Task bar blank/other operational problems

[Ted]

The computer is running Windows XP Home Edition. The computer was
accidentally "rebooted" by turning the power off and back on. Since then the
operational environment has been corrupted as follows:

When booting up, the typical logon window no longer displays the icons and
names of the various users defined on the system. Instead, a small "Log On To
Windows" box appears with the name of one of the users. Once logged on, the
Task Bar is blank/white from left to right except the clock is showing. There
is no Start button. If a window is minimized it disappears behind the white
task bar area and is unretrievable. If I press the Windows key on the
keyboard, the Start Menu appears but all is blank except the All Programs
option and the options for Windows Update, Windows Catalog, etc. as well as
options to Log Off and Turn Off the Computer.

I can navigate the All Programs paths to get to the various programs on the
system.
Alt/Ctl/Del does not bring up Windows Task Manager. I can navigate the
internet but cannot download a file from the internet. The problem persists
when running in Safe Mode. And using System Restore to reset the system to an
earlier date when the problems were not occurring does not solve the problem.
On a separate computer I downloaded RegCure to try to work on the Registry. I
transferred RegCure to the Desktop of the ailing computer, but RegCure will
not execute.

When I right clicked My Computer on the Deskktop and selected Manage, I
received the following error message in a Window entitled Microsoft
Management Console: "MMC failed to initialize because it was installed
incorrectly or because a portion of the registry has been corrupted. Make
sure the file mmcndmgr.dll is registered by running
regsvr32%SystemRoot%\System32\mmcndmgr.dll." I have no idea how to run this
file. (The Run... option usually available in the Start Menu is not
accessible.)

Please, if you have any advice I would appreciate the help.

Ted

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

If you have an XP Home Edition cd at the same service pack level as the
Windows on the hdd, then do
Start>Run, type "cmd" + Enter and in the Command window type "sfc /scannow"
to run the System File Checker. You will probably be instructed to insert
your Windows cd. The purpose is to repair any system files corrupted by the
accidental power recycle.

If this does not fix the issues then a repair install should. This will
also require a cd at the same sp level as the hdd.

Your Windows cd should say right on the cd whether it includes SP1 or SP2,
or no statement, in which case it is the original release. You can make a
slipstreamed cd that includes the same service pack as on the drive if
needed. WinKey + Pause/Break will tell you what the installed service pack
level is. Post back if you need to make an up-to-date cd.

 

[Ted]

Thanks for the info. I'm going to need to make the up-to-date cd. Can you
give me directions?
Thanks.
Ted

 

[Ted]

Does the following link provide the appropriate instructions to create the
up-to-date cd you mentioned?
http://www.theeldergeek.com/slipstreamed_xpsp2_cd.htm

Thanks.

Ted

 

[Ted]

Assuming the Elder Geek article does define the proper procedure for creating
the cd, I used it and all worked well until I got to the step to merge the
SP2 updates with XP. When I entered c:\xp-sp2x\i386\update\update.exe
-s:c:\xp in the Run command line and clicked OK, nothing apparent happens.
The Run command window closes and that's it. Is there a syntax error?

Thanks again.

Ted