WinXP SP2 No icons on desktop when starting

[Ritter197]

I have a number of times no icons or for that matter START on desktop when I
start up the desktop CPU.

Normally, restarting it by shutting it off at the power switch works and the
desktop with icons are back, but not always.To-day I just left it sitting
with just the background and after maybe 5 minutes all the icons appeared.

I have never had this before with the same operating system.

 

[Malke]

I have a number of times no icons or for that matter START on desktop
when I start up the desktop CPU.

Normally, restarting it by shutting it off at the power switch works
and the desktop with icons are back, but not always.To-day I just left
it sitting with just the background and after maybe 5 minutes all the
icons appeared.

I have never had this before with the same operating system.

From your description, I would look to a failing power supply as the
possible culprit. Test by swapping it out for a known-working one.

Here are general hardware troubleshooting steps:
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Hardware_Tshoot

Testing hardware failures often involves swapping out suspected parts
with known-good parts. If you can't do the testing yourself and/or are
uncomfortable opening your computer, take the machine to a professional
computer repair shop (not your local equivalent of BigStoreUSA).

Other troubleshooting steps:

The First Question Of Troubleshooting: what changed between the time
things worked and the time they didn't?

The Second Question of Windows Troubleshooting: what is the
malware/virus status of the machine? If you think it is clean, what
programs (and versions) did you use to determine this?

Be sure the computer is clean:
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Removing_Malware

Malke