taskbar and desktop icons gone for good...

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

"=?Utf-8?B?QW4tc3U=?=" <An-su@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
news:E7226FC8-2D41-47AA-A605-D0CD7F47703D@microsoft.com:

> Well... three days ago, they disappeared  
> So I have no taskbar nor icons on the desktop. Except that all works
> very well... I have access to the programs and all my documents via
> the taskmanager.
>
> I've been told, by the technicians at the shop where I had bought this
> pc, that they have heard of such cases often recently, but they didn't
> try to understand why, they just formatted the hd and reinstalled
> windows.
>
> I am wondering if there's a way to repair this.
> I've read on some forums that osme adware called "sysu.exe" , "ddm",
> causes such a problem, bu I haven't those apparently.
>
> Otherwise norton , and spybot s&d don't detect anything that might
> cause this either...
>

here's a quick test. in the task manager, do you see explorer.exe running
as a process ? if so, kill it. then thru the tasl manager apps tab, start
explorer.exe again out of the windows directory.

explorer.exe is what gives the taskbar/clock/systray/desktop, etc.

if there is no explorer.exe in the processes, look in the registry at
this key : HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT
\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\ the keyname is Shell , the value should be
explorer.exe and that is it. That friggin lamo Aurora spyware adds an
entry there so the value would look like: explorer.exe, nail.exe

That is how THAT package keeps itself alive, even in safe mode. nail.exe
starts other programs that keep an eye on that key and if it is modified,
it adds back the: ,nail.exe The entries in the Shell line are executed
EVERY time windows starts, safe mode or regular.

I'm not saying this is on your PC, just pointing out another spyware
trick.

Let us know.

Regards,

DanS

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

DanS <t.h.i.s.n.t.h.a.t@a.d.e.l.p.h.i.a..n.e.t> wrote in
news:Xns96BCBAACD9665idispcom@216.196.97.142:

>>
>> I've been told, by the technicians at the shop where I had bought
>> this pc, that they have heard of such cases often recently, but they
>> didn't try to understand why, they just formatted the hd and
>> reinstalled windows.
>>

Oh yeah, I wouldn't go back to that shop. NOT because they didn't know what
was going on, but because they didn't even TRY to fix it, especially since
they've heard of this happening often recently. Sounds like former
Dell/Gateway/Compaq/HP tech support people.

Formatting and re-installing windows is the LAST resort when some issue
arises. Who knows, maybe a repair installation MAY fix it and you/whoever
wouldn't have to re-do EVERYTHING on the PC just to get it back to it's
former self.

Regards,

DanS

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

1. Generally caused by display drivers.
2. Is fixable.
3. Don't go back to those tech's or better yet, have them read these
groups.

--

All the Best,
Kelly (MS-MVP)

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


"An-su" <An-su@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:E7226FC8-2D41-47AA-A605-D0CD7F47703D@microsoft.com...
> Well... three days ago, they disappeared  
> So I have no taskbar nor icons on the desktop. Except that all works very
> well... I have access to the programs and all my documents via the
> taskmanager.
>
> I've been told, by the technicians at the shop where I had bought this pc,
> that they have heard of such cases often recently, but they didn't try to
> understand why, they just formatted the hd and reinstalled windows.
>
> I am wondering if there's a way to repair this.
> I've read on some forums that osme adware called "sysu.exe" , "ddm",
> causes
> such a problem, bu I haven't those apparently.
>
> Otherwise norton , and spybot s&d don't detect anything that might cause
> this either...

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

Ok... well... :
-I don't have explorer.exe running.
-If I start explorer.exe , that's the windows explorer that starts, nothing
else. Then I have a explorer.exe that runs. Tried that several several
times...

-Nail.exe... I used to have that !... It was detected by spybot s&d, I
removed it, and since then I have a notice at start up "couldn't find
nail.exe" etc. Now it makes me think that I should have tried to do something
more about it.

Still...I'm wondering what I can do to fix the problem... without going on a
reinstall... Any hope ?

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

"=?Utf-8?B?QW4tc3U=?=" <Ansu@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
news:B1E7AD48-2892-42E6-9504-36B46CFE0C33@microsoft.com:

> Ok... well... :
> -I don't have explorer.exe running.
> -If I start explorer.exe , that's the windows explorer that starts,
> nothing else. Then I have a explorer.exe that runs. Tried that several
> several times...
>
> -Nail.exe... I used to have that !... It was detected by spybot s&d, I
> removed it, and since then I have a notice at start up "couldn't find
> nail.exe" etc. Now it makes me think that I should have tried to do
> something more about it.
>

If you get that message at startup, that would indicate that the nail.exe
is still in the shell line in the Shell entry in the registry.

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

The links below your name saved all in less than a minute  

"Kelly" wrote:

> 1. Generally caused by display drivers.
> 2. Is fixable.
> 3. Don't go back to those tech's or better yet, have them read these
> groups.
>
> --
>
> All the Best,
> Kelly (MS-MVP)
>
> Troubleshooting Windows XP
> http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com
> http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/taskbarplus!.htm
>