Desktop icons, Start button, Task Bar all gone; Wallpaper remains

  • Thread starter Thread starter rlm7in
  • Start date Start date
R

rlm7in

This happened after an attempt to remove some adware and spyware along
with Google toolbar, Google desktop search, and Google updater (I
asked for NONE of the Google products, nor did I install them, at
least not knowingly).

I ran Adaware and Spybot and removed the few non-google entries they
caught. In order to remove Google related items, I had to go to Safe
Mode and do a search for all things Google. After I deleted all files
marked "google" (there were a surprising amount) I still had my normal
deskstop, then upon booting up the next day, I had no desktop icons,
start button, or task bar.

I discovered the following:

The task bar is not merely hidden or squashed at the bottom of the
page.

Right clicking the desktop has no effect.

Running System Restore gave me a message saying that it can't restore
to the point I chose. I tried this twice.

ctrl + alt + del allows me to browse files via the Task Manager. It
appears that all picture or music files are intact. System folders
appear to be intact. I have yet locate the Recycle Bin.

So far, the only files to be displayed on screen are pictures via the
Windows Picture and Fax Viewer.

Norton can be seen through browse option on the Task Manager, but it
will not display on screen so I can't tell if it's running when I call
it up.

Sending new shortcuts to the desktop doesn't work.

Running explorer.exe has no effect; this option was suggested as a
means of restoring the icons. However,"explorer.exe" keeps appearing
by default in the Task Manager "new task" command line.

Files can be copied to my E drive to be burned to CD, and the CD
Wizard appears on screen, but E drive can't recognize the presence of
a disc so I can't burn files to it.

Files apparently can't be deleted. Attempts to delete yield an error
message saying that there is trouble sending the command.

Booting in Safe mode doesn't change anything.

Booting as administrator doesn't change or restore things, either.

Can anyone advise me?
I would prefer not to re-format at the cost of losing my files.
 
It happens that (e-mail address removed) formulated :
This happened after an attempt to remove some adware and spyware along
with Google toolbar, Google desktop search, and Google updater (I
asked for NONE of the Google products, nor did I install them, at
least not knowingly).

I ran Adaware and Spybot and removed the few non-google entries they
caught. In order to remove Google related items, I had to go to Safe
Mode and do a search for all things Google. After I deleted all files
marked "google" (there were a surprising amount) I still had my normal
deskstop, then upon booting up the next day, I had no desktop icons,
start button, or task bar.

I discovered the following:

The task bar is not merely hidden or squashed at the bottom of the
page.

Right clicking the desktop has no effect.

Running System Restore gave me a message saying that it can't restore
to the point I chose. I tried this twice.

ctrl + alt + del allows me to browse files via the Task Manager. It
appears that all picture or music files are intact. System folders
appear to be intact. I have yet locate the Recycle Bin.

So far, the only files to be displayed on screen are pictures via the
Windows Picture and Fax Viewer.

Norton can be seen through browse option on the Task Manager, but it
will not display on screen so I can't tell if it's running when I call
it up.

Sending new shortcuts to the desktop doesn't work.

Running explorer.exe has no effect; this option was suggested as a
means of restoring the icons. However,"explorer.exe" keeps appearing
by default in the Task Manager "new task" command line.

Files can be copied to my E drive to be burned to CD, and the CD
Wizard appears on screen, but E drive can't recognize the presence of
a disc so I can't burn files to it.

Files apparently can't be deleted. Attempts to delete yield an error
message saying that there is trouble sending the command.

Booting in Safe mode doesn't change anything.

Booting as administrator doesn't change or restore things, either.

Can anyone advise me?
I would prefer not to re-format at the cost of losing my files.
Click to expand...

two things I would try



sfc /scannow



and


chkdsk/f
 
It happens that (e-mail address removed) formulated :



















two things I would try

sfc /scannow

and

chkdsk/f
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip. Typing "sfc/cannow" in the Task Manager "new
task" line has no effect. Is there perhaps a longer path I should be
typing? Also, is the space between "sfc" and "/scannow" deliberate?
As in, "sfc /scannow". Thanks.
 
What did you want to scan?
Try "Safe Mode", or "Safe Mode with Networking" (if you want the Internet)

To get into Safe mode, tap F8 right at Power On / Startup, and use UP arrow
key to get to Safe Mode from list of options, then hit ENTER.
 
katkat05 said:
how can a scan when you can't bring up "run" because the start button
and everything down there is gone..........this just happened to me.
Darn what do I do?


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katkat05
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Click to expand...

Has your whole Task Bar gone? - Start Button, Quick Launch toolbar, system
tray (inc perhaps clock) etc? It could be that you've accidentally dragged
it downwards by its top edge and made it zero height. If that might have
happened, try dragging it back up from the bottom of your desktop to normal
size.

Or - either Ctrl+Esc or the Windows key (left of the spacebar, with a wavy
flag on it) will bring up the Start Menu as if you'd just clicked on the
Start button, which will let you get to "Run". If that's all you want, try
Windows key + R.

This doesn't address your lack of desktop icons, though. Try this:
right-click on your desktop, hover over "Arrange Icons By" and put a tick
next to "Show Desktop Icons" if there isn't one.
 
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