gateway desktop doesnt boot up to regular desktop

[shashgo]

When I power it up, it comes on and looks like its loading the desktop screen with all the icons.  But it stops just short of that, it shows me the screen with a windows XP wallpaper but there are no icons, no start button, nothing, just the wallpaper.

I tried to going to safe mode with f8, but it doesnt work.  The computer just proceeds as if nothing was pressed.  The option for f11 also doesnt  do anything, the computer hust proceeds to the wallpaper screen.

Next thing I was going to do, is to backup all the data and reload the OS from scratch, but because that would involve losing all  the application setup files,  I was wondering if you guys had any moroe options I could try.

Its a gateway desktop model 5310

[Allan]

Okay - you get paid for this and we don't. How is it you don't know about a repair install?

[shashgo]

jeez touchy touchy, I thought you guys were being helpful because you wanted to be helpful. 

I do know about a repair install, but I was wondering if I could get any other hints from you guys about whether there is anything else I can do.

I hope you guys arent sore because I work a computer tech, I had in fact mentioned this a long time ago as well in one of my other posts and the person who replied (he is still a contributor on computerhope) didnt feel like I was using you guys.