desktop icons missing win xp

mahendran · 14-06-2011, 05:40 PM

yester while trying to open a zip file in my email attachment,some harddisk error appeared (I could not remeber it now) and the screen went blank in my old laptop.

on restarting,all desktop icons were gone. Even the task manager is disabled and could not do any system restore as the same was turned off.

eventhough,I am using a paid antivirus,I feel,it is due to some virus or malware attack.

Today.while trying to open the same zip file from another laptop with windows 7,samething happened.

However,on restart,I was able to do a system restore and everything is fine in the new laptop.

Now,I wonder,why I could not do a system RESTORE in the other machine?

How to enable task manager/system restore in the other laptop

any fix or tools for the same?

Tech&ME · 14-06-2011, 05:56 PM

To Enable Task Manager in XP do the following:

Click Start -> Run. Type in "regedit" (no quotes) and hit Enter.

Navigate to :HKEY_CURRENT_USER -> Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Policies \ System.

Look for this key : DisableTaskMgr. Click on REG_DWORD. Value: 1=Enable this key (disables TaskManager); Value: 0=Disable (actually enables TaskManager)

Close RegEdit

Reboot your machine.

IF in case the above procedure does not work. You can download a small utility which will do the same for you. (better try the above method first)

get it here :

And there seems to be a VIRUS in that ZIP file of yours, so please scan your hdd with the latest updated Antivirus like McAfee, Norton, etc.

sygeek · 15-06-2011, 08:32 AM

It's a virus, do a full system scan. Also, download HiJackThis and report us back with the log.

mahendran · 17-06-2011, 07:41 PM

thanks for the guidance. task manager enabled now.

however,desktop icons are missing.

no programmes and my computer in start menu. How to restore them in win xp?

Tech&ME · 17-06-2011, 08:06 PM

You can try this trick:

Step 1: when windows xp boots up and you see your desktop press Ctrl+Alt+Del.

Step 2: This will bring up the Task Manager.

Step 3: Goto File -->New Task (Run...) then a dialog should popup , Now Type "Regedit"

Step 4: In the registry editor navigate to -->
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

And look for a string called "Shell" double click it, a dialog should open, in the field "Value Data" type "Explorer.exe", close registry editor.

Restart your computer.

After restarting see if it works or not.

If the above procedure doesn't work then do the following:

I suggest you first make a backup copy of all the important documents / files that you have on your computer.

And then re-install the OS (Windows XP) as a clean install.

A VIRUS has hit your computer very badly.

mahendran · 28-06-2011, 08:13 PM

I am not able to make a clean installationn of the OS.

my laptop getting switched off automatically,during the initial stages of installation.

I have tried many time. what to do now?

I am able to revert back to the existing version after reboot each time.

since the auto switching off is happening before the formatting part of the drive,existing version is saved.

I cannot do a full system scan in safe mode,as there is no "my computer" that time and no programmes like virus scan available then......