Desktop Crashing

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

On Mon, 13 Jun 2005 11:06:24 GMT, Rainy wrote:

> Hi.. I found out through a response to a previous post that the reason my
> icons were not showing on the right side of the taskbar, but indeed were
> loaded and running in the background. I asked what I could do to correct
> this... so I am reposting the question...Can I fix this?
>
> Here is part of the original thread...
>
> I went online to find a solution and ended up at annoyances.org.. and this
> is what I found..
>
> How do get the taskbar and desktop back if Explorer crashes?
>
>
> Intended For
> Windows XP
> Windows 2000
>
> From time to time, Explorer (the application responsible for the taskbar,
> desktop, and Start Menu) will crash, and the taskbar and all your desktop
> icons will disappear. Now, there's a built-in safeguard for this that
> relaunches Explorer automatically if such a crash is detected, but it
> doesn't
> always work as it's designed. For example, if you have a separate Windows
> Explorer window open and the Launch folder windows in a separate process
> option (in Control Panel -> Folder Options -> View tab) is enabled, and the
> taskbar disappears, Windows will mistakenly open another Windows Explorer
> window instead of reinstating your taskbar and desktop. Here's how to get
> your taskbar and desktop back:
>
> a.. Close all visible Windows Explorer windows. Other running applications
> can be left alone.
> b.. Press Ctrl-Alt-Del, and then click Task Manager.
> c.. In the Windows Task Manager application that appears, select New Task
> (Run) from the File menu.
> d.. Type Explorer and click Ok.
> Note: so far, a cause for the frequent crashing of Explorer in Windows 2000
> and Windows XP hasn't been found, but when it has been discovered, a
> solution will be posted here at Annoyances.org.
>
> I tried this and I just got a new window.. it did not work as they said it
> would!   thanks Rainy

No. Sorry. You really can't fix this on your own. Each program is
responsible for loading its icon and for providing a mechanism to reload
the icon if Explorer should crash. If that mechanism is not present or if
it fails, the icon won't appear.

I can't vouch for the directions from annoyances.org. To restart Explorer,
I would close all open windows (including running programs). Then open a
command prompt window (Start> Run: type cmd and click OK). Leave that
window and task manager up. Then using Task Manager, end the Explorer
process. The desktop will disappear. Then use Task Manager's File> Run to
start explorer.exe again. The desktop will return.

Logging off and then logging back on will accomplish the same thing in
regards to the taskbar/notification icons. Since some items will remain in
memory, the missed items get a second chance at loading correctly.

Another thing to try is to test starting Windows with different programs
allowed to run at startup. Reason: If one tray icon is taking its sweet
time to load, another icon may have to wait its turn. The waiting icon may
consider the delay a failure to load. Its reload mechanism may trigger and
fail. End result - no icon for that program. By disabling different startup
items, you may be able to pinpoint the program that is ruining it for the
others. The goal is to find a combination of startup programs that allows
the most icons to load without a problem.

--
Sharon F
MS-MVP ~ Windows Shell/User

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

Thanks Sharon you always give a great response.. I did log off and back on..
and it loaded correctly.. but will look at the rest of your response and try
to figure out which one is the culprit.. thanks again.. Rainy   ps. I have
a feeling it's window blinds... but don't see it in the startup list.


"Sharon F" <sharonfDEL@ETEmvps.org> wrote in message
news:e8Eb2IBcFHA.584@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
> On Mon, 13 Jun 2005 11:06:24 GMT, Rainy wrote:
>
>> Hi.. I found out through a response to a previous post that the reason my
>> icons were not showing on the right side of the taskbar, but indeed were
>> loaded and running in the background. I asked what I could do to correct
>> this... so I am reposting the question...Can I fix this?
>>
>> Here is part of the original thread...
>>
>> I went online to find a solution and ended up at annoyances.org.. and
>> this
>> is what I found..
>>
>> How do get the taskbar and desktop back if Explorer crashes?
>>
>>
>> Intended For
>> Windows XP
>> Windows 2000
>>
>> From time to time, Explorer (the application responsible for the taskbar,
>> desktop, and Start Menu) will crash, and the taskbar and all your desktop
>> icons will disappear. Now, there's a built-in safeguard for this that
>> relaunches Explorer automatically if such a crash is detected, but it
>> doesn't
>> always work as it's designed. For example, if you have a separate Windows
>> Explorer window open and the Launch folder windows in a separate process
>> option (in Control Panel -> Folder Options -> View tab) is enabled, and
>> the
>> taskbar disappears, Windows will mistakenly open another Windows Explorer
>> window instead of reinstating your taskbar and desktop. Here's how to get
>> your taskbar and desktop back:
>>
>> a.. Close all visible Windows Explorer windows. Other running
>> applications
>> can be left alone.
>> b.. Press Ctrl-Alt-Del, and then click Task Manager.
>> c.. In the Windows Task Manager application that appears, select New
>> Task
>> (Run) from the File menu.
>> d.. Type Explorer and click Ok.
>> Note: so far, a cause for the frequent crashing of Explorer in Windows
>> 2000
>> and Windows XP hasn't been found, but when it has been discovered, a
>> solution will be posted here at Annoyances.org.
>>
>> I tried this and I just got a new window.. it did not work as they said
>> it
>> would!   thanks Rainy
>
> No. Sorry. You really can't fix this on your own. Each program is
> responsible for loading its icon and for providing a mechanism to reload
> the icon if Explorer should crash. If that mechanism is not present or if
> it fails, the icon won't appear.
>
> I can't vouch for the directions from annoyances.org. To restart Explorer,
> I would close all open windows (including running programs). Then open a
> command prompt window (Start> Run: type cmd and click OK). Leave that
> window and task manager up. Then using Task Manager, end the Explorer
> process. The desktop will disappear. Then use Task Manager's File> Run to
> start explorer.exe again. The desktop will return.
>
> Logging off and then logging back on will accomplish the same thing in
> regards to the taskbar/notification icons. Since some items will remain in
> memory, the missed items get a second chance at loading correctly.
>
> Another thing to try is to test starting Windows with different programs
> allowed to run at startup. Reason: If one tray icon is taking its sweet
> time to load, another icon may have to wait its turn. The waiting icon may
> consider the delay a failure to load. Its reload mechanism may trigger and
> fail. End result - no icon for that program. By disabling different
> startup
> items, you may be able to pinpoint the program that is ruining it for the
> others. The goal is to find a combination of startup programs that allows
> the most icons to load without a problem.
>
> --
> Sharon F
> MS-MVP ~ Windows Shell/User

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

On Mon, 13 Jun 2005 13:00:13 GMT, Rainy wrote:

> Thanks Sharon you always give a great response.. I did log off and back on..
> and it loaded correctly.. but will look at the rest of your response and try
> to figure out which one is the culprit.. thanks again.. Rainy   ps. I have
> a feeling it's window blinds... but don't see it in the startup list.
>
>
You're most welcome, Rainy. It's possible that it's window blinds but I use
that program and am not having trouble with my notification icons. However
I'm probably running a different mix of software at startup (only 8 icons
load at startup and 2 are for networking). The particular mix being used
could very well explain the difference.

If you do suspect window blinds, check that you're running the most current
version available. A few versions back it was loading the taskbar too early
but that has been fixed in the recent versions.

--
Sharon F
MS-MVP ~ Windows Shell/User

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

I have 9 load, but didn't ask for 2 of them, window blinds 4.5 (free
version) actually all I use are the free versions, gadwins printscreen,
incredimail, yahoo messenger 5.6 (I had the latest but it wouldn't let me
skin it   so I search for a older version, zone alarm, AVG, and remove
hardware safely something from my HP printer, .. although I have not
configured that to load with windows.. The reason I suspect window blinds,
is because it's the latest one.. Rainy

"Sharon F" <sharonfDEL@ETEmvps.org> wrote in message
news:%23xAQN7DcFHA.3844@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> On Mon, 13 Jun 2005 13:00:13 GMT, Rainy wrote:
>
>> Thanks Sharon you always give a great response.. I did log off and back
>> on..
>> and it loaded correctly.. but will look at the rest of your response and
>> try
>> to figure out which one is the culprit.. thanks again.. Rainy   ps. I
>> have
>> a feeling it's window blinds... but don't see it in the startup list.
>>
>>
> You're most welcome, Rainy. It's possible that it's window blinds but I
> use
> that program and am not having trouble with my notification icons. However
> I'm probably running a different mix of software at startup (only 8 icons
> load at startup and 2 are for networking). The particular mix being used
> could very well explain the difference.
>
> If you do suspect window blinds, check that you're running the most
> current
> version available. A few versions back it was loading the taskbar too
> early
> but that has been fixed in the recent versions.
>
> --
> Sharon F
> MS-MVP ~ Windows Shell/User

Thank you so much!! I had no idea what to do.   That worked for me. --Victoria