Vista Desktop Icons stop working.

  • Thread starter Thread starter bri
  • Start date Start date
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bri

Hi, I have Windows Vista Basic and for a few weeks now I've been having
problems with my desktop. After my laptop goes into hibernation, when I
resume windows, the desktop icons no longer work. I can't double-click to
open anything or right-click the desktop itself. The Taskbar and Start Menu
work fine. If I want to open anything that is on my desktop, I have to go
through my username and navigate to the desktop in a windows browser. The
only way to get my desktop icons to work again is to restart the computer,
which gets pretty frustrating. I hope this question explains my problem and
it is easy to understand. I have checked every troubleshooting and windows
help so now I'm desparate. Thank you for any help you can provide...
 
Go to Start > All Programs > Accessories and right-click
on the Command Prompt and choose "Run as administrator".
Type in: SFC /SCANNOW and press your Enter key.

This will fix corrupt operating system files.
 
Hi,

Check for an updated video driver for your system from the display adapter
manufacturer. The windows shell is not reinitializing properly, and it may
be the fault of the display adapter, or possibly interference from other
active software.

To be sure this is the issue, next time it happens, open task manager (hit
ctrl+shift+escape) and kill explorer.exe on the processes tab. Then on the
applications tab click 'new task', type explorer.exe and click 'ok' to
restart it without having to restart the entire system.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com
 
Okay, thanks so much for the help.
My desktop does start working again after I end and restart explorer.exe.
I also made sure my video adapter was up to date and I did the scannow
command.
I put my laptop into hibernation and turned it back on and the desktop icons
work.
Hopefully it will continue to work :) Thanks again.
 
The desktop icons worked for a few days, but today they stopped again. So I
restarted the explore.exe again. This works but I would still like to fix it
permanently.
I don't know what else to do, I made sure the video adapter was up-to-date
and I did the scannow command =(
 
Kuya-D said:
I too am having this same problem. My desktop icons don't respond, but
items on the quick launch bar and task bar work fine, and the sidebar
works as well...

This just started happening within the past week or so...

I ran the sfc/scannow fix suggested by another member, but this is just
a (for want of a better expression...) a band-aid fix, and is not a cure
for this problem, because it happens again...

I ran spyware/anti-vrus scans and they come back clean...

I even re-did the hard drive and reinstalled everything I had running
on here before this started happening - to no avail. It happened
again...

I've checked all settings and everything is where it should be...

Something is causing this ... the question then is ... what and why???

I've had this Acer laptop for almost 2 years and never had any problem
with it of any kind, until now...

I'm about ready to take this laptop outside behind my house and
introduce it to Mr. Mosberg my 12 gauge friend!
Click to expand...

What do you mean by you "re-did the hard drive"?
 
Kuya-D said:
I completely erased the hard drive and did a complete new Windows Vista
installation. And thus far all is working (meaning desktop icons) as it
should be...

What was puzzling to me is that this just started happening (+/-) 2
weeks ago. I've had my Acer laptop for about 2 years, and never
experienced any problem/issues with it prior...

I checked all settings and they were then and are now as they should
be...

I'm certain this problem will happen again, it's just a matter of
when...

There is something causing this, and while some of the siggested fixes
work they only seem to work temporaily...

Kuya-D
Click to expand...

After 2 years of installing/uninstalling/moving files and everything else
people do with their computers, your OS is bound to get screwed up. I do a
lot of video editing, which entails large files being captured, encoded then
deleted. I'm usually reformatting, at most, once a year. This is why
everyone here tries to hammer "current back-ups" in everyone's head. Invest
in Acronis and create an image of your drive as soon as you install your OS.

Another thing.....
When you post include the post you're replying to.
 
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