friend here. When her computer starts up, the
desktop background shows, the taskbar shows and the quick launch bar
shows. However, NO icons appear on the desktop at all (not even My
Computer or Recycle Bin). There are no viruses or spyware present. I
am not a novice, but I cannot figure this one out. This a Dell
Dimension 3000, running WinXP Pro, SP3. The warranty has expired. I'm
sure it must be a registry entry, but I am NOT sure which one(s).
This is not a new problem, though I'm not sure when it began. She
insists it was always this way. I've tried to set up a new folder and/
or shortcut and it goest though the whole process, yet no icon shows
up. I do not get any error messages. The only way to open programs
(that are not on the taskbar or quick launch) is with the start
button. I have her computer with me now, so I've been trying all the
obvious fixes. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Malke]

I'm trying to help a friend here. When her computer starts up, the
desktop background shows, the taskbar shows and the quick launch bar
shows. However, NO icons appear on the desktop at all (not even My
Computer or Recycle Bin). There are no viruses or spyware present. I
am not a novice, but I cannot figure this one out. This a Dell
Dimension 3000, running WinXP Pro, SP3. The warranty has expired. I'm
sure it must be a registry entry, but I am NOT sure which one(s).
This is not a new problem, though I'm not sure when it began. She
insists it was always this way. I've tried to set up a new folder and/
or shortcut and it goest though the whole process, yet no icon shows
up. I do not get any error messages. The only way to open programs
(that are not on the taskbar or quick launch) is with the start
button. I have her computer with me now, so I've been trying all the
obvious fixes. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

I don't know what you call "the obvious fixes" (telling us what you'd
actually done would have been more helpful so as to forestall repetitive
advice), but how about right-clicking on an empty area of the Desktop and
under the Arrange Icons menu choose "Show Desktop Icons.." (I'm
paraphrasing since I don't have a Windows box on right now).

Malke

 

[msliny]

I don't know what you call "the obvious fixes" (telling us what you'd
actually done would have been more helpful so as to forestall repetitive
advice), but how about right-clicking on an empty area of the Desktop and
under the Arrange Icons menu choose "Show Desktop Icons.." (I'm
paraphrasing since I don't have a Windows box on right now).

Malke

I apologize. I had tried what I thought were the obvious fixes (right
clicking on the desktop and refreshing, adding new folders, adding new
shortcuts, etc). I never tried "arrange icons by"... since there were
no icons! It worked! Thank you very much.

 

[Malke]

I apologize. I had tried what I thought were the obvious fixes (right
clicking on the desktop and refreshing, adding new folders, adding new
shortcuts, etc). I never tried "arrange icons by"... since there were
no icons! It worked! Thank you very much.

Glad that sorted it for you. Thanks for taking the time to let me know.

Malke