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windows xp help PLEASE!

L

LaValva

Junior Member
ok, here's the deal... when i boot up, everything is perfectly normal, the login screen comes up, i log in, it starts to load programs, i hear the startup sound and bla bla bla. it loads my desktop background and that's it... nothing, no icons, no start menu, NOTHING. ctrl+alt+del works, and it seems like all the normally started programs are up and running. i can even run a program using the run command in the task manager.

the desktop doesn't respond to clicking the mouse or hitting the window key or anything. i have no idea what to do. if worst comes to worst i will format, but is there a way i can run my computer or explorer so i can allow my hard drive to be shared so i can back it up on this computer. thanks a lot, if you have any questions i'll check here often or you could msg me on AIM "mr lavalva" thanks again...

 
It may be possible to launch Explorer from the Task Manger by clicking "New Task..." and entering "Explorer" in the run dialog.
 
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LaValva,

Sometimes when XP does not boot up correctly may be due to hard drive errors. If it is possible open a DOS window. Then type CHKDSK /F then hit Enter. A message will come up asking if you want to unmount the drive. Select N for NO. Another message should come up asking if you want CHKDSK to run next time you boot up into XP. Type Y for Yes.

Restart or reboot your computer and it should boot up normally as long as no XP system files are corrupted. When XP is booting up you should see a message in a number of seconds it will check your hard drive for errors. Let it go through the count and check your hard drive.

If you have Norton's DiskDoctor 2002 it will do the same thing only you do not have to type anything. DD will put up a message and you should type Y for Yes so it will run CHKDSK next time you boot up.

 
well i used chkdsk and it went through and fixed problems, but still only the background shows. any other suggestions? thanks again
 
have you tried setting your background to none and seeing what happens?

to get to the display settings.

Get to task manager- new task - explorer- browse to "My Computer"- Control panel-display


can't hurt to check
 
nope that didn't work, changing the desktop doesn't help, nor chkdsk or anything else 🙁 i have backed everything up, but if there are any last suggestions, feel free, haha... thanks a lot for your help
 
Nobody mentioned this, so maybe you can give it a shot. Have you tried using the advanced boot options? Press F8 before the Windows XP start-up screen displays, and choose "Last Known Good Configuration". If that doesn't work, perhaps you can find the culprit in Safe Mode.

Do you know what hardware and software you installed when this started happening?
 
well i just did the repair installation from the xp cd... thanks for all your help guys, everything seems to be fine now.
 
FYI - just for a little tid bit, Last Known Good Configuration will only do any good if he couldn't boot into the desktop (i.e. he didn't get past the splash screen). Everytime Windows can successfully get to the desktop (even if it's FUBARed) it uses that as the Last Known Good Config.
 
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