blank window after clicking "windows icon/start button"

I have Windows XP---haven't downloaded anything and have good spyware/anti-virus from here---just a couple of days ago, the window which appears after clicking the windows logo/start icon, at bottom left, is completely blank. I can't get to "my computer"/"my pictures"/recently downloaded", etc---any help please? If a system restore is the answer, I'm not very familiar or comfortable with it, is there a tutorial I can access? Thx--Steve

 

You go to safe mode and when it ask to continue in safe mode or system restore ,,chose ot restore,,when you get there chose a date before you problem occured. If you get them back but some are still missing try,,http://softdesigner.com/unhider.