XP Pro Desktop Missing All Icons-Can't get anything to run? What to do?

hi:

-Perform a reinstallation of Windows XP, sometimes called a <Repair> installation
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1. Configure your computer to start from the CD-ROM drive. For more information about how to do this, refer to your computer's documentation or contact your computer manufacturer. Then insert your Windows XP Setup CD, and restart your computer.

2. When the Press any key to boot from CD message is displayed on your screen, press a key to start your computer from the Windows XP CD.

3. Press ENTER when you see the message To setup Windows XP now, and then press ENTER displayed on the Welcome to Setup screen.

4. Do not choose the option to press R to use the Recovery Console.

5. In the Windows XP Licensing Agreement, press F8 to agree to the license agreement.

6. Make sure that your current installation of Windows XP is selected in the box, and then press R to repair Windows XP.

7. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete Setup.

or
HOW TO: Restore the Operating System to a Previous State in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;306084

HOW TO: Start the System Restore Tool from a Command Prompt in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;304449

How to Recover from a Corrupted Registry That Prevents Windows XP from Starting
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;307545  

Login as Administrator in safe mode and create new user profile. You can copy your personal data from old profile later.

How to Copy User Data to a New User Profile:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=811151

Have you tried System Restore yet?  Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools...

run System Restore and pick a date that it everything was working...

FE

This probably isn't it but you might try right clicking on any blank area of the desktop and in the submenu of the "Arrange Icons By" selection, make sure that the "Show Desktop Icons" has a checkmark beside it.  If it isn't checked, your desktop icons won't be visible.

dudleydocker,

You forgot to mention if the START MENU is present.  If so, then the icons must have been disabled (see timothyfryer's post above).

If the Start Menu is present, click START then RUN.  Type SFC /scannow then press Enter key.  This will check if your system files are still intact and try to restore them if they are damaged.

--kurt

hello.  I forgot to mention that there is NO start menu.  I appreciate all of the ideas!  Hopefully I can get this working again!  I will keep you posted.

Thanks!

It sounds as if the expolorer file in windows is corrupt or not starting properly.  try starting from the task manager.  you may have to restore it

Gfren mentioned this above and it will probably work.
You can usually repair XP without deleting the data on your hard disk by using the repair feature on the installation cd.  That might be the quickest way to restore your OS.  The repair reinstalls the OS files without deleting the other data.



Insert your Windows XP installation cd into your cdrom, then:
1.  Turn off computer.
2.  Turn on computer and immediately begin tapping the key that brings up BIOS (Setup); usually the 'delete' key but varies by manufacturer.
3.  Configure BIOS to boot from your cd drive.
4.  Save and exit BIOS, then let it boot from, or prompt you to boot from cdrom.
5.  Follow the menu.  Be careful, wording in the menu is somewhat ambiguous and misleading. You don't want to do a new install because 'THAT WILL DELETE YOUR DATA FILES'.  You want to do a repair of the existing OS.
6.  I'm reasonably confident that this will solve the blank screen problem.

That is a good idea...  if you can get the TM open (Ctrl - Alt - Del) then go to the App tab.  > New Task > and type explorer.exe...   see if it opens the Explorer Window...

If this does not work...  try replacing the Registry as I mentioned in the steps above...

FE

Regarding Task Manager, I know I was able to launch it and get to "new task" and browse, even to the "programs" menu..I navigated to "system restore" but when I clicked on it I got a message that said the program wasn't there (or some such cryptic mssg)...sorry I don't have the specifics.  So my guess is that when I type "explorer.exe" it won't work?

Sorry I 'm not near the machine in question.

Thanks.

If you were able to browse, then explorer was already running.  Have you done anything with transparent windows lately.  Maybe a program disappeared your stuff.  Have you tried the windows key to bring up the start menu.

Quote: "If you were able to browse, then explorer was already running.  Have you done anything with transparent windows lately.  Maybe a program disappeared your stuff.  Have you tried the windows key to bring up the start menu."

This particular install has been problematic for a while.  Instances where the desktop would disappear BRIEFLY then come back and all the icons would "rebuild"?  What do you mean by using the windows key to bring up the start menu?

Yep, I have the "windows" logo key.....did not bring up the menu like clicking "start".  The icon rendering description you gave sounds familiar.  Previous to this problem, I've had it sit on a blank screen (wallpaper only) for TEN MINUTES and then the desktop came back.  But now I left it for three hours and nothing.  Could stipp bring up taks manager though.

So short of trying anything yet, my guess is that deleting and reloading the registry will work?

Thanks.

Haven't done registry restore before in XP but I would definitely get important stuff off hard drive if possible before trying.  XP registry restoration significantly more complex than 98 from what I've heard.  Good luck. Tim.
One other thing though. Maybe your icon cache is corrupt.
This is easier than restoring registry.
Goto folder options and check "show hidden files and folders" box
Goto Documents and Settings\"your profile"\Local Settings\Application Data
Find the hidden file IconCache.db and delete it.
Restart.
File will regenerate automatically but it will be a slow logon while rebuilding.
Doing the other stuff first in the previous post will ensure that the rebuilt cache contains a fast, stable icon profile.

Which also brings another question to mind, is the desktop gone when logged in under another user, if not, then restoring your profile in the registry might be easier than a recovery console restoration.  The registry contains a copy of the factory version of the registry settings that it uses to generate the registry settings for a new user.  You can import those into your profile or just create a new user with a temporary name, move all your junk over, kill your old bad desktop self, then change the new user temporary name to your original name.  

I am unable to log in as any user.  When the logon box comes up, it contains my name.  This particular install has "blank" the password, so I just click enter.  The only item that appears if I click "options" is shutdown..

Now that I'm thinking about this maybe I can log on as another user?  Hmmmm.....

That's what I mean, log on as another user.  Goto control panel, user accounts to see who all is registered.  The logon screen ordinarily places your name in the window but you can delete that name and type in the user name that you want to use to log on.  As long as you have a password for it.  XP Pro creates two profiles on installation, your personal profile and an administrator.  You can log on through the administrator account.  Go into the administrator account in user accounts in control panel to setup password info if you haven't already.  You should be able to access the administrator account in user accounts because, if i remember correctly, the default user profile has some administrator privileges enabled.  Worth a try.

You can also just create a new user and then log in under it.

And if that does not work...  

The registry restore that I outlined above is very easy to do...  It may look complicated, but if you follow my directions, it does work.  I have yet to have it not....  You can even copy the contents and create a batch file to run from the Recovery Console.  (But this is certainly not necessary...)

FE

Thanks Fatal, I still haven't gotten over a bad BIOS flashing experience I had once.  I'm kinda gun shy.  Ha. Ha.

Don't blame you..!!  I would try the other suggestions first though...  You never know what might happen when you dig into the registry...  I have seen passwords lost this way, so use this as a last resort..

If the other steps don't work out, do not rule out the possibility of a hardware problem.  I have seen this sort of problem in one of my company's computers (no START menu, no icons, etc.).  It turned out this machine had a bad memory chip.  No matter what I do, it always messed itself up.  After replacing the bad memory chip, the machine worked like a charm.

Please try FE's and tim's suggestions first.  If none of the above work, check out your hardware.  If you can get to a command prompt, you should also try "SFC /scannow" just to make sure your system files are OK.

--kurt

Any luck, dudleydocker?

Hello and sorry for dropping off the face of the planet!  I finally did the registry recovery that FE outlined and it worked like a charm.  I also gave points to timothyfryer for the excellent description of adjusting/configuring the desktop icons.  Thank you both.  I really appreciate it.

Thanks for the points, dudleydocker, Good Luck. Tim.

Glad you got it back dudley..!!

And thanks..

FE