Blank desktop / NO desktop after log-on!!!

[AsturizGomez]

I'm using Windows XP. To make a long story short, when I opened my desktop yesterday, no desktop icon appeared and there was also no START bar/menu. In other words, what I got was a plain blank black screen with only the mouse pointer (which, by the way, responds as I move the mouse ).


Here are some more details:
- though the mouse responds with movement, I CANNOT get the options "Active Desktop, Arrange Icons, Refresh, Properties, etc" that usually appear when you do a right-click on the desktop. THis just doesnt happen.
- I could, however, launch Task Manager when doing a Ctrl+Alt+Del. From here, I could launch applications when clicking the "New Task" button. I've tried opening the usual applications that I use like MS Office, etc. and goodthing I was able to open them. So im not sure what the problem is since I can open applications via the long route
- I've tried rebooting and starting in "Safe Mode" but same problem. NO icons, no Start bar, etc.
- Safe mode runs it fine, though.

Any advice or solutions will be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

[s7p9a2m4]

Do you have 'user accounts'? Was this an administrator account? This seems to happen occasionally to user accounts - why, I do not know. Hope someone knows. Did you try a system restore? If restore does not work you will have to create another account.

[ESALADUANE]

Are you overclocking? Try resetting to defaults. Here's a KB on black screens during startup.


"Computer Stops Responding with a Black Screen When You Start Windows"
http://support.microsoft.com/default...;en-us;Q314503

[Grendel]

If you do not get any icons/start/task bar, Explorer.exe is not starting.

Try launching Explorer.exe from Task Manager, and see if it gives you an error.

If it gives you the "Explorer.exe has encountered a problem" error.
Look in the "Click Here" information for a Mod Name, and if it is there it will liley be a *.SYS or *.DLL file, and if it is there, that file is causing your problems.

And since it is not loading in Safe Mode either, it is likely very damaged.

A System Restore may work.

But, let us know if Explorer.exe errors or starts when you try it.

[AsturizGomez]

To s7p9a2m4: I am able to log on to Guest accounts(Limited) successfully, it's only the adminstrative ones that are giving me the problem.

To ESALADUANE: I don't overclock, so that is highly unlikely the problem.

To Grendel: I checked explorer.exe and it started. I managed to solve this by deleting all the explorer.exe in my task manager then running explorer.exe again. It will then show everything in my desktop, but the startup programs(Norton Antivirus, Firewall etc..) will not start. I believe this temporary solution will not last for the long run.
System restore does not work for me too. Most of the time when i try to restore to a certain date it does not work. Maybe it's the way I do the restoration that is wrong?

Thank you for your replies, I hope I can fix this problem. I still do need more help. I've also got a project to finish soon, and this is killing me.

Assistance needed please!

[AsturizGomez]

Someone please help!

[Shortass]

I'm having the same exact problem, if it's making you feel any better... it shouldn't, but at least you aren't alone in this.

It started for me after a LAN party with a bunch of friends. I installed a bunch of games and such and everything worked fine, but once I brought it home it was having a problem. After a lengthy logging in screen (normally like 1 second) it would show my awesome background... and that's it. No start menu, icons, anything else.

Went to task manager, explorer.exe was running and things were slowly loading, but never showed up. Got rid of explorer.exe and reloaded it, everthing shows. But the main problem is I can't really use my start menu (flashes and then dissapears, same with my docked folders), and some programs won't load at all (namely iTunes, which is really bothering me).

I'm also having cd-rom problems, as even when I have my WC3 cd in the drive it tells me to make sure it's there and hit retry. I'm just using a fixed .exe until I can fix this, but this plethora of problems is really aggrevating me.

I've read of this happening to a lot of windows 98 users and it was related to a virus, but all of my processes are legit and my semi-understanding of regedit and msconfig hasn't helped at all. Even with no startup programs running it happens.

Safe mode works, but without internet I really can't live. Does anyone have any clue what's wrong? I really don't want to reinstall WinXP, but if that's what has to be done I want to at least know how to avoid this in the future.

Oh yeah, and I have SP2 as well... which I'm liking less and less each day.

[edit] Oh wow, I had no clue this was such a buried topic. I googled it and responded without taking notice of the posted dates. Sorry about gravedigging, but I really am bothered by this. Does anyone have any clue?

[vincent_tsai]

Originally Posted by AsturizGomez

I'm using Windows XP. To make a long story short, when I opened my desktop yesterday, no desktop icon appeared and there was also no START bar/menu. In other words, what I got was a plain blank black screen with only the mouse pointer (which, by the way, responds as I move the mouse ).


Here are some more details:
- though the mouse responds with movement, I CANNOT get the options "Active Desktop, Arrange Icons, Refresh, Properties, etc" that usually appear when you do a right-click on the desktop. THis just doesnt happen.
- I could, however, launch Task Manager when doing a Ctrl+Alt+Del. From here, I could launch applications when clicking the "New Task" button. I've tried opening the usual applications that I use like MS Office, etc. and goodthing I was able to open them. So im not sure what the problem is since I can open applications via the long route
- I've tried rebooting and starting in "Safe Mode" but same problem. NO icons, no Start bar, etc.
- Safe mode runs it fine, though.

Any advice or solutions will be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

I think there may be sth. wrong with your registry.
Try this: http://it.rising.com.cn/service/tech...n_download.htm

[Magmell]

I had the same problem. I could use the task manager to start system restore but only got an empty window so could not return my registry to good condition. The same happened when in Safe Mode.

I ran System restore from the task manager, try this first, the file you need is c:\Windows\System32\Restore\rstui.exe.

As I failed to see anything in the window I followed the instructions in the Microsoft Knowledge Base to restore my system to fully working.

http://support.microsoft.com/default...;en-us;Q307545

Good Luck.

Magmell

[John Litzinger]

It hasn't worked for me yet, but the page at the following link is what Microsoft has to say about this exact issue. Please let me know if this works for you. It may help me somehow.

http://support.microsoft.com/default...;EN-US;Q256194

[gaggen]

have a look at this:

http://www2.whidbey.net/djdenham/icons.htm

maybe it helps ?

regards

[bmlkidd]

Please try the following steps to solve the issue:

1. Start your Windows XP to Desktop.

2. Press Ctrl+Alt+Del key to open the Task Manager.

3. Click File menu and click "New Tasks (run...)"

4. Type "CMD" (without quotation marks) in the box and click OK.

5. Type following command into the prompt window:

Reg add "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\RpcSs" /v ObjectName /t REG_SZ /d LocalSystem (Press Enter Key)

6. Restart your computer and test the issue again.

[jb_cyberlink]

solution that worked for me:

1. Start your Windows XP to Desktop.

2. Press Ctrl+Alt+Del key to open the Task Manager.

3. Click File menu and click "New Tasks (run...)"

4. Type iexplore.exe, and will open internet explorer browser

5. Type c:\, click "My computer", click Control Panel

6. Goto add remove programs, then removed the windows update file that
caused the problem before blank desktop occured. (also applicable to
remove the specific software that caused the problem- "blank desktop").

7. restart computer -OK, try it if it will solved your problem.

[mcorlett]

known problem with lastest microsoft patches, and it screws up your user profile.

i have a fix and it fixes it! if u email me mikey_coolit@hotmail.com i email to u! i also tell u how to use it! it does work!!!

[kkeyyankees]

Finally found a solution, I have windows Xp pro but this might work for all.

Press control, ALt, delete to get the task manager

click file then run and type MSCONFIG

On ther general tab

click Selecticve start up

uncheck the following: process system
process win
load startup items

then click on the services tab,

click on the HIDE all mircosoft services)located on the bottom. then uncheck all the boxes that remain.

restart your computer. everything should be ok, but 1 last step.

install your xp disk and do a clean boot. clcik install , when it goes to install make sure it says UPDATE(recomended) or you will lose all your files. it should be there already . if it is do the update it will tkae about 1hour, and all your files will be there adn the problems fixed. You might have reinstall some of your programs. but all should be well.

Im not an expert and this was very easy for me.

good luck