Desktop icons, Start button, Task Bar all gone; Wallpaper remains

This happened after an attempt to remove some adware and spyware along
with Google toolbar, Google desktop search, and Google updater (I
asked for NONE of the Google products, nor did I install them, at
least not knowingly).

I ran Adaware and Spybot and removed the few non-google entries they
caught. In order to remove Google related items, I had to go to Safe
Mode and do a search for all things Google. After I deleted all files
marked "google" (there were a surprising amount) I still had my normal
deskstop, then upon booting up the next day, I had no desktop icons,
start button, or task bar.

I discovered the following:

The task bar is not merely hidden or squashed at the bottom of the
page.

Right clicking the desktop has no effect.

Running System Restore gave me a message saying that it can't restore
to the point I chose. I tried this twice.

ctrl + alt + del allows me to browse files via the Task Manager. It
appears that all picture or music files are intact. System folders
appear to be intact. I have yet locate the Recycle Bin.

So far, the only files to be displayed on screen are pictures via the
Windows Picture and Fax Viewer.

Norton can be seen through browse option on the Task Manager, but it
will not display on screen so I can't tell if it's running when I call
it up.

Sending new shortcuts to the desktop doesn't work.

Running explorer.exe has no effect; this option was suggested as a
means of restoring the icons. However,"explorer.exe" keeps appearing
by default in the Task Manager "new task" command line.

Files can be copied to my E drive to be burned to CD, and the CD
Wizard appears on screen, but E drive can't recognize the presence of
a disc so I can't burn files to it.

Files apparently can't be deleted. Attempts to delete yield an error
message saying that there is trouble sending the command.

Booting in Safe mode doesn't change anything.

Booting as administrator doesn't change or restore things, either.

Can anyone advise me?
I would prefer not to re-format at the cost of losing my files.

two things I would try



sfc /scannow



and


chkdsk/f

[katkat05]

how can a scan when you can't bring up "run" because the start button and everything down there is gone..........this just happened to me. Darn what do I do?

Press ctrl+alt+delete and in task manger go to file>new task (run).
Neil
"katkat05" <katkat05.3ieufc@DoNotSpam.com> wrote in message
news:katkat05.3ieufc@DoNotSpam.com...
>
> how can a scan when you can't bring up "run" because the start button
> and everything down there is gone..........this just happened to me.
> Darn what do I do?
>
>
> --
> katkat05
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> katkat05's Profile: http://forums.techarena.in/members/katkat05.htm
> View this thread: Desktop icons, Start button, Task Bar all gone; Wallpaper remains
>
> http://forums.techarena.in
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What did you want to scan?
Try "Safe Mode", or "Safe Mode with Networking" (if you want the Internet)

To get into Safe mode, tap F8 right at Power On / Startup, and use UP arrow
key to get to Safe Mode from list of options, then hit ENTER.
--
Mad Mike


"katkat05" wrote:

>
> how can a scan when you can't bring up "run" because the start button
> and everything down there is gone..........this just happened to me.
> Darn what do I do?
>
>
> --
> katkat05
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> katkat05's Profile: http://forums.techarena.in/members/katkat05.htm
> View this thread: Desktop icons, Start button, Task Bar all gone; Wallpaper remains
>
> http://forums.techarena.in
>
>

"katkat05" <katkat05.3ieufc@DoNotSpam.com> wrote in message
news:katkat05.3ieufc@DoNotSpam.com...
>
> how can a scan when you can't bring up "run" because the start button
> and everything down there is gone..........this just happened to me.
> Darn what do I do?
>
>
> --
> katkat05
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> katkat05's Profile: http://forums.techarena.in/members/katkat05.htm
> View this thread: Desktop icons, Start button, Task Bar all gone; Wallpaper remains
>
> http://forums.techarena.in
>

Has your whole Task Bar gone? - Start Button, Quick Launch toolbar, system
tray (inc perhaps clock) etc? It could be that you've accidentally dragged
it downwards by its top edge and made it zero height. If that might have
happened, try dragging it back up from the bottom of your desktop to normal
size.

Or - either Ctrl+Esc or the Windows key (left of the spacebar, with a wavy
flag on it) will bring up the Start Menu as if you'd just clicked on the
Start button, which will let you get to "Run". If that's all you want, try
Windows key + R.

This doesn't address your lack of desktop icons, though. Try this:
right-click on your desktop, hover over "Arrange Icons By" and put a tick
next to "Show Desktop Icons" if there isn't one.

[MikeyM]

I had this same problem. I was not able to fix it, but I still managed to save all of my important files using three things. Winrar, simplefilejoiner, and a 2 gb flashdrive. I rar'ed all files into archives of 2gb. I then used simplefilejoiner to COPY the files onto the jump drive ONE at a time. It did not join with anything. Lastly, I then copied the files to another computer, wiped the flash drive clean, and then did it again. It took a while, but I saved EVERYTHING. If you cannot fix it, I recommend this method, as I now have reformatted my hard drive, reinstalled windows, and transferred EVERY file back. I lost nothing of importance. Hope this helps.

[katkat05]

I wanted to reformatt my computer but when we moved I lost my windows xp disk. I am so upset over this. I need this computer to last me a few more years and I don't know how I can with all the problems I'm having.

Kat

On Tue, 9 Dec 2008 03:12:17 +0530, katkat05
<katkat05.3k4f3c@DoNotSpam.com> wrote:

>I wanted to reformatt my computer but when we moved I lost my windows xp
>disk. I am so upset over this. I need this computer to last me a few
>more years and I don't know how I can with all the problems I'm having.

Your question is... ?

Don

What is you question???

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"katkat05" <katkat05.3k4f3c@DoNotSpam.com> wrote in message
news:katkat05.3k4f3c@DoNotSpam.com...
>
> I wanted to reformatt my computer but when we moved I lost my windows xp
> disk. I am so upset over this. I need this computer to last me a few
> more years and I don't know how I can with all the problems I'm having.
>
> Kat
>
>
> --
> katkat05
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> katkat05's Profile: http://forums.techarena.in/members/katkat05.htm
> View this thread: Desktop icons, Start button, Task Bar all gone; Wallpaper remains
>
> http://forums.techarena.in
>