Windows XP Desktop does not appear

CTRL-ALT-DEL to start Windows Task Manager, Applications tab, click New Task... button, type EXPLORER and click OK.

What happens now?

If Windows starts in good order, with desktop access, download and install Malwarebytes Anti-Malware:
http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php

Update and run a full scan cleaning everything the program finds.

Restart and test.

Entered Explorer in New Task, both in safe mode and normal, Start bar appeared for a second, then went away. Explorer left the Processes window.  No lasting affect. I really appreciate your responsiveness on this.

Check this :


http://www.squidoo.com/explorer-exe

also this:

http://www.ehow.com/how_4592369_problem-windows-xp-taskbar-disappears.html

Using Windows Task Manager again try running REGEDIT.

Locate and delete the following key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\explorer.exe

Reboot and test.

Thank you Houssam and Blue Zee, but the renaming explorer.exe and registry entry didn't work. Also there is no explorer.exe in my Image File Execution Options folder to delete in the registry. Deeply appreciative of your efforts. Still no desktop.

I have uploaded explorer.exe from my XP SP3:
http://www.box.net/shared/cz7v5cuxxa

Try download and put it in C:\Windows.

Reboot. Did it work?

Tragically no. The new file has today's date so I know it copied. No change in desktop.

Not even using Windows Task Manager and New task?

Same result as before?

Although I had not tried that, the answer is sadly no.

I would suggest you slave that disk in a working PC and get it thoroughly scanned with a good anti-virus and a few anti-malware programs, Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and SUPETRAntiSpyware being my favorites.

If that fails, I can see only one way out, a format and reinstall.

You may want to backup your data and documents while the disk is slaved.

Good luck.

That may be the way it goes. Thanks.  I am open to other suggestions if there are any out there.

on the task manager, type::

sfc /scannow

make sure that you had the XP CD inserted into the CD ROM

Oh and can you install or run any programs at all?

If so, run this tool and we'll see what the log shows if the scan doesn't fix it.

Please download ComboFix by sUBs:
http://download.bleepingcomputer.com/sUBs/ComboFix.exe
(If it doesn't run, re-download but rename before saving to your desktop)

You must download it to and run it from your Desktop
Now STOP all your monitoring programs (Antivirus/Antispyware, Guards and Shields) as they could easily interfere with ComboFix.
Double click combofix.exe & follow the prompts.
When finished, it will produce a log. Please save that log and attach it in your next reply by pasting it in the "Code Snippet" or "Attach File" window.
Re-enable all the programs that were disabled during the running of ComboFix..

Note:
Do not mouse-click combofix's window while it is running. That may cause it to stall.

CF disconnects your machine from the internet. The connection is automatically restored before CF completes its run. If CF runs into difficulty and terminates prematurely, the connection can be manually restored by restarting your machine.



If needed, here's the Combofix tutorial which includes the installation of the Recovery Console:
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/combofix/how-to-use-combofix

Houssam, I did the sfc/scannow with no possitive results. Thank you again for your attention to the problem I am having. Rpggamergirl, I have no desktop. That is the entire issue.

Can you  lunch your antivirus and see if the explorer is in the quarantine list.