Windows Explorer completely blocks my desktop

[Guest]

Awhile back my fingers slipped on my keyboard and I found that my
normal-looking desktop, with nice background picture, had been replaced by a
Windows Explorer window, with white background everywhere but on the left
side, where it (optionally) displays the "common tasks" panel. Unfortunately
this Explorer window has no title bar and no window borders, so I can't make
it go away. (Well, if I kill explorer.exe in Task Manager it goes away, but
so, unfortunately, does everything else. When I restart explorer.exe, it once
again covers everything up.)

I'd really love to get my old desktop back. Anyone have a solution?

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

Download a VBScript which removes Common Tasks from Desktop:
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/scripts_desc/xp_commtask_desktop.htm

 

[Guest]

Hi Ramesh. I downloaded and ran the VBScript, but all it did was tell me that
my registry setting was already correct.

My problem isn't that the common tools are on my desktop. I can make them
disappear by changing my Windows Explorer options. Rather, Windows Explorer
itself seems to be maximized over my desktop and is opaque to the desktop
background behind it.

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

Rob,

Can you post a screenshot of it. Or perhaps send the image to my email
address? (If so, remove XOX. from my email)

 

[Guest]

Emailed it to you.
--
Rob

Rob,

Can you post a screenshot of it. Or perhaps send the image to my email
address? (If so, remove XOX. from my email)