In kes had this to say:
My reply is at the bottom of your sent message:
I recently had to use system restore. However I then tried to go
back to my restoration point by clicking this option. I now only
have a wallpaper screen . I can access all files and programmes
through task manager. How do I get past the blank screen
Missing Icons and Taskbar:
http://kgiii.info/windows/XP/general/missing_desktop-icons_taskbar.html
Don't ask me why BUT sometimes booting into safe mode (without networking)
and then shutting down properly or shutting down properly from the task
manager actually does the trick. Again, don't ask why... I haven't the
slightest idea but, well, I've seen it work COUNTLESS times.
--
Galen - MS MVP - Windows (Shell/User & IE)
http://dts-l.org/
http://kgiii.info/
"At present I am, as you know, fairly busy, but I propose to devote my
declining years to the composition of a textbook which shall focus the
whole art of detection into one volume." - Sherlock Holmes