blank screen after XP Service Pack 3
I recently added Service Pack 3 to a Windows XP Professional pc. When the load was all done and I did a restart I came to an absolutely blank screen (not even a Taskbar)....after having entered my password. I found out in another answer here in EE that I should open the Windows Task Manager and do a File/New Task/Run explorer.exe. I tried that to no avail and, then noticed that there were two explorer.exe entries. I got rid of them both and, then, did another File/New Task/Run explorer.exe. This time everything came to the screen just fine. I tried several applications, looked at windows explorer, etc. and everything was ok. However, when I shut down and then started back up I came to the same blank screen. When I repeated the earlier process everything appeared ok. However, each time I reboot I have the same problem.
Try the system restore and restore to a point before the SP3 was installed and thn reinstall SP3 again.
I am working with SP3 and is fine... i have no problem till now...
Another solution would be to run the explorer.exe in the sheduled task.
Start> run> tasks
Add new sheduled task and select the explorer.exe program from c:/windows/explorer.exe
then shedule the task to run everytime the user logins... this is a temprorary solution though..
I am working with SP3 and is fine... i have no problem till now...
Another solution would be to run the explorer.exe in the sheduled task.
Start> run> tasks
Add new sheduled task and select the explorer.exe program from c:/windows/explorer.exe
then shedule the task to run everytime the user logins... this is a temprorary solution though..
Not such a temp solution is as below:-
Navigate to the registry once logged on and delete the following keys:-
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWAR
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWAR
Also check the following:-
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWAR
In the right pane, make sure there is a REG_SZ named Shell and it has a
value of "explorer.exe" (no quotation marks). If its not there, create it by
clicking Edit > New > String Value then right-click it and key in
explorer.exe then restart the computer.
Once these keys are deleted/altered the desktop and internet explorer should come back to life.
After you log back on again , all should be restored as it should rebuild itself.
NB MAKE SURE YOU TAKE A BACKUP OF THE REGISTRY BEFORE COMMENCING THIS WORK!!
Navigate to the registry once logged on and delete the following keys:-
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWAR
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWAR
Also check the following:-
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWAR
In the right pane, make sure there is a REG_SZ named Shell and it has a
value of "explorer.exe" (no quotation marks). If its not there, create it by
clicking Edit > New > String Value then right-click it and key in
explorer.exe then restart the computer.
Once these keys are deleted/altered the desktop and internet explorer should come back to life.
After you log back on again , all should be restored as it should rebuild itself.
NB MAKE SURE YOU TAKE A BACKUP OF THE REGISTRY BEFORE COMMENCING THIS WORK!!
Check out if these two values are present in your registry:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWA
"AutoRestartShell"=dword:0
"Shell"="Explorer.exe"
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWA
"AutoRestartShell"=dword:0
"Shell"="Explorer.exe"
ASKER
FYI. The problem pc is at a notforprofit where I do volunteer MS Access programming. Last night I removed sevice pack 3 and on the reboot....same problem.
I had installed service pack 3 after recovering this pc from an attack of viruses....70+ removed by Windows Malicious Software Tool and another 50+ by my virus checker. After doing that when I rebooted the screen didn't come up blank but I had two messages saying that dll's could not be found. I couldn't find them on the net so decided that going to service pack 3 would fix that problem. That's when the screen first came up blank. Now it's still blank after returning to service pack 2.
I had installed service pack 3 after recovering this pc from an attack of viruses....70+ removed by Windows Malicious Software Tool and another 50+ by my virus checker. After doing that when I rebooted the screen didn't come up blank but I had two messages saying that dll's could not be found. I couldn't find them on the net so decided that going to service pack 3 would fix that problem. That's when the screen first came up blank. Now it's still blank after returning to service pack 2.
Ok so to cut a long story short , whether or not you are on SP 2 or Sp3 explorer is not booting.
have you booted into save mode then and checked the above keys are present in the registry?
Sounds like the AV scan removed the system DLLs , probably related to Explorer.
Sounds like a format/rebuild to me , I would pop in the restore disc , and then format the drive (NOT reinstall windows) and then deleted all partitions .
Then install a fresh copy of XP and SP3 it up , that should dop the trcik , else if a rebuild is not availible , then check the settings above after booting into safe mode.
have you booted into save mode then and checked the above keys are present in the registry?
Sounds like the AV scan removed the system DLLs , probably related to Explorer.
Sounds like a format/rebuild to me , I would pop in the restore disc , and then format the drive (NOT reinstall windows) and then deleted all partitions .
Then install a fresh copy of XP and SP3 it up , that should dop the trcik , else if a rebuild is not availible , then check the settings above after booting into safe mode.
ASKER
I checked the startups early on via msconfig and both of the dll's were executed there: jxmvejgw and pncajih. I haven't a clue what they do. I'm trying to avoid having to reinstall apps, user info, etc.
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ASKER
RE: What happens if you remove them from start up?
I'll give it a try this evening.
I'll give it a try this evening.
ASKER
When I was at the pc tonight I couldn't believe my eyes. When I booted the regular screen appeared right away with all the proper icons, etc. However, the problem that caused me to go to Service Pack 3 in the first place had returned. I got two error messages saying that dll's jxmvejgw and pncajih were missing. I did a search in windows explorer just to be certain. I then went back into msconfig and unchecked both of these dll's from the Startups. The Startup screen said their location was HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Wi
Great !!! I am glad you had a result in the end , as the two DLLs you mentioned are not Windows Dlls.
This led me to belive there are left over from the virus/malware attack.
Glad you got it sorted though:0
Cheers
This led me to belive there are left over from the virus/malware attack.
Glad you got it sorted though:0
Cheers
ASKER
Thanks for your help. I'm going to keep this question open for a couple of days to see if the pc user has any more problems. I doubt very much if the evil dll twins will return, but.....
ASKER
The person who was using the pc refused to use it because I hadn't updated the desktop to match the one she had been working on. Today I went over and tried to get the problem pc ready for a different user. In the process I twice got a popup saying that the virus checker had discoverd viruses....it listed them and said I needed to reboot.
After the last reboot I needed to get rid of a piece of software and clicked Add or Remove Programs. When I did I got a message saying that rundll32.exe was not there. When I searched the web I found it that the probable cause was a trojan virus.
So....enough. I'm going to clean the hard drive and start all over.
After the last reboot I needed to get rid of a piece of software and clicked Add or Remove Programs. When I did I got a message saying that rundll32.exe was not there. When I searched the web I found it that the probable cause was a trojan virus.
So....enough. I'm going to clean the hard drive and start all over.
http://msinfluentials.com/blogs/jesper/archive/2008/05/08/does-your-amd-based-computer-boot-after-installing-xp-sp3.aspx
Can you get into safe mode? If so then try to remove SP3 or do a system restore to a point before SP3 was loaded. Sp3 is still causing issues and i personally do not recommend it.