SP2 made my desktop vanish

[avollme]

Hi everybody. I'm going out of my mind. When I first tried to install SP2,
it put my computer in a restart loop, which caused me to uninstall it 3 times.
On the fourth time, after cleaning out the system and uninstalling a number
of programs, I was able to install it. But I can't understand what happens
next.
The system loads normally, everything shows up, but about 5 seconds after my
desktop appears, it disappears. All the icons, the taskbar, all gone. Right
clicking on the now empty desktop (my wallpaper is still there) does nothing.
I can access the task manager, and through that I was able to pull up IE and
get online. Everything is there (via task manager), but it won't let me
access them normally.
Does anybody have any idea what's going on?


Thanks
Adam

[Rock]

"avollme"wrote

> Hi everybody. I'm going out of my mind. When I first tried to install
> SP2,
> it put my computer in a restart loop, which caused me to uninstall it 3
> times.
> On the fourth time, after cleaning out the system and uninstalling a
> number
> of programs, I was able to install it. But I can't understand what
> happens
> next.
> The system loads normally, everything shows up, but about 5 seconds after
> my
> desktop appears, it disappears. All the icons, the taskbar, all gone.
> Right
> clicking on the now empty desktop (my wallpaper is still there) does
> nothing.
> I can access the task manager, and through that I was able to pull up IE
> and
> get online. Everything is there (via task manager), but it won't let me
> access them normally.
> Does anybody have any idea what's going on?

From task manager if you start a new task - explorer.exe, does the desktop
appear?

You might want to start with a clean install of XP using an installation CD
that has SP2 integrated into it. This process is called slipstreaming.
Here are some links on how to do this. Autostreamer makes it easier.

Slipstream

http://www.theeldergeek.com/slipstreamed_xpsp2_cd.htm
http://unattended.msfn.org/beginner/slipstream.htm

Autostreamer
http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/1092632287/1
http://www.simplyguides.net/guides/using_autostreamer/using_autostreamer.html
http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=223562

--
Rock [MVP - User/Shell]

[TaurArian [MS-MVP]]

Taskbar Is Missing When You Log On to Windows
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;318027

and/or

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm
Line 117 - Restore Taskbar and Start Menu

Taskbar Repair Tool Plus!
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/taskbarplus!.htm

or Line #195 "Restore Desktop Icons and Taskbar"
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm


--

====================================
TaurArian [MS-MVP] 2005-2007 - Australia
====================================
How to make a good post: http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
Backup and data recovery: http://www.acronis.com/
Enhancing file system performance: http://www.diskeeper.com/defrag.asp


"avollme" > wrote in message
...
| Hi everybody. I'm going out of my mind. When I first tried to install SP2,
| it put my computer in a restart loop, which caused me to uninstall it 3 times.
| On the fourth time, after cleaning out the system and uninstalling a number
| of programs, I was able to install it. But I can't understand what happens
| next.
| The system loads normally, everything shows up, but about 5 seconds after my
| desktop appears, it disappears. All the icons, the taskbar, all gone. Right
| clicking on the now empty desktop (my wallpaper is still there) does nothing.
| I can access the task manager, and through that I was able to pull up IE and
| get online. Everything is there (via task manager), but it won't let me
| access them normally.
| Does anybody have any idea what's going on?
|
|
| Thanks
| Adam