No icons on deskop

[Clive James]

Like other unfortunates I got the w32blaster worm which I have removed.

After applying SP1, the w32blaster worm patch and updating Norton anti-virus
I can only run XP Home in safe mode.

When I try to start up in normal mode the system seems to go through the
regular start-up process but there are no desk-top icons. I removed the
desktop theme (modified) file to see if somehow the icons where "underneath"
the desktop theme image, but they weren't.

So I can only run my computer in safe mode.

Unfortunately when I bought my Compaq laptop the version of Windows XP home
that was shipped is a version that can only be restored by overwriting the
hard disk. This would mean having to copy all my file (in safe mode) onto a
CD before reinstalling the OS.

Is there any way to fix this XP Home problem without having to reinstall the
complete OS?

[Walter Clayton]

If you can come up in safe mode then you can salvage the box.

First thing is come up in safe mode then use msconfig to start disabling
start up items. Actually first cut is to disable everything on the start up
tab to see if you can come up.

--
Walter Clayton - MS MVP(WinXP)
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
http://www.dts-l.org


"Clive James" > wrote in message
gy.com...
>
> Like other unfortunates I got the w32blaster worm which I have removed.
>
> After applying SP1, the w32blaster worm patch and updating Norton
anti-virus
> I can only run XP Home in safe mode.
>
> When I try to start up in normal mode the system seems to go through the
> regular start-up process but there are no desk-top icons. I removed the
> desktop theme (modified) file to see if somehow the icons where
"underneath"
> the desktop theme image, but they weren't.
>
> So I can only run my computer in safe mode.
>
> Unfortunately when I bought my Compaq laptop the version of Windows XP
home
> that was shipped is a version that can only be restored by overwriting the
> hard disk. This would mean having to copy all my file (in safe mode) onto
a
> CD before reinstalling the OS.
>
> Is there any way to fix this XP Home problem without having to reinstall
the
> complete OS?
>
>
>
>

[Clive James]

Thanks Walter, In msconfig I started in safe mode without any startup items
nut I still have the problem of not seeing any icons. What the next step?

Yesterday I removed from the startup folder two files that I didn't
recognize: DCOM and WEBDAV. This didn't have any noticeable effect on the
rest of the system's ability to start up (at least in safe mode).



"Walter Clayton" > wrote in message
...
> If you can come up in safe mode then you can salvage the box.
>
> First thing is come up in safe mode then use msconfig to start disabling
> start up items. Actually first cut is to disable everything on the start
up
> tab to see if you can come up.
>
> --
> Walter Clayton - MS MVP(WinXP)
> Associate Expert
> http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
> Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
> http://www.dts-l.org
>
>
> "Clive James" > wrote in message
> gy.com...
> >
> > Like other unfortunates I got the w32blaster worm which I have removed.
> >
> > After applying SP1, the w32blaster worm patch and updating Norton
> anti-virus
> > I can only run XP Home in safe mode.
> >
> > When I try to start up in normal mode the system seems to go through the
> > regular start-up process but there are no desk-top icons. I removed the
> > desktop theme (modified) file to see if somehow the icons where
> "underneath"
> > the desktop theme image, but they weren't.
> >
> > So I can only run my computer in safe mode.
> >
> > Unfortunately when I bought my Compaq laptop the version of Windows XP
> home
> > that was shipped is a version that can only be restored by overwriting
the
> > hard disk. This would mean having to copy all my file (in safe mode)
onto
> a
> > CD before reinstalling the OS.
> >
> > Is there any way to fix this XP Home problem without having to reinstall
> the
> > complete OS?
> >
> >
> >
> >
>

[Walter Clayton]

In normal mode do you get the task bar at all? Can you do a ctrl-alt-del and
see if explorer is running? If not, try launching explorer via file->new
task in task manager.

--
Walter Clayton - MS MVP(WinXP)
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
http://www.dts-l.org


"Clive James" > wrote in message
gy.com...
> Thanks Walter, In msconfig I started in safe mode without any startup
items
> nut I still have the problem of not seeing any icons. What the next step?
>
> Yesterday I removed from the startup folder two files that I didn't
> recognize: DCOM and WEBDAV. This didn't have any noticeable effect on the
> rest of the system's ability to start up (at least in safe mode).
>
>
>
> "Walter Clayton" > wrote in message
> ...
> > If you can come up in safe mode then you can salvage the box.
> >
> > First thing is come up in safe mode then use msconfig to start disabling
> > start up items. Actually first cut is to disable everything on the start
> up
> > tab to see if you can come up.
> >
> > --
> > Walter Clayton - MS MVP(WinXP)
> > Associate Expert
> > http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
> > Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
> > http://www.dts-l.org
> >
> >
> > "Clive James" > wrote in message
> > gy.com...
> > >
> > > Like other unfortunates I got the w32blaster worm which I have
removed.
> > >
> > > After applying SP1, the w32blaster worm patch and updating Norton
> > anti-virus
> > > I can only run XP Home in safe mode.
> > >
> > > When I try to start up in normal mode the system seems to go through
the
> > > regular start-up process but there are no desk-top icons. I removed
the
> > > desktop theme (modified) file to see if somehow the icons where
> > "underneath"
> > > the desktop theme image, but they weren't.
> > >
> > > So I can only run my computer in safe mode.
> > >
> > > Unfortunately when I bought my Compaq laptop the version of Windows XP
> > home
> > > that was shipped is a version that can only be restored by overwriting
> the
> > > hard disk. This would mean having to copy all my file (in safe mode)
> onto
> > a
> > > CD before reinstalling the OS.
> > >
> > > Is there any way to fix this XP Home problem without having to
reinstall
> > the
> > > complete OS?
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
>
>

[Clive James]

In normal mode all I see after the star-up process is a blank screen (or a
screen with my background image selected) with no task bar. Right clicking
on the blank screen does not produce a contextual menu. I did ctrl-alt-del
and explorer.exe is running.

Not sure if this is related, but I tried resetting the background image to
none, but after re-starting the old image still appeared.

"Walter Clayton" > wrote in message
...
> In normal mode do you get the task bar at all? Can you do a ctrl-alt-del
and
> see if explorer is running? If not, try launching explorer via file->new
> task in task manager.
>
> --
> Walter Clayton - MS MVP(WinXP)
> Associate Expert
> http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
> Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
> http://www.dts-l.org
>
>
> "Clive James" > wrote in message
> gy.com...
> > Thanks Walter, In msconfig I started in safe mode without any startup
> items
> > nut I still have the problem of not seeing any icons. What the next
step?
> >
> > Yesterday I removed from the startup folder two files that I didn't
> > recognize: DCOM and WEBDAV. This didn't have any noticeable effect on
the
> > rest of the system's ability to start up (at least in safe mode).
> >
> >
> >
> > "Walter Clayton" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > If you can come up in safe mode then you can salvage the box.
> > >
> > > First thing is come up in safe mode then use msconfig to start
disabling
> > > start up items. Actually first cut is to disable everything on the
start
> > up
> > > tab to see if you can come up.
> > >
> > > --
> > > Walter Clayton - MS MVP(WinXP)
> > > Associate Expert
> > > http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
> > > Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
> > > http://www.dts-l.org
> > >
> > >
> > > "Clive James" > wrote in message
> > > gy.com...
> > > >
> > > > Like other unfortunates I got the w32blaster worm which I have
> removed.
> > > >
> > > > After applying SP1, the w32blaster worm patch and updating Norton
> > > anti-virus
> > > > I can only run XP Home in safe mode.
> > > >
> > > > When I try to start up in normal mode the system seems to go through
> the
> > > > regular start-up process but there are no desk-top icons. I removed
> the
> > > > desktop theme (modified) file to see if somehow the icons where
> > > "underneath"
> > > > the desktop theme image, but they weren't.
> > > >
> > > > So I can only run my computer in safe mode.
> > > >
> > > > Unfortunately when I bought my Compaq laptop the version of Windows
XP
> > > home
> > > > that was shipped is a version that can only be restored by
overwriting
> > the
> > > > hard disk. This would mean having to copy all my file (in safe mode)
> > onto
> > > a
> > > > CD before reinstalling the OS.
> > > >
> > > > Is there any way to fix this XP Home problem without having to
> reinstall
> > > the
> > > > complete OS?
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> >
> >
>

[Walter Clayton]

I gather you have an internet connection or you wouldn't be able to post
here. :-)

There may be a problem with the tool you used to remove Blaster. Go to
http://www.kaspersky.com and look on the right side of the web page. There
should be a reference to a free Lovesan removal tool. Download it, transfer
it to your machine and run it.

If you don't find the link go here:
ftp://ftp.kaspersky.com/utils/clrav.com
and you'll find the instructions here:
ftp://ftp.kaspersky.com/utils/clrav_ReadMe.txt

It'll easily fit on diskette and can be run from diskette.

--
Walter Clayton - MS MVP(WinXP)
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
http://www.dts-l.org


"Clive James" > wrote in message
gy.com...
> In normal mode all I see after the star-up process is a blank screen (or a
> screen with my background image selected) with no task bar. Right clicking
> on the blank screen does not produce a contextual menu. I did ctrl-alt-del
> and explorer.exe is running.
>
> Not sure if this is related, but I tried resetting the background image to
> none, but after re-starting the old image still appeared.
>
> "Walter Clayton" > wrote in message
> ...
> > In normal mode do you get the task bar at all? Can you do a ctrl-alt-del
> and
> > see if explorer is running? If not, try launching explorer via file->new
> > task in task manager.
> >
> > --
> > Walter Clayton - MS MVP(WinXP)
> > Associate Expert
> > http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
> > Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
> > http://www.dts-l.org
> >
> >
> > "Clive James" > wrote in message
> > gy.com...
> > > Thanks Walter, In msconfig I started in safe mode without any startup
> > items
> > > nut I still have the problem of not seeing any icons. What the next
> step?
> > >
> > > Yesterday I removed from the startup folder two files that I didn't
> > > recognize: DCOM and WEBDAV. This didn't have any noticeable effect on
> the
> > > rest of the system's ability to start up (at least in safe mode).
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > "Walter Clayton" > wrote in message
> > > ...
> > > > If you can come up in safe mode then you can salvage the box.
> > > >
> > > > First thing is come up in safe mode then use msconfig to start
> disabling
> > > > start up items. Actually first cut is to disable everything on the
> start
> > > up
> > > > tab to see if you can come up.
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > Walter Clayton - MS MVP(WinXP)
> > > > Associate Expert
> > > > http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
> > > > Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently
advanced.
> > > > http://www.dts-l.org
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > "Clive James" > wrote in message
> > > > gy.com...
> > > > >
> > > > > Like other unfortunates I got the w32blaster worm which I have
> > removed.
> > > > >
> > > > > After applying SP1, the w32blaster worm patch and updating Norton
> > > > anti-virus
> > > > > I can only run XP Home in safe mode.
> > > > >
> > > > > When I try to start up in normal mode the system seems to go
through
> > the
> > > > > regular start-up process but there are no desk-top icons. I
removed
> > the
> > > > > desktop theme (modified) file to see if somehow the icons where
> > > > "underneath"
> > > > > the desktop theme image, but they weren't.
> > > > >
> > > > > So I can only run my computer in safe mode.
> > > > >
> > > > > Unfortunately when I bought my Compaq laptop the version of
Windows
> XP
> > > > home
> > > > > that was shipped is a version that can only be restored by
> overwriting
> > > the
> > > > > hard disk. This would mean having to copy all my file (in safe
mode)
> > > onto
> > > > a
> > > > > CD before reinstalling the OS.
> > > > >
> > > > > Is there any way to fix this XP Home problem without having to
> > reinstall
> > > > the
> > > > > complete OS?
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> >
>
>