Startup button and Desktop disappeared after installing MS update

[vdz]

Hi All,

I have been googling and trying everything I can, but I cannot get them back.
Today after installing update, that is it. Startup and desktop have gone.
All I can do is that CTR+ALT+DEL to open Task manager.
I cannot see either explorer.exe or iexplorer.exe.
I have noticed that a lot of services that even are set to Automatic cannot
start, I cannot restart manually either.

I have tried safe mode with different user account, it does the same thing.

Wins XP SP3.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Vdz

 

[Pegasus [MVP]]

"vdz" <vdz@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:7B1786FE-FE94-49D6-ABB6-BBAFC775FB5A@microsoft.com...
> Hi All,
>
> I have been googling and trying everything I can, but I cannot get them
> back.
> Today after installing update, that is it. Startup and desktop have gone.
> All I can do is that CTR+ALT+DEL to open Task manager.
> I cannot see either explorer.exe or iexplorer.exe.
> I have noticed that a lot of services that even are set to Automatic
> cannot
> start, I cannot restart manually either.
>
> I have tried safe mode with different user account, it does the same
> thing.
>
> Wins XP SP3.
>
> Any help would be much appreciated.
>
> Vdz

I would start the machine in Safe Mode, then launch the Task Manager with
Ctrl+Shift+Del. From there you can launch explorer.exe as a new task, and/or
rstrui.exe to launch System Restore so that you can go back a day or two. I
am not currently on a WinXP machine and do not know if rstrui.exe is in the
%path% on WinXP. If it is not then you should be able to invoke it through
the Start / Run facility or through the Control Panel (control.exe).

 

[Jose]

On Mar 11, 60 am, vdz <v...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
> Hi All,
>
> I have been googling and trying everything I can, but I cannot get them back.
> Today after installing update, that is it. Startup and desktop have gone.
> All I can do is that CTR+ALT+DEL to open Task manager.
> I cannot see either explorer.exe or iexplorer.exe.
> I have noticed that a lot of services that even are set to Automatic cannot
> start, I cannot restart manually either.
>
> I have tried safe mode with different user account, it does the same thing.
>
> Wins XP SP3.
>
> Any help would be much appreciated.
>
> Vdz

If you do not see explorer.exe in Task Manager, you need to get that
working first, then fix any remaining issues.

Do you only see your background image?

From your background image, press CTRL-ALT-DEL and open Task Manager.

Look at the Processes tab and if the explorer.exe process is not
running, launch it.

Click File, New Task and in the box enter:

%windir%\explorer.exe

Click OK and see if you get your desktop back.

If explorer.exe is already running, it is likely the object of the
affliction and may need to be replaced (which is not hard).

It explorer.exe is running, End the Process anyway and launch a new
one as indicated above.

When you get your desktop back, if you can get on the Internet, do
this:

Download, install, update and do a full scan with these free malware
detection programs:

Malwarebytes (MBAM): http://malwarebytes.org/
SUPERAntiSpyware: (SAS): http://www.superantispyware.com/

They can be uninstalled later if desired.

Report back for what to do next.

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

What update did you install?

vdz wrote:
> Hi All,
>
> I have been googling and trying everything I can, but I cannot get them
> back. Today after installing update, that is it. Startup and desktop have
> gone. All I can do is that CTR+ALT+DEL to open Task manager.
> I cannot see either explorer.exe or iexplorer.exe.
> I have noticed that a lot of services that even are set to Automatic
> cannot
> start, I cannot restart manually either.
>
> I have tried safe mode with different user account, it does the same
> thing.
>
> Wins XP SP3.
>
> Any help would be much appreciated.
>
> Vdz