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I lost my desktop and toolbar!!!!!!

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Name: Evan
Date: November 25, 2003 at 22:40:00 Pacific
OS: XP Pro
CPU/Ram: 1.4 gHz / 512MB
Comment:

I dont know how I did it, but I have managed to lose my desktop and toolbar. When XP starts it gives me my wallpaper and that is it. I can use ctrl-alt-del to get to the task manager and then run explorer to run any program I need. Nothing else is wrong except I dont have a desktop!



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Response Number 1
Name: Gary Van Put
Date: November 25, 2003 at 22:53:52 Pacific
Reply:

I take it that you have tried right clicking your desktop......going to 'Arrange Icons By', and making sure that 'Show Desktop Icons' is ticked?.


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Response Number 2
Name: mark
Date: November 26, 2003 at 00:02:34 Pacific
Reply:

hrmm i dont know if you would have a virus or wat.. but it would get very annoying..

a workaround for this problem would be to add explorer.exe into startup..

i never haerd of this problem before.. but foramtting and reinstalling windows would fix it


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Response Number 3
Name: Hooner
Date: November 26, 2003 at 00:34:29 Pacific
Reply:

More info and solution here..........

Click Me


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Response Number 4
Name: Jennifer
Date: November 26, 2003 at 01:37:37 Pacific
Reply:

I just ran into the same problem a few minutes ago. described EXACTLY as my computer is acting right now. I was messing with a registry cleaner and might've deleted something off the registry that it needs to finish loading the desktop. I just have my wallpaper and that's it. Is there some sorta way to fix the registry? Or what else could it be?

and it's not that the icons are just not ticked to display. if it were that simple, I wouldn't be asking for help....something is pretty screwed up.


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Response Number 5
Name: Hooner
Date: November 26, 2003 at 01:45:03 Pacific
Reply:

Ahem, look at my link............


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Response Number 6
Name: Gary Van Put
Date: November 26, 2003 at 02:03:46 Pacific
Reply:

1. Try this first: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q310747 This scans all windows files, finds corrupt ones and replaces them with good ones. 2. The you can try this: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q318027 3. Or try this: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q307852 4. Another option might be to install Windows XP Service Pack 1 and Internet Explorer Service Pack 1. This may fix the corrupted files. 5. If all else fails you may have to wipe your hard drive and reinstall Windows. The file corruption may be too wide spread.


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Response Number 7
Name: tinner666
Date: November 26, 2003 at 02:58:51 Pacific
Reply:

A simple solution would be to restore to day before mishap. Can't hurt and is reversable. Frank


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Response Number 8
Name: salgolf
Date: November 26, 2003 at 05:40:32 Pacific
Reply:

Or import the back of your registry that you made before messing around in it.


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Response Number 9
Name: hinky
Date: November 27, 2003 at 03:43:31 Pacific
Reply:

I have recently had exactly the same problem, and found that the guilty party was a folder in program files called 'ddm'. Deleting this solved the problem.

I ran a virus scan on it before deleting, and it failed to show anything, but the problem is now solved. Hope this helps.


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Response Number 10
Name: hinky
Date: November 27, 2003 at 03:47:30 Pacific
Reply:

By the way, someone else I know had exactly the same problem, and he tried reinstalling windows. This did not work.

We think it may have come from a crack website.


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Response Number 11
Name: DJMW
Date: November 27, 2003 at 16:14:28 Pacific
Reply:

Talk about timing!!! Hinky you are a GENIUS!!! Thank you for posting not long ago. I had not been having a very good Thanksgiving today because my HD's laptop lost the desktop and all he's been doing all day is being cranky trying to fix it. So, I set my laptop down next to his and did a Google search and this discussion popped right up. Sure enough, he had the ddm and deleting it worked.

THEN, I said, dear, were you by any chance on a crack page and he looked a little sheepish and confessed "yes". BTW, it was not one of the usual ones.

THANK YOU for saving my Thanksgiving!!!
DJ


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Response Number 12
Name: erik
Date: November 28, 2003 at 07:25:15 Pacific
Reply:

hi- i had the exact same problem-- how do i delete DDM using the command line?

please help!

erik


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Response Number 13
Name: hinky
Date: November 29, 2003 at 03:10:50 Pacific
Reply:

I just deleted mine by sending it to the recycle bin and then emptying it. I'm not sure if this was the right thing to do but it worked!!!

Good Luck,

Hinky.


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Response Number 14
Name: JohnoD
Date: November 29, 2003 at 11:50:30 Pacific
Reply:

Hinky, you are an absolute angel - I could kiss you if I knew your sexuality!

You don't understand how much trouble I was in without being able to access these important files on my computer. You almost saved my life! I've sent you a private message (check at the MyComputing.net link) to show my appreciation.

@ Eric
Instead of having to delete the folder through command prompt, you can start your desktop first with the following method and then delete using the recycle bin.

Method: At the hanging window, press Ctrl+Alt+Delete and then click on the Task Manager tab. Click Processes and look for a file named sysu.exe. Select the file and click End Process.
This should let you onto your desktop where you can fully remove the ddm folder in the normal windows fashion.

If it wasn't for hinky I would never have found all that - he is the genious!

Hope this helps,
Good Luck All,

Johno

Thanks again for all your help Hinky,
John


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