display background only

I have xp windows. I left home and the computer screen is fine. I come home 8 hours later and my screen is only showing the background display. The desktop icons will not show up. I have rebooted it several times. I can hit alt,ctrl, and delete and go to my programs throught the task changer. What has happened here? help!
I have tried clicking the right side of the mouse, nothing happens. I cannot get to the control panel. No icons anywhere. Is there a way I can get to the control panel another way to look at the display controls?

 

Use task manager to run explorer.exe.

Let us know the results.

Try Safe Mode as well.

 

I get a error saying the path is invalid

 

Not in Safe Mode you don't.

Please try all my suggestions. Help me, help you.