Author Topic: No Desktop Icons or Start button (Read 2224 times)

Clive · « **on:** January 17, 2006, 19:07 »

A friend of mine (no really!

) no longer has any icons ion her desktop - or start button. She believes she has a virus but says she has McAfee AV installed which is regularly updated. I've suggested that she right clicks on the desktop to make sure that "show icons on desktop" is checked but she says that nothing happens. I've also loaned her AdAware Pro on CD but it doesn't autostart. She can access Word via command keys but not the Internet. She believes she is running XP Home. What do you reckon guys and gals?

sam · « **Reply #1 on:** January 17, 2006, 19:15 »

ctrl+alt+del ... should open task manager... she can then access the dos emulator thats on xp.. and should be able to run some tasks. Are you sure there are no viri present?? How capable is this person with computers? No offence to her but I have seen people randomly press buttons that f*** up computers before.

Clive · « **Reply #2 on:** January 17, 2006, 20:42 »

I was hoping she might have been able to get into Safe Mode and then System Restore but pressing F8 at the appropriate time does nothing. Sam's idea works and the task manager opens.

If her AV was up to date then I can't see how she can have a virus and she is a very level headed woman who is usually very capable. But who knows? There are only two applications running and they are "Netropa Hot Key" and "cma". The first suggests that she is a using a Dell but I don't know about the latter.

sam · « **Reply #3 on:** January 17, 2006, 20:50 »

umm, that explains why it isnt doing anything...might need to be recoverd...if possible or formatted... im not sure though... ill bow down to sandra on this one if she has advice - give my linux issues clive :-)

Sandra · « **Reply #4 on:** January 17, 2006, 21:06 »

If I understand you correctly Clive then by pressing the windows key, between CTRL and ALT will bring the start menu up.

Click on the RUN part and type MSCONFIG and see if anythings been unticked in startup.

If she can get on line get her to download and install then run Ccleaner from www.filehippo.com

That has a registry cleaner in it and seems to work quite well.

If I have misunderstood the problem please explain it to me in greater detail and clarity, remember I was blonde once, (until I got better) :roll:

Clive · « **Reply #5 on:** January 17, 2006, 21:40 »

Yes, the Start menu comes up and she can type MSCONFIG. Everything is ticked under all tabs. She's tried to launch System Restore from there but it's been disabled.

I've also asked her to type in D:\ to install AdAware but it refuses to aknowledge the drive. Unfortunately she can't get online either. I'm beginning to suspect the worst. All she can do is use Word via a hotkey.

Edit:

The problem is that she boots up to a coloured blank screen and there are no icons, start button or task bars. She often gets a message box rabbiting on about her computer may be at risk etc...

Sandra · « **Reply #6 on:** January 18, 2006, 00:13 »

It does sound like a nasty has got in

Clive · « **Reply #7 on:** January 18, 2006, 08:39 »

You have both been a great help but I have come to the same conclusion too. I think she's going to have to reformat.

sam · « **Reply #8 on:** January 18, 2006, 09:53 »

yep, well that message box dialogue that you mentioned indicates some sort of virus.. even with virus protection they still get through occasionally. Any chance she uses P2P programs?

Simon · « **Reply #9 on:** January 18, 2006, 09:55 »

Could someone have been 'fiddling' with her machine, Clive? I think there was something a couple of years ago, whereby someone took a screenshot of a blank desktop, with no icons, and managed to somehow 'hide' the real desktop behind it. Would it be worth seeing if she can check which desktop wallpaper is active?

Scotty_CFC · « **Reply #10 on:** January 18, 2006, 11:33 »

I had the exact same problem last year, it was a virus (win32 parite).

If your friend has the same, a temporary solution was to bring up task manager and run explorer.

I used
this tool to remove it.

Clive · « **Reply #11 on:** January 18, 2006, 14:35 »

I doubt if she uses P2P Sam but I'll ask her when she calls in later.

Hiding the icons is easy as all you have to do is right click on the desktop and uncheck "show icons on desktop". Hers is checked Simon.

Thanks for the heads up on the virus Scotty! I'll download a fix onto a floppy and see if that works. 8)

Simon · « **Reply #12 on:** January 18, 2006, 18:30 »

That's not quite what I was referring to, Clive. This was some sort of practical joke which hid all the icons behind a false desktop.

Anyway, funnily enough, I got talking to a customer today, who just happened to say he had recently had the same problem. He was advised to reboot in safe mode, log in as the administrator, insert the xp CD, click on Start > Run > type 'sfc /scannow' > OK, and this fixed the problem.

Clive · « **Reply #13 on:** January 18, 2006, 21:46 »

I've downloaded the fix for that virus and given a copy to her but I won't know if it worked until tomorrow. If she has to use her XP CD then she has serious problems since she's mislaid it during a recent house move. She thinks one of her sons might have thrown it out!

Simon · « **Reply #14 on:** January 18, 2006, 22:42 »

Well, there's not much chance of me being right, is there! :grin: