All of desktop gone except wallpaper

Hello This might be the right forum…… I have installed and used Carbonite on one computer in the house with no problems. Set up and started the first backup on my other computer today. First symptom, minutes later = looked at Windows Explorer and the left pane was empty. When this persisted, I rebooted. What came up was my wallpaper. No icons, no Start button, nothing else. Rebooted several times. Same. (Sometimes ctrl-alt-del works, sometimes nothing). Got onto Chat with Carbonite. They said it wasn't a Carbonite issue and terminated the chat. Tried F8 and thence : Restore to last good configuration. Result = wallpaper. Safe Mode, opt to use System Restore. Result = black screen with Safe Mode written in the corners, specifications of OS written across top. Safe Mode itself. Result = black screen etc. Carbonite confirmed a backup was underway. S'pose it is just possible that is slowing down further manifestations in Safe Mode or the appearance of a System Restore screen. I'm all out of ideas. ( Yeah, that wasn't very many ideas, but I don't know all that much). Help, please?

Hi Denno Try boot normally. When fully booted, and you just see the wallpaper, do the following; Hit CTRL+ALT+DEL(ete) at once to try bring up the Task-manager. If successful at this, click "new job" in the bottom right corner. Type: Explorer.Exe If this brings back your start menu, you should start with uninstalling Carbonite, and we can take it from there if you still got issues. Regards

I still got issues! Hi Abydos, tried starting that, nothing happened. By comparison, I was able to use "new task" to open Freecell, AZZ Cardfile, and then Firefox and thence make my way to the forum on my own computer. All reduced windows are piled up in the lower left corner of the screen. No return of Start button or desktop. What do you suggest next? And thanks.

Hi Denno

When you bring up the task manager, can you see a Explorer.exe running?
If so, you need to end it, and then do the new task job again. This is only a
temporarily work-around until you get Carbonite uninstalled, assuming it is
the culprit.

Once Explorer is running, you need to use the SFC /scannow command, to
replace lost or damaged files.

You may need you windows CD for this Operation in case it have to replace files.

Goto start, choose Run,
Or press and hold the windows key, then press R to bring up the run menu.

type: SFC /Scannow (Note the space between C and the slash)

The scan won't produce a log, it just finishes.

Additional info on SFC in the link above.

Let me hear how it goes.


Regards

Hi Nope, explorer.exe is not running as an application nor as a process. And when I call up New Task and type it in and hit enter or OK, nothing appears.

What if you just type Explorer, without the .exe ? Otherwise we may have to use a reg.fix to get it back.

You could also try being a bit more specific, and type: c:\WINDOWS\explorer.exe See if that works.

Neither worked. (Dang).

I wonder if it's there any more? Can you open a Command Prompt from Run by [removed]
If so, use the dir command to see if it still exists.

dir \windows\explorer.exe /s

On my XP Pro + SP3 + all updates system, I find it in

Directory of C:\windows

04/14/2008 05:42 AM 1,033,728 explorer.exe
1 File(s) 1,033,728 bytes

Directory of C:\windows\$hf_mig$\KB938828\SP2QFE

06/13/2007 07:26 AM 1,033,216 explorer.exe
1 File(s) 1,033,216 bytes

Directory of C:\windows\ServicePackFiles\i386

04/14/2008 05:42 AM 1,033,728 explorer.exe
1 File(s) 1,033,728 bytes

Directory of C:\windows\system32\dllcache

04/14/2008 05:42 AM 1,033,728 explorer.exe
1 File(s) 1,033,728 bytes

If it's not in C:\Windows, copy it there from C:\windows\system32\dllcache

I got XP home on this machine, and this is what I get using the Dir command.

Indhold af C:\windows

14-04-2008 18:05 1.034.752 explorer.exe
1 fil(er) 1.034.752 byte

Indhold af C:\windows\$NtServicePackUninstall$

02-03-2006 14:00 1.033.216 explorer.exe
1 fil(er) 1.033.216 byte

Indhold af C:\windows\ServicePackFiles\i386

14-04-2008 18:05 1.034.752 explorer.exe
1 fil(er) 1.034.752 byte

Antal filer i alt:
3 fil(er) 3.102.720 byte
0 mappe® 55.911.538.688 byte ledig

Denno, if unable to access the Run box, press and hold the windows key, then press R.

Abydos, this produces nothing: hold the windows key, then press R. Meanwhile, "dir \windows\explorer.exe /s" got a list of stuff. I can't figure out how to copy out of the DOS window to show you. I'll bet both of you know how… OK, I looked it up. Here's what shows up: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600] © Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp. C:\Documents and Settings\Miekro S. Dallalio>dir \windows\explorer.exe /s Volume in drive C has no label. Volume Serial Number is EC54-87E9 Directory of C:\windows 04/13/2008 08:12 PM 1,033,728 explorer.exe 1 File(s) 1,033,728 bytes Directory of C:\windows\$hf_mig$\KB938828\SP2QFE 06/13/2007 07:26 AM 1,033,216 explorer.exe 1 File(s) 1,033,216 bytes Directory of C:\windows\$NtServicePackUninstall$ 06/13/2007 06:23 AM 1,033,216 explorer.exe 1 File(s) 1,033,216 bytes Directory of C:\windows\ServicePackFiles\i386 04/13/2008 08:12 PM 1,033,728 explorer.exe 1 File(s) 1,033,728 bytes Directory of C:\windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download\dd9ab5193501484cf5e6884fa 1d22f9e 04/13/2008 08:12 PM 1,033,728 explorer.exe 1 File(s) 1,033,728 bytes Total Files Listed: 5 File(s) 5,167,616 bytes 0 Dir(s) 209,591,562,240 bytes free C:\Documents and Settings\Miekro S. Dallalio> Is this good?

That looks correct. The size and location matches my system exactly.

See if you can launch the Add/Remove Programs control panel applet from the Run box.

Type in appwiz.cpl and press Enter.

If that works, uninstall Carbonite, see if that makes a difference. Unlikely but worth a try. If not I would boot to Safe Mode, login as Administrator. If that works then from the Start / Run box, type chkdsk c: /r and press Enter or click Ok. Respond y when asked if you want this to occur at the next boot, then reboot. During boot, chkdsk will run. It can take an hour or more so be patient and let it complete undisturbed.

See if that helps.

Dunno if you are familiar with the song, "There's a Hole in My Bucket"…… Don't worry about it….point is just, I don't have a Start button or a Run box. Nothing remains of my desktop but the wallpaper photo.

Hold the phone! I've just put that command into New Task in the task manager. the Add/Remove window has opened, but is not "populating." Does look as though I might be able to do a chkdsk by the same means, though.

Did check disk, no difference.