Windows xp-Taskbar, Icons disappearing, can't open task manager

[tomohotaru]

So, I found my way here by googling that my taskbar and desktop icons disappear at start-up (they show up for about three seconds.) If I hit ctrl+alt+del while the icons are visible the task manager shows up, but then it disappears with my icons and everything else. It seems like all the answers I found here were to run the task manager and open the explorer.exe or something similar. The only keys that I can seem to get to work is Windows Key+L to log out of the desktop and shut down the computer. The last thing that i remember doing before the icons disappeared was putting in a cd to rip, but it had an autoplay feature, so it opened its own player, I canceled it and ejected the CD and then everything disappeared. Thanks for any help!

 

[ksiemb]

The last thing that i remember doing before the icons disappeared was putting in a cd to rip, but it had an autoplay feature, so it opened its own player, I canceled it and ejected the CD and then everything disappeared. Thanks for any help![/quotemsg]


I don't want to be an alarmist, & don't know what CD you are referring to, but you may be infected as a resulte of the CD autoplaying.

You should 1st try to system restore to a date prior to error starting.
Also, try sfc /scannow from command prompt.

If the system file checker or restore is useless, I would definitely run anti virus and anti malware scans.

 

[tomohotaru]

It was just a regular music cd, nothing crazy, lol. Also, I can't get anything to run, so I'm not sure how to run anything from the command prompt if I can't get it open. When I ctrl+alt+del to open the task manager it doesn't open. An hourglass appears for half a second like its GOING to do something, but it doesn't come up. I can only get it to open for a few seconds, but when the taskbar and icons disappear, so does the manager.

 

[ksiemb]

It was just a regular music cd, nothing crazy, lol. Also, I can't get anything to run, so I'm not sure how to run anything from the command prompt if I can't get it open. When I ctrl+alt+del to open the task manager it doesn't open. An hourglass appears for half a second like its GOING to do something, but it doesn't come up. I can only get it to open for a few seconds, but when the taskbar and icons disappear, so does the manager.

And booting into safe mode does not work also ?

You have no Windows CD to Boot from ?

Then you will need a working computer to burn a rescue CD.

 

[tomohotaru]

Well. I've been working my behind off and just now figured out how to start my computer in safe mode, lol. That works, so now I'm hoof to try a system restore for a few days ago and see if it works 🙂