Problems after Windows Update

[Ian Barnes]

Hi,

I have just done a full windows update to a fresh install
of win2k. I have installed Office 2k aswell.

So, to start off my issues I have blaster when I put in
my second drive. So after managing to manually download
the patch and apply it, I can work on the internet. I
then install SP4 thinking it will cut out of the 40 new
critical updates waiting for me. It did. It took it to
30. Me being a fairly strict person with patches etc, I
goto the windowsupdate web site, and choose the downloads
I want to install. All the critical updates ones, alot of
the recomended ones, and the two driver updates. The one
being a realtek lan driver, and the other nvidia graphics
driver. Cool great, they download and install fine. No
errors, everything appears to have installed fine. Or has
it?

The time comes to reboot and I do so only to find that to
my horror, windows only ever shows the blue background of
the desktop. No taskbar, no icons on the desktop, no
right click, no left click!!!?! So, i think, hmm, it
might be the grafix drivers, but then I think about the
problem, and that doesnt seem like the problem because of
the following reasons:

1.) When windows starts, I see the screens preceding the
login window (Preparing network connections etc.)
2.) It auto logs me in, that works fine. (The login
window is more than 16 colors, so that works fine).
3.) The taskbar loads, and then poof, it dissapears, gone!

The icons on the desktop never load. Nothing else
happens. I think to myself, okay, let me try and run
explorer.exe manually so that i could maybe try and
uninstall some of the critical updates I just installed.
Nope, sorry for me, I cant run explorer.exe, nor can I
run taskman.exe!! I think "hmm, maybe I could boot up
into safe mode and work from there". IT DOES EXACTLY THE
SAME THING! IT STARTS UP SAFE MODE FINE, BUT THEN JUST AS
THE TASK BAR LOADS, IT DISSAPEARS AGAIN!!!! I MEAN WTF!!!

So now, I have the lovely task of formatting again (3rd
time) and reinstalling all my applications (about 30+)
again! Thats not to mention all the games that I will
have to reinstall (also about 10-20).

Now I appeal to any of you that could give me an idea of
how to fix this without formatting or reinstalling. I
would forever be indebted to you.

Thanks alot,
Ian

 

[Guest]

Just another thing. I can access the machine via the
network. I can browse its hdd etc. So it is loading
windows and the network properly.

??

Thx
Ian

 

[DL]

Firstly using winupdate for hardware drivers is not recommended, the nvidia
drivers in particular have resulted in many problems/posts.
The drivers are likely to be generic and not necessarily specific to yr
hardware manu.
Personally I tend to install updates individually, and test the sys prior to
continuing with the update
I'm not sure if a repair installation of win2k would help

 

[Ian Barnes]

Hey,

Thanks, but the Repair didnt help at all. It still gets
into windows, logs in, briefly displays the taskbar and
then its gone. It just sits there.

Thanks
Ian

 

[DL]

An in place upgrade 'might' work
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=292175

 

[Guest]

Yo,

Im not even going to bother with that. Im just going to
format and reinstall again.

Thx
Ian

 

[DL]

Remember NO winupdate drivers, try and install Firewall, AV, PRIOR to
connecting to internet!

 

[mainframe]

hey there. you mentioned that you tried using safe mode.
have you tried regaining your desktop by using the last
known configuration?

just a hunch. other than that you might try doing
a "repair" of your OS by booting from the install CD,
selecting "R", crossing your fingers and hope it works! ;-)

actually the "repair" should be read as "replace" which is
what it does.

hth.