Missing Desktop/Taskbar/Start button in XP - Computer Support & PC Help Forums

davecope2 · 10-09-2006, 11:14 PM

Hi,Please could anyone help,I recently restored my PC in Windows XP (Service pack 2),I was having minor problems,now I've got Major problems because I have lost my Desktop,Taskbar and Start button,my Background is displayed but nothing else,I can access every programme through Task Manager but this is a little long winded,any help would be most welcome.Cheers

Jamey · 10-10-2006, 12:46 PM

The explorer.exe file is what provides you with the GUI (graphical user interface) elements of Windows. I don't know exactly why but your machine no longer starts explorer.exe when it boots up anymore. In Task Manager, select File and then click New Task (Run). Type explorer.exe and press Enter.

davecope2 · 10-10-2006, 05:56 PM

Thanks for your reply,Jamey,but your suggestion did not work,any other ideas would be appreciated, if it helps for a slight second the taskbar appears then goes again,thanks again for any help.

bigmack73 · 10-17-2006, 02:55 AM

I had the same problem too. You need to fix the boot record.

First you boot the computer with the Windows XP CD. Tell it to fix the boot record. I think you press F8 to boot it from the CD. Hope that works for you.

davecope2 · 10-17-2006, 09:55 PM

Thanks Bigmack73 that worked fine and dandy.

Jamey · 10-18-2006, 08:24 PM

Wow, that was an obscure fix, I've never heard of such a strange problem. Care to enlighten me on why it did that?

bigmack73 · 11-01-2006, 09:23 PM

I had that problem about a month ago. And I was told that it was a very common thing to happen. So after tyhe guy told me what to do, mine works great now.

**Wolfeymole** · 08-03-2008, 12:16 PM

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