# HELP!!! Desktop is gone...



## Sanza (Sep 8, 2008)

Somehow my desktop, start up and task bar are missing when I start my computer. How do I get everything back? "my documents" comes up on an otherwise black screen so that's the way I have access right now.
I've got vista and my startup was always slow and when I took it in to the place I bought it they told me to just use the hibernation mode, so that's what I was doing. It's about 2 1/2 years old now. 
My son used it and shut everything down and now it's all gone....
Any help would be greatly appreciated.


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## Sanza (Sep 8, 2008)

Anyone?! 
Where's all the experts when we need them? 

Are there problems with vista with the start up? I don't know the jargon but could it be the computer is forgetting to go through the steps to load it? I've tried to bring it up on the control panel (start up and task bar) and nothing. 
I'm 2 hours from the closest city so I can't just pick up my computer and take it in for a check, especially with this busy time before Easter, so any advise is appreciated.


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

Turn on the monitor

Seriously though, Sounds like your icons are missing, right click on your desktop and choose properties, go to the Desktop tab and tell us what has checkmarks on it.

PS: Use hibernation mode??!! any tech that would give you that advise in that situation should not be in the business.


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## lharvey (Jul 1, 2003)

Hibernation mode?

Check your display settings. See if you got the show/hide desktop checked.

L


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## Sanza (Sep 8, 2008)

mnn... I know my icons are gone - I said that already. Of course I don't go back to where I bought this computer to get this one serviced or for another one, I also wouldn't get vista again either.
I can't right click on the desktop - nothing happens. I can't get into taskbar and start menu in the control panel - nothing happens.....
My display settings only adjusts the resolution.
Do I have to delete my windows and re install everything?


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## chuckie (Feb 4, 2010)

see if this helps: http://itsvista.com/tag/blank/
After logging on to a Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008 computer, you are presented with a blank screen with no Start Menu, shortcuts, or icons. If you reboot and use F8 to boot to Safe Mode with Networking, you will see your normal desktop.

You may see the following events in the Application log: more at link
Also mentioned is a corrupted profile.


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## chuckie (Feb 4, 2010)

Or, For both methods below you will need to first restart and select F8 at boot in order to boot to Safe Mode with Networking.
Back to the top
Method 1

1. Click Start, Run, type lusrmgr.msc then ENTER.
2. Select Groups in the left pane.
3. Double-click Users in the right pane.
4. Click Add, and then click Locations. Scroll to the top of the Locations dialog and select the local computer name, then click OK.
5. In the Enter the object names to select field, type Interactive; Authenticated Users (separated by a semi-colon). Then click OK.
6. Restart the computer.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/970879
Hope that helps.


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## chuckie (Feb 4, 2010)

One more suggestion
I would check your Winlogon to see if anything has changed it from explorer.

Use your ctrl/alt/del to open task manager. Click the processes tab and scroll to find any instance of explorer.exe. If you find it, hightlight it and click end process. Click the applications tab, then "new task". Type in explorer.exe. Click ok. Hopefully that will give you back your desktop.

Go to start and type in regedit into your search box. When your registry editor opens, navigate to .....
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

Click on Winlogon and look in the right pane for "shell". Under the data column, it should have
explorer.exe listed. If it is anything other than that, double click on shell and change the Value
data to explorer.exe

Reboot and see if the problem is corrected.
http://forums.techguy.org/windows-vista/686623-vista-blank-desktop.html


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## Sanza (Sep 8, 2008)

Thank you chuckie! Thanks for all the information and the sites, and I will try your suggestions.


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

The reason I said what I did is there is an option to hide icons, thats why I wanted to know what was checked.
Can you click anything? or is the computer frozen?


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## Sanza (Sep 8, 2008)

I did it!! I followed your directions and got my desktop back! 
I can't thank you enough chuckie!


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## chuckie (Feb 4, 2010)

Sanza said:


> I did it!! I followed your directions and got my desktop back!
> I can't thank you enough chuckie!


I was glad to help out. Sometimes you just have to take a step back and a deep breath,lol.


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## Sanza (Sep 8, 2008)

Well I'm over 50 and I don't know too much more then the basics about maintaining my computer (disk cleanup, defragmenting etc) so that was a great help. I had called to a shop (Futureshop) in the city and I was quoted a price starting at $80.00 to check for viruses first, and then to fix it would have been extra $, but I would have had to wait 2 weeks for an appointment. 
I'm so happy to have that site now to look to for help....Thanks again! Of course I'll ask for help on here too again because you're all the BEST!!
mnn I know you were joking about turning on the monitor, which gave me a much needed chuckle when I read that.


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