No desktop icons, taskbar, start button etc.

There are 2 registry keys that sometimes cause this problem. We are going to look for and delete these keys (if found).

Press CTRL-ALT-DEL to bring up Task Manager. And click File, New Task (Run..) and enter regedit and click OK. This will run the registry editor. Now look for the below registry keys (navigate thru the registry). Make sure you only look for and delete the exact keys listed below.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\explorer.exe

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\iexplorer.exe

After deleting this keys the desktop and explorer.exe may reappear if this is your particular problem. There are many forms of problems with explorer.exe not loading at startup. You may need to reboot after doing this. Let me know the results.

 

No they have nothing to do with the problem and by the way there are many many more places where those filenames appear in the registry. They are valid Windows files.


You may want to check the below registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\\Shell

and see if the values for Shell is explorer.exe

To do that , use Task Manager again (like you did above) and enter regedit and click OK!

Then navigate your way to and select Winlogon

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

then find the Shell in the right window pane and see what the Data entry is.

 

If you boot in safe mode, do you get a Desktop and does explorer.exe run?

How about if you login with a different user account?

You could also try running sfc /scannow from a command prompt window. Not sure if that will fix the problem You may need to open the command prompt using Task Manager. In Task Manager just click File, New Task (Run...) and enter cmd and click OK. Yo may be asked to insert your original WinXP CD during this if it finds that files that are need are missing.

If that does not help, follow the steps below:


- Download HijackThis 1.99.1

- Unzip the hijackthis.exe file to a folder you create named C:\Program Files\HJT

- Do NOT run Hijack This from the Desktop, a temp folder, or a sub-folder of C:\Documents and Settings, or choose to run it directly from the downloaded ZIP file.

- Before running HijackThis: You must close each of the following:your web browser, e-mail client, instant messenger, and programs like notepad, wordpad, MS Word etc. And any other unnecessary running programs.

- Run HijackThis and save your log file.

- Post your log as an ATTACHMENT to your next message. (Do NOT copy/paste the log into your post).

 

I don't see any major problems in your log that would cause explorer.exe not to load but let's fix the below lines using HJT. Make sure you close all browsers before clicking Fix.

O2 - BHO: (no name) - {BC10DCCF-F6B8-4937-85EB-11B110552966} - blank (file missing)
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Spyware Begone] C:\freescan\freescan.exe -FastScan
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Sonic RecordNow!] C:\freescan\freescan.exe -FastScan
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {85d1f590-48f4-11d9-9669-0800200c9a66} - %windir%\bdoscandel.exe (file missing)
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Uninstall BitDefender Online Scanner v8 - {85d1f590-48f4-11d9-9669-0800200c9a66} - %windir%\bdoscandel.exe (file missing)

Now for explorer not loading let's try this:
- run msconfig (click Start,Run and enter msconfig and click ok)
- click the Selective Startup radio button
- uncheck the top four items under this button.
- Click Apply and OK

Now reboot. Let me now if explorer loads and you get a Desktop running this way.

 

Sorry! I should have told you that would happen. With the Services turned off many things will not work. Now let's try to zero in on the problem. Take a few iterations thru try the same steps but instead of uncheck the top four. Try to ID which one is causing the problem by only unchecking either one at a time.

I would suggest we first try this first. Only uncheck Load System Services.
If your Desktop appears, we have a problem with one of th Services.
If you Desktop does not appear, re-check the Load Services and uncheck Load Startup Items....etc.

Let me know which one seems to be the problem.

 

Download GetService.zip from here: Getservice.zip

Extract the file to a folder where you can find it, then go to the folder and double-click on the getservices.bat file. A notepad will open up. Please paste the contents of that notepad file as an attachment too. Call it service.txt.

Then try using msconfig and just go to the Services tab and select Hide all Microsoft Services. Then select Disable All . This will disable all non MS services. Let's see what affect this has after a reboot.

 

Tell me the names of the non-Microsoft Services that you disabled using my previous steps.

 

Okay this is going to sound strange but I have seen this happen before. What I want you to do is uninstall the Symantec software you have installed? And then enable all services and and see if you Desktop still appears. If so, it was something do to Symanted. If your Desktop disappears, uninstall StopZilla and see what happens.

 

Glad to hear you got it fixed. I knew it was one of the two items.

You should not check out the below to help keep you clean:

How to Protect yourself from malware!