blank desktop after crash

[wearybanker]

I run windows XP Pro with Service Pack 1 installed and I was using a video conferencing programme (eyeball chat) - everything worked fine until I closed down the camera which crashed my pc (I got the blue screen saying Windows had stopped and couldn't continue and would need to be restarted).

I reset the computer and it starts up fine going past the front personal login page but when you choose a user (any of the users) all that happens is the background pictures comes up but none of the icons, start button or task bar or anything else appears.

However, by accessing the task manager (ctrl, alt, del) I can start some programmes by running the executable files (word, Nero cd copying, excel) but not Internet Explorer or Outlook Express.

The task Manager only shows one task loaded (winfax) nothing else. It seems like the pc is not loading all the rest of the programmes.

Any help would be greatly appreciated as my wife is going to kill me if I lose her work stuff!

[njovin]

Run MSCONFIG, and uncheck everything in the startup tab. Reboot and see if that fixes the problem. If not, see if you can boot up into safe mode, and do a system resotre from there.

[wearybanker]

Where does msconfig live? - I don't have the start button to press, so I can't use the run command!

[augie2]

Originally posted by wearybanker
Where does msconfig live? - I don't have the start button to press, so I can't use the run command!

If you don't even have a start button in safe mode, then I would boot off the CD and do a install repair. Sounds like some files were corrupted. The install repair should not destroy anything, but I would wait for some other opinions before proceeding.

Also, (if you haven't already done so, which would make the above point moot) partition your hard drive after suitable back ups of course, one partition for XP say 5 GB, and the rest as you like. So if your OS blows up, then you won't lose any data and only have to reinstall your app's. Or even better, take an image and restore it.

HTH

augie

[Sirus20x6]

you can try starting your windows manager again by starting the task explorer

also if you use IE to browse the net that one is iexplore.

I joined just to reply to this, google lead me here, it must be fate.