disappearing desktop

Hi Wesley,

Nope, none of those works, the same thing happens in Safe Mode.

When I run Task Manager, and I run explorer.exe, the desktop appears along
with the taskbar for a few seconds and then disappears....

Gordon

"Wesley Vogel" <123WVogel955 RemoveThis @comcast.net> wrote in message
news:Of0mzmLlHHA.3656@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> In Windows, why do my Start button and Taskbar seem to be missing?
> http://kb.indiana.edu/data/abhv.html?cust=838017.91984.30
>
> This behavior can occur if the Windows settings for a particular user
> account are corrupted.
>
> Taskbar Is Missing When You Log On to Windows
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/318027
>
> Also...
>
> Taskbar is Missing
> http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/regs_edits/xp_taskbar_desktop_fixall.vbs
>
> To use the VBS Files: Download .vbs file and save it to your hard drive
> (you may want to right click and use Save Target As). Double click the
> vbs
> file. You will be prompted when the script is done.
>
> --
> Hope this helps. Let us know.
>
> Wes
> MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
>
> In news:OpfAgAKlHHA.4960@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl,
> Gordon J. Rattray <gords RemoveThis @shaw.ca> hunted and pecked:
>> Hi there,
>>
>> I have an XP machine here, and it boots up just into where you see the
>> background and nothing more.
>>
>> If I press Ctrl-Alt-Del, I can get programs running and the desktop up
>> temporarily by putting "explorer.exe" in the New Task method. Then the
>> desktop will disappear.
>>
>> I've AVG virus scanned it, SpyBotted, and Ad Awared it, done Hijack This,
>> all to no avail... Also, I did an SFC/ Scannow and all the files are
>> there. There's something more to it....what?
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Gordon

Hi Gordon,

Make sure that you are logged on as who you think you are.

Start | Run | Type: %userprofile% | Click OK

C:\Documents and Settings\Some User Name should open.

Is the Some User Name correct?

If you get any of these:
C:\Documents and Settings\Temp
C:\Documents and Settings\UserName.ComputerName
C:\Documents and Settings\UserName.ComputerName.000
The user profile was so corrupt that Windows created a new profile.

You can also do this.
Ctrl + Alt + Del | File | New Task (Run...) |
Type: %userprofile% | Click OK

If the easy fixes did not help and the profile is ok or sort of ok see the
harder methods here.

Method 1: Troubleshoot by Starting Windows with a Minimal Set of Drivers
Method 2: Create a New User Account
Method 3: Repair Windows XP
Taskbar Is Missing When You Log On to Windows
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/318027

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In news:%23czmbAMlHHA.3280@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl,
Gordon J. Rattray <gords DeleteThis @shaw.ca> hunted and pecked:
> Hi Wesley,
>
> Nope, none of those works, the same thing happens in Safe Mode.
>
> When I run Task Manager, and I run explorer.exe, the desktop appears along
> with the taskbar for a few seconds and then disappears....
>
> Gordon
>
> "Wesley Vogel" <123WVogel955 DeleteThis @comcast.net> wrote in message
> news:Of0mzmLlHHA.3656@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>> In Windows, why do my Start button and Taskbar seem to be missing?
>> http://kb.indiana.edu/data/abhv.html?cust=838017.91984.30
>>
>> This behavior can occur if the Windows settings for a particular user
>> account are corrupted.
>>
>> Taskbar Is Missing When You Log On to Windows
>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/318027
>>
>> Also...
>>
>> Taskbar is Missing
>> http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/regs_edits/xp_taskbar_desktop_fixall.vbs
>>
>> To use the VBS Files: Download .vbs file and save it to your hard drive
>> (you may want to right click and use Save Target As). Double click the
>> vbs
>> file. You will be prompted when the script is done.
>>
>> --
>> Hope this helps. Let us know.
>>
>> Wes
>> MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
>>
>> In news:OpfAgAKlHHA.4960@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl,
>> Gordon J. Rattray <gords DeleteThis @shaw.ca> hunted and pecked:
>>> Hi there,
>>>
>>> I have an XP machine here, and it boots up just into where you see the
>>> background and nothing more.
>>>
>>> If I press Ctrl-Alt-Del, I can get programs running and the desktop up
>>> temporarily by putting "explorer.exe" in the New Task method. Then the
>>> desktop will disappear.
>>>
>>> I've AVG virus scanned it, SpyBotted, and Ad Awared it, done Hijack
>>> This, all to no avail... Also, I did an SFC/ Scannow and all the files
>>> are there. There's something more to it....what?
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>>
>>> Gordon

"Gordon J. Rattray" wrote
> Hi there,
>
> I have an XP machine here, and it boots up just into where you see the
> background and nothing more.
>
> If I press Ctrl-Alt-Del, I can get programs running and the desktop up
> temporarily by putting "explorer.exe" in the New Task method. Then the
> desktop will disappear.
>
> I've AVG virus scanned it, SpyBotted, and Ad Awared it, done Hijack This,
> all to no avail... Also, I did an SFC/ Scannow and all the files are
> there.
>
> There's something more to it....what?


Did you try a system restore to before the problem occurred?

--
Rock [MS-MVP User/Shell]

This generally has to do with display drivers. If you have recently updated
them (especially via MS updates) try a rollback.

--

All the Best,
Kelly (MS-MVP/DTS&XP)

SUPERAntiSpyware
http://www.superantispyware.com?rid=3154

"Gordon J. Rattray" <gords RemoveThis @shaw.ca> wrote in message
news:OpfAgAKlHHA.4960@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> Hi there,
>
> I have an XP machine here, and it boots up just into where you see the
> background and nothing more.
>
> If I press Ctrl-Alt-Del, I can get programs running and the desktop up
> temporarily by putting "explorer.exe" in the New Task method. Then the
> desktop will disappear.
>
> I've AVG virus scanned it, SpyBotted, and Ad Awared it, done Hijack This,
> all to no avail... Also, I did an SFC/ Scannow and all the files are
> there.
>
> There's something more to it....what?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Gordon

Hi Kelly,

I tried this, but all the previous restoration points were wiped out.....

What to do?

Thanks,

Gordon

"Kelly" <kelly.RemoveThis@mvps.org> wrote in message
news:eptZ5rNlHHA.5024@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> This generally has to do with display drivers. If you have recently
> updated them (especially via MS updates) try a rollback.
>
> --
>
> All the Best,
> Kelly (MS-MVP/DTS&XP)
>
> SUPERAntiSpyware
> http://www.superantispyware.com?rid=3154
>
> "Gordon J. Rattray" <gords.RemoveThis@shaw.ca> wrote in message
> news:OpfAgAKlHHA.4960@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>> Hi there,
>>
>> I have an XP machine here, and it boots up just into where you see the
>> background and nothing more.
>>
>> If I press Ctrl-Alt-Del, I can get programs running and the desktop up
>> temporarily by putting "explorer.exe" in the New Task method. Then the
>> desktop will disappear.
>>
>> I've AVG virus scanned it, SpyBotted, and Ad Awared it, done Hijack This,
>> all to no avail... Also, I did an SFC/ Scannow and all the files are
>> there.
>>
>> There's something more to it....what?
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Gordon
>
>

"Gordon J. Rattray" <gords.RemoveThis@shaw.ca> wrote:

> I tried this, but all the previous restoration points were wiped out.
>
> What to do?

Do not try to rollback any drivers via the System Restore tool.
"How to manage devices in Windows XP"
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/283658/en-us

--> Rolling back to a previous version of a driver

--
d-d

Hi Detlev,

I tried that, also, but it said there were no video drivers to roll back
to...

What next?

Gordon

"Detlev Dreyer" <detdreyer RemoveThis @flashmail.com> wrote in message
news:21a3a2881560f1a672f880460f1656ac@d-d.mvps.org...
> "Gordon J. Rattray" <gords RemoveThis @shaw.ca> wrote:
>
>> I tried this, but all the previous restoration points were wiped out.
>>
>> What to do?
>
> Do not try to rollback any drivers via the System Restore tool.
> "How to manage devices in Windows XP"
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/283658/en-us
>
> --> Rolling back to a previous version of a driver
>
> --
> d-d

"Gordon J. Rattray" <gords.TakeThisOut@shaw.ca> wrote:

> I tried that, also, but it said there were no video drivers to roll
> back to...
>
> What next?

This may happen in some cases, especially when a driver has been installed
via the Microsoft Update site. If this was the case, just re-install the
previous driver from its installation media. Good luck.

--
d-d