XP hangs at desktop

  • Thread starter Thread starter DPM
  • Start date Start date
D

DPM

I've got a Dell laptop that, as a result of some error, now hangs just
before displaying the desktop. Goes through login, displays the wallpaper,
then that's it - it never displays icons or the taskbar.

I've run CHKDSK from a WinPE CD and the disk is fine.

Is the next step to hit F8 at boot and roll back to the Last Known Good? Is
there a way to invoke the System Restore from a CD?

Thanks,
Dean
 
I've got a Dell laptop that, as a result of some error, now hangs just
before displaying the desktop.  Goes through login, displays the wallpaper,
then that's it - it never displays icons or the taskbar.

I've run CHKDSK from a WinPE CD and the disk is fine.

Is the next step to hit F8 at boot and roll back to the Last Known Good?  Is
there a way to invoke the System Restore from a CD?

Thanks,
Dean
Click to expand...

Have you installed any new hardware or software recently? If hardware,
check Device Manager for a conflict or search for an updated driver.
If software, uninstall the program and try again.
 
what you might try to do while
on the blank desktop is to reload
the registry.

try pressing alt ctrl del

then go to processes and
kill explorer.exe

then go task tab and
create a new task called
explorer.exe



--
db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
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~ "share the nirvana" - dbZen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
Interestingly, task manager does not show explorer.exe.

If I start it as a new task the desktop automagically comes back.

Now, the question is, what registry entry got mangled so that explorer is no
longer the default shell?

Thanks,
Dean
 
Try:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows
NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Shell

John
 
not sure, as I have never
studied the issue.

to me the cause of the issue
was basically due to either a
heavily fragmented hive or
simply low on resources while
the desktop is loading, perhaps
both.

perhaps you might give a freeware
a try and see if the issue resolves
its self.

it is called pagedefrag and can
be downloaded from microsoft.

simply have it run at boot time
and it will defrag the hive before
loading the desktop.

if the utility proves useful then
we can probably conclude the
cause of your issue.



--
db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
- Database Developer
- Accountancy
- Veteran of the Armed Forces
- @Hotmail.com
- nntp Postologist
~ "share the nirvana" - dbZen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
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