First: I googled and searched for answers to the problem.. but apperently I'm not too creative in terms of keywords to google. I couldn't find anything along the lines of what I needed..

Moving on.. I've offered to fix a computer for friend of mine. XP boots up to the desktop image.. but with no icons/taskbar. I tried running explorer, which at first it couldn't find, once I spelled out the location it still just wouldn't open. I can open a few programs (regedit, msconfig, command, etc) but most don't work (ie. I click them and nothing happens). I remember something like this happening on another computer when I didn't have admin priveledges, I would have trouble opening some programs (double click followed by a screen flicker then nothing). I've logged in as admin and explorer still won't open. Then I tried to configure the shell..

This may warrant another thread.. oh well. I went into regedit to check to see what the shell was. I'm in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE>Software>Microsoft>Windows>Current Version> policies. There's no system folder. I checked my desktop to see if I was in the right place, I found the system folder (in the policies folder) but still no "shell" entry. Am I in the wrong place ?

If anyone has had any previous problem similar to this or has suggestions for a place to start.. I'd greatly appreciate it.

Thanks.

Maybe some help in this ?-

Can't open EXE files

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;555067

nothin. if this sheds any light on the problem..

I have no regedit.com, only .exe. But it opens without any problems. So I don't think it's a matter of opening exe's. Thanks though. What else ?

I guess that PC is infected with a Worm.
A detailed history of the problem and troubshoots done will make things clearer for better answer.
Since the system cannot even get the desktop icons & Taskbar in Normal mode, I suspect you won't be able to access the Internet to try an Online Antivirus and Antispyware scan.

If you can Open the PC in Safe Mode and use an Antivirus Progarms to remove the malware.

You must disable the System Restore to prevent "reinfection" and then if the problem is still persisting, you can try Taskbar Repair Tool Plus

M

The symptoms sound like you've been hit by a Blaster virus (that's what happended to my Win 2000 PC a couple of years ago). In my case, I was planning to format & reload anyway, so that solved the problem. You may be able to scan with antivirus rescue disks (if the problem is virus-related).

Alright, I have virtually no experience with viruses.. I've usually been pretty good about not doing anything stupid with my computer. I probably should have thought of that sooner. I'll run some scans.

You should be in:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

to check what shell you are running.
It sounds like you could do wit a reformat + reinstall anyway.

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Hey,
I had a similar problem a few months back... It could be a virus, not sure... But in my case i guess it was not a virus... Since you told that you were able to run regedit and msconfig you should be able to run System Restore too... In the Run just type the following "C:\windows\system32\restore\rstrui" ... Hopefully you have not dissabled system restore yet... Check if it works... It worked for me... Lemme know..