No icons, no task bar, HELP!!!

[jeepdrvr101]

Hi guys, new here, and need your help. When I restart my icons and task bar appear for a few secs, then disappear, then back, and gone again. It keeps doing this for sometimes 15 minutes, then they are gone completely. It even does this in safe mode, I am thinking it may be a software conflict, but have no idea how to correct this, i did reinstall windows, but it did no good, could I erase my hard drive to correct this problem, should I? I have hp pavilion dv8000 with turion64, it also seems to be running in 32 bit config, not that I know very much about these things, but the letters are smaller than normal, I have ran registry clean, and search and destroy, and they all come back saying I have no problems, any suggestions before I use this thing for target practice, lol I can only use the computer from the task manager. Thanks,
Mike

[Deerpark]

When did this problem start? Have you added or removed any software or hardware?
What version of windows are you using?
How did you reinstall Windows? (Recovery disc/partition, Clean install or repair install)

[jeepdrvr101]

When did this problem start? Have you added or removed any software or hardware?
What version of windows are you using?
How did you reinstall Windows? (Recovery disc/partition, Clean install or repair install)

It happened about 4 days ago, and I did add myspace instant messenger recently, but deleted it when this happened, I am using windows xp media center 2005, i do not remember which kind of install I did, I do not remember it asking me. It must have been a repair install, because I still have other programs that I have added since I bought this, right?
Mike
Mike

[Deerpark]

Yeah, with a clean install all software would be wiped.
This could be an indicator of a virus or other malware. If you want to check whether it's clean I suggest you head over to our Computer Viruses and Spyware board and read this.

Alternately you can do a clean install of XP, this should also take care of any active viruses. Here's a guide on wiping the partition with Windows on it and installing a fresh copy. You should of course back up any files you need on that partition before proceeding with this.
You should still do a scan with up to date anti-virus after the reinstall, just to make sure you don't have any infected files on another drive.

[jeepdrvr101]

Yeah, with a clean install all software would be wiped.
This could be an indicator of a virus or other malware. If you want to check whether it's clean I suggest you head over to our Computer Viruses and Spyware board and read this.

Alternately you can do a clean install of XP, this should also take care of any active viruses. Here's a guide on wiping the partition with Windows on it and installing a fresh copy. You should of course back up any files you need on that partition before proceeding with this.
You should still do a scan with up to date anti-virus after the reinstall, just to make sure you don't have any infected files on another drive.

By chance will I lose the software loaded from the factory? Ie: aol, and the others that were on it when I bought it?

[Deerpark]

If it came with Windows and other software preloaded you should have received a recovery disc (or recovery partition on the computer) that is able to reset the computer to the factory condition.
If you on the other hand use a standard Microsoft XP installation disc then only Windows will be installed, nothing else.

[haycg]

Here is a website for you to check on.

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/taskbarplus!.htm

[Broni]

You repaired Windows, or reinstalled over the top?