Expert: Brian Benosky - 4/30/2010

Question
QUESTION: When I turn my computer on, it hums like it is on, the screen turns on, but none of my icons or taskbar come up.  The cursor can move all over, I just don't have any icons.  Do you know what the problem might be?  Thanks so much!
Shelley

ANSWER: Hi Shelley

Need a bit more information to determine the problem.  Does the Windows loading screen come up?  Which version of Windows is this?  Can you boot into Safe Mode?  Instructions can be found here:
http://www.computerhope.com/issues/chsafe.htm


Brian

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: The windows loading screen does come up.  It is Windows XP Home Edition.  When I go into the Safe Mode, it does reboot, but I still don't get the icons or the taskbar, just the background picture. A popup box did come up yesterday that was from "Tune Up Maintance" and my daughter clicked on and was able to get onto the internet.

ANSWER: Hi Shelley

It sounds like something is preventing explorer.exe from loading at start.  Try the following once you get to your desktop:

Press CTRL-ALT-DEL to load the Task Manager
Click File->New Task(Run...)
Type explorer.exe and hit enter.

If that loads the icons, then we know that Windows explorer,exe file has become corrupted, and we will need to replace it in the registry.  But first, let me know if the above method works.

Brian




---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I did as you directed.  I did not get the icons or task bar back.  I got a box that stated "Windows cannot find 'explorer.exe.' Make sure you spelled the name correctly....."

Answer
Hi Shelley

I'm sorry for not getting back to you, as I was away for the weekend.  As I suspected, a registry entry has become corrupted, most likely due to a virus infection and it's removal by your Anti-virus program.  Let's try the following to get the desktop back:

Log on, then press CTRL-SHIFT-ESC

Click File>New task, then type regedit and hit Enter

Navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\

In the drop-down list, look for explorer.exe.  Right click on it and select Export. Then in the box on the right hand side, select and delete the key: Debugger.

Now close out and reboot, then let me know if explorer.exe is working.

Brian