xp only boots to wallpaper.

[Guest]

We have a machine that boots to a wallpaper ( a photgraph actually) and goes
no further. No icons or toolbars.
I can bring up Task manager, have run msconfig and closed all non essential
start up processes and programs all to no avail. Safe mode will only bring up
a black screen. Restore mode had been turned off (no idea how or why)
Has anyone any ideas or come across this?

 

[Guest]

We have a machine that boots to a wallpaper ( a photgraph actually) and goes
no further. No icons or toolbars.
I can bring up Task manager, have run msconfig and closed all non essential
start up processes and programs all to no avail. Safe mode will only bring up
a black screen. Restore mode had been turned off (no idea how or why)
Has anyone any ideas or come across this?

Perhaps the photograph is hiding the icons and toolbar ... washed out
so to speak. Nevertheless, you might try to find the jpg or gif, then
delete it. I'd try to find it from within the C prompt of safe mode.

Good luck.

 

[Chelsea]

Does this happen if you log on as another user?

This problem can happen if an update is downloaded and a request to
immediately restart the machine is ignored. Seriously Windows can be that
fragile. The only solution I know for the problem under those circumstances
is to go back to a very early restore point or to use a system image that
you know works. Short of that a fresh install is probably going to be
needed. Sorry to be so gloomy, but maybe someone else knows a better way.

Chelsea