Desktop Icons gone

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jack K
  • Start date Start date
J

Jack K

My son was on his 'puter this afternoon in Internet Explorer. He runs
Windows XP.
Suddenly, pop ups kept continually coming up. They wouldn't go away when
he'd hit the 'X' and he couldn't close Explorer.
He finally had to shut down the 'puter.
When he turned it back on, all he got was the desktop. No icons. Makes no
difference which user he chooses.
I'm at a loss.
Any suggestions.
PS. I've told him that he MUST get a firewall installed. He currently does
not have one.
Thanks for any and all assistance.

Jack
 
My son was on his 'puter this afternoon in Internet Explorer. He runs
Windows XP.
Suddenly, pop ups kept continually coming up. They wouldn't go away when
he'd hit the 'X' and he couldn't close Explorer.
He finally had to shut down the 'puter.
When he turned it back on, all he got was the desktop. No icons. Makes no
difference which user he chooses.
I'm at a loss.
Any suggestions.
PS. I've told him that he MUST get a firewall installed. He currently does
not have one.
Thanks for any and all assistance.

Jack
Click to expand...


Just the desktop icons are gone? Try right clicking the desktop. Select
Arrange Icons By and then place a check next to Show Desktop Icons.
 
Hi Jack,

Suggestion:

Hit Ctrl/Alt/Delete and then end process on explorer.exe. Leave the Task
Manager open, then go to File/New Task and type in exporer.exe.

Either one of these scripts does that and more:

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

Restore Taskbar and Desktop to Default Functionality (Line 164)
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

To use the VBS Files: Download .vbs file and save it to your hard drive (you
may want to right click and use Save Target As). Double click the vbs
file. You will be prompted when the script is done.

/top10faqs.htm
 
He does have a firewall.. enable it by going to 'Network Connections'..
click on the connection icon in use by the computer.. click on the
'advanced' tab.. check the Firewall box..
 
Thank you Kelly and Mike.
He's going to bring his 'puter here later today or tomorrow and we're going
to work on it together using what the two of you have written.
I talked with him this afternoon, and he told me that earlier today, he
clicked on his son's icon on the welcome screen and his desktop came up,
icons and all. So, he went online from his son's desktop. When he signed
off the internet, he lost all the icons on his son's desktop.
Does that sound like he has a virus?
He does not have a virus program on his 'puter.
I guess my question is, what good will restoring his desktop and taskbar be
if there's a virus there that will wipe them out again next time he goes on
the internet?
Should we pick up an anti virus program and start his puter using that to
check on viruses first?
Sorry if my stupidity is showing here. :)
Thanks for all the help. It's greatly appreciated.

Jack
 
Thanks, Kelly for your response.
Ending explorer.exe and typing it in new task does bring back the taskbar
and the desktop items.
I've also run the scripts from lines 117 and 164 from your site. When I re
start his 'puter the icons and taskbar are again gone.
Luck of the old, I guess. :)
Something I'm doing wrong?
I've installed Norton Antivirus and activated the firewall.
Sorry to be such a pain. There must be some small thing I'm doing/not doing
to prevent your fixes from working.
Any further help that you, or anyone can give is greatly appreciated.

Jack K
(e-mail address removed)
 
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