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Let's play...."What's my computer problem?"

Shovelhead

Shovelhead

New Member
- Windows XP
- it loads but when programs are opened they are minimized to the tray and will not "maximize"
- there are also no desktop icons
- everything is fine in "safe mode" so I suspect a driver issue

:thankyou:
 
SignBurst PCs

SignBurst PCs

New Member
If it is a driver issue, I have never seen that one.

I would suspect malware first, being that it seems to be "messing with you".

But, I suppose it could be a problem a part of Windows that is not loaded in Safe Mode.

You are usually pretty good with the malware thing. Are you able to run any scans?

Have you loaded any GUI customization software that could have gone "bonkers"? (Be careful, bonkers is a very technical term)
 
Shovelhead

Shovelhead

New Member
SignBurst PCs said:
If it is a driver issue, I have never seen that one.

I would suspect malware first, being that it seems to be "messing with you".

But, I suppose it could be a problem a part of Windows that is not loaded in Safe Mode.

You are usually pretty good with the malware thing. Are you able to run any scans?
Click to expand...

- Stinger
- AVG
- Malwarebytes
- Spybot
 
MachServTech

MachServTech

New Member
Found this on a forum:
http://en.kioskea.net/forum/affich-26897-all-my-task-bar-desktop-icons-missing

Ctr + Alt + Delete // File – New Task (run…) // explorer.exe // OK
This will show your desktop icons but not solve the problem
To solve it just do this steps

1- copy explorer.exe from other clean computer (from C:\WINDOWS)
2- in your computer go to C:\WINDOWS
3- show hidden files from (Tools - Folder Options - View - Show hidden files and folders)
4- delete explorer.exe and any other files start with explorer...
5- put the new file (explorer.exe)
6- log off or restart
7- log on
 
Border

Border

New Member
You said everything is fine in safe mode and you THINK you have restore turned off?

If there's a chance system restore is turned on in fact, then I would try going back to safe mode and try a restore point.
 
SignBurst PCs

SignBurst PCs

New Member
It could be the explorer.exe process being corrupt.

There are several ways to repair this and I am sure you can find tons of info online.

The explorer process fails once in a while, but usually recovers very quickly. When it does fail, I lose all of my icons, windows, and usually my taskbar. Windows usually sits like this for a few seconds, blinks, then comes back to normal. I suppose yours could be unrecoverable.

By the way, you can perform a system restore from the Recovery Console (if you are feeling especially "geeky" today).
 
Shovelhead

Shovelhead

New Member
Border said:
You said everything is fine in safe mode and you THINK you have restore turned off?

If there's a chance system restore is turned on in fact, then I would try going back to safe mode and try a restore point.
Click to expand...

At one time I tried System Restore in safe mode and it didn't work so it never crossed my mind to try it again. Doesn't turning it off wipe out all subsequent
restore points?...I have turned it off before to do maintenance malware sweeps in the past so I would suspect that I have nothing to restore to.
 
H

Hardwired

New Member
is it, or does it think it is a dual head setup? Check your video settings. your apps maybe open on the other screen.
 
Idea Design

Idea Design

New Member
Use ctrl+shift+esc to open task manager, then end explorer.exe.

Go to the applications tab and hit the "New Task..." button. Type explorer.exe in the box.

There's cold boot, warm boot, and some consider this hot boot. It'll restart the windows explorer shell and sometime trouble can be remedied.
 
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