newbie goin nuts

First timer here and need some advice---Running windows XP and I cannot move files around on my desktop---I have access to them, just cannot move them---I also cannot open Task Bar & Start Menu or Folder Options in the control panel.

Great forum and hope someone can help out

thanx

 

do any of the keyboard shortcuts for the task manager and start button work?

Taskmanager= CTRL+SHIFT+ESC
start=windows key between the CTRL and ALT keys or CTRL+ESC

 

Thanx for the response KODO

Taskmanager= CTRL+SHIFT+ESC = Takes to Task Manager

start=windows key between the CTRL and ALT keys or CTRL+ESC =No Response

control shift esc takes me to the task manager but ctrl&alt or ctrl&esc do not respond????

 

control alt delete also takes me to the taskbar if that helps.

 

sorry for the late response, had a server migration to deal with today.

Have you tried your system while in safe mode?

 

Thanx again for the response KODO---I was just beginning to think everyone forgot about me---I am not sure about SAFE MODE---dont know how to access it or what to do there or what it does!!

Background Info:
Dell computer running XP
Up to date Norton Antivirus
Up to date Spybot
Up to date WINASO
Up to date CCLEANER
Windows Updated

I also have some sort of a taskbar locked onto my desktop---It is vertical on the left side and starts with
FOLDER TASKS
OTHER PLACES
DETAILS
It is annoying and takes up almost one third of the desktop page
I think I accidentally applied some time ago and I also think this has something to do with me not being able to move my files around
When I try to move any desktop item a circle with a diagonal line appears and the items always go back to where they were.

 

Went to help and read about safe mode---got into safe mode and logged on and was able to move my files----what an education!!! any idea what to do next??? Must be something I clicked somewhere that I shouldnt have.

 

The desktop item placement sounds like you have auto arrange enabled on the desktop. If you right click on the desktop and choose ARRANGE ICONS and make sure AUTO ARRANGE is not checked then the locking of the icons should be released so you can move them around.. try that and let me know.

 

autoarrange was not checked

Here is another thing: My wife and kid are also users on this computer--i logged in with both their names and the desktop works fine???? i can also access all files from their control panel.

I realize this is no real big deal compared ro some other peoples computer problems, but appreciate your input and I sure would like to know what i did wrong

Another hint: My desktop is also showing a taskbar of some sort on the left side---it takes up about a third of my desktop and I cannot remove it

The listings on the task bar are vertically;

Folder tasks
Other places
Details

?????

 

That rings a bell! A friend of mine ended up having some sort of very nasty task bar on her computer that her daughter had somehow accidentally downloaded and installed. It turned out to be some sort of spyware, and she never really found out what it was or what it did. Eventually another friend managed to get rid of it for her, but it was very difficult. None of these people are online at the moment, so I can't ask them what it looked like, or how they removed it, but the minute someone comes online I'll ask, and get back to you!

Is that taskbar only there when you log in on your name, or is it there for every user?

 

Solange,

What you are describing sounds like Common Tasks pane . See the link below, if it looks like it might be your problem download the fix.

http://www.dougknox.com/xp/scripts_desc/xp_commtask_desktop.htm

Steve

 

Ooops, my post is for mailboxman.

Steve

 

Lmao!

Steve, you had me a bit confused there for a while!

mailboxman, I asked my friend, and it turned out that it wasn't a threat, it was "hijack this" that had been installed, taking up a lot of resources and being very difficult to uninstall. She just happened to have a lot of OTHER threats, spyware, some cute little trojans etc at the same time, and all those problems together led her to believe the taskbar was worse than it was!

So I'm sorry, I don't think I'm any closer to your problem than I was! Good luck though!

 

Wow this thing is driving me nuts---I realize it is no big deal--computer still works fine---just a little quirk I need to figure out--

See if anyone can answer this---In my control panel, and I am the admin for this computer, I cannot open "USER ACCOUNTS" or "FOLDER OPTIONS"
all other files and icons open just fine

when I click on FOLDER OPTIONS nothing happens, when I right click and then click "Run As" current user is checked with my computer name and my login name, and the "protect my user data" box is also checked.

There is an option"The Following User" with a user name and passsword request---I enter my user name and password, it accepts it but doesnt allow me to enter???

would appreciate any response

 

Did you get this fixed?

Steve

 

Matacumbie---sorry for the late response---yes your download fixed all of my problems---I can now move files around on the desktop and the task pane is gone---I am also able to open folder options in the control panel

thank you all

mailboxman

 

Good deal, glad we could help.

Steve