Desktop not loading

[anton2510]

Hi can anyone help me? i have suddenly had a problem with my PC loading the desktop on start up, there is no errors showing,POST test goes ahead ok and windows loads. but when i log on my desktop wallpaper appears but no desktop icons or taskbar/start menu. if i use ctrl/alt/delete i get task manager and when type in explorer.exe in new task then my desktop loads ok. I haven't installed any new programs/software to create this problem. My desktop loaded fine on the tuesday then failed next time i used PC on the thursday??? I have ran virus scanners in case it got infected but they show nothing.

[camerongray]

If you are using XP you can check if explorer.exe is set as the shell in the registry.

This requires you to change the registry which is a core component of Windows so if you are not confident ask someone to do it for you. 

Go to start -> Run and type Regedit

Then using the navigation on the left hand side navigate to:

Code: [Select]

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\ Windows NT\ CurrentVersion\ Winlogon
You should now see an entry saying "Shell" and beside that it should say "explorer.exe"

If shell does not say explorer.exe double click shell and enter explorer.exe in the text box.

I have also uploaded a file that will do this for you, Download it, extract the zip and double click "explorer.reg" to add it to the registry (Restart computer to make it take effect)

File attached below

[attachment deleted by admin]

[anton2510]

Checked my registry and the shell is set to explorer.exe. so unfortunately this doesn't seem to be the problem. Any more suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Broni]

Go back to regedit, and see, if you have following keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\explorer.exe
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\iexplore.exe

If you do, just let me know.

[anton2510]

Just checked regedit and i don't have any of the two keys listed. I have just run another malwarebytes scan and it did show a few infected registry files in the local user, but i'm not sure if these are causing the problem.

[Broni]

Very possible.

Read here: http://www.computerhope.com/forum/index.php/topic,46313.0.html
Start new topic here: http://www.computerhope.com/forum/index.php/board,7.0.html
Do NOT post any logs in THIS thread.

[anton2510]

Thanks everyone for their help. Turns out i did have a virus  that had got in to my registry, ran malwarebytes anti virus and it detected and deleted it, so everythings running fine now. Once again thanks for your response folks.