Problem: Blank Desktop

[Burled Holiday Cabbage]

My computer is broke.

I turn it on this morning, and I wait for the icons and taskbar to show up... they never did. I rebooted. Nothing. Control Alt Delete works, and that's how I can get on the internet (new task, run "firefox.exe"), but my desktop looks like this:



The internet is floating! So, I'm kinda stumped.

I tried system restore, but no other restore points came up. Any suggestions? There's a lot of dead-ends and conflicting data on the Google about this problem, so I thought someone here might have fixed this problem themselves.

[Stephen Stills]

BHC, this is not the proper place to post pictures of your background. That thread is here



This thread is LOCKIZZLE'D














No, sorry. I'm sorry I don't have an answer to your problem, but I'm sure JackisNimble will show up eventually.

[Goombazoid]

Try running explorer.exe

[JackisNimble]

Try running explorer.exe

This man speaks the truth. It's under C:\Windows if you can't find it. Just run it like you ran Firefox.

[Burled Holiday Cabbage]

That make spokes the lie.

I tried that before, and all it did was bring all of my icons and taskbar back (yay!)... for about 3 seconds (aww), so that's a no go. Now when I try that, nothing happens at all.

[Revan/anakinjmt]

My computer is broke.

I turn it on this morning, and I wait for the icons and taskbar to show up... they never did. I rebooted. Nothing. Control Alt Delete works, and that's how I can get on the internet (new task, run "firefox.exe"), but my desktop looks like this:



The internet is floating! So, I'm kinda stumped.

I tried system restore, but no other restore points came up. Any suggestions? There's a lot of dead-ends and conflicting data on the Google about this problem, so I thought someone here might have fixed this problem themselves.

Get a Mac.

Sorry, it's just I'm coming to believe that Macs are much superior machines. Although, I would have my Mac, which will be my next computer, running Windows as well, for the interface if not the "power."

[Burled Holiday Cabbage]

I fixed it!

Turns out it was a virus. Who knew?

[Deputy Laser Action]

Good to see you have it fixed.

[JackisNimble]

Get a Mac.

Sorry, it's just I'm coming to believe that Macs are much superior machines. Although, I would have my Mac, which will be my next computer, running Windows as well, for the interface if not the "power."

[Revan/anakinjmt]

Sorry Jack, but I can't see the images, and Firefox can't load the URLs directly. Care to upload them again, to something like photobucket?

[HUGE 2 tha DORK]

I can see them perfectly and will give him a +1.

[Revan/anakinjmt]

Huh. I can see them now. Very clever, but I've had more than my share of problems with PC's, so I'm willing to give Macs a try. From what I've heard, though, they can do a lot more fun stuff, which is what I'm about. I wouldn't use them for gaming, but I don't use computers for gaming anyways.

[potthole]

I've never really understood why other people have so many problems/issues with PC.  I've never once run into any hardware or software issues when running a Microsoft OS, which I've been doing for over 10 years.  Same goes with IE.  I always hear about how IE is so much worse than Firefox, but I've never had any security issues or performance issues.

Along the same lines- all students at my former college are given a Dell laptop.  Many students, upon graduation, say they'll never ever buy a Dell product again in their life, claiming the computers are crappy.  They claim to have had problems with the hard drives dying, the screens breaking, etc.  In the 4 years I've had a Dell, the only time I ever had any major problems was when somebody spilled a lemonade on my keyboard, which resulted in me having to get a new keyboard.  Other than that nothing.  Cripes, I even dropped my laptop onto blacktop, and everything still worked fine.

I've probably jinxed myself after making this post.

[Revan/anakinjmt]

I've never really understood why other people have so many problems/issues with PC.  I've never once run into any hardware or software issues when running a Microsoft OS, which I've been doing for over 10 years.  Same goes with IE.  I always hear about how IE is so much worse than Firefox, but I've never had any security issues or performance issues.

Along the same lines- all students at my former college are given a Dell laptop.  Many students, upon graduation, say they'll never ever buy a Dell product again in their life, claiming the computers are crappy.  They claim to have had problems with the hard drives dying, the screens breaking, etc.  In the 4 years I've had a Dell, the only time I ever had any major problems was when somebody spilled a lemonade on my keyboard, which resulted in me having to get a new keyboard.  Other than that nothing.  Cripes, I even dropped my laptop onto blacktop, and everything still worked fine.

I've probably jinxed myself after making this post.

Then, you must have incredible luck with PC's and Dell's. Dell used to be really, really good, but it's like Honda now: Used to make excellent products, but now are making less quality stuff, while companies previously laughed at for their quality (Toshiba and Hyundia) are making excellent stuff. As for PC's, my big problem is performance stuff. The only time I get decent speed in opening up an application is when it's the only application. Having 5 or 6 apps running seriously slows down my computer, even if only one of them is actively doing something. As for IE, it's more of a prevention thing to switch to Firefox...that, and Firefox does tabs a heck of a lot better. All viruses and spyware gotten through browsers are IE compatible, because IE is the most used browser. Firefox is able to stop a whole heck of a lot more viruses and spyware because they're either not Firefox compatible, or the security, which is a lot better than IE's. From my math class this past semester, which was also a computer logic course (one of the reasons I switched majors to criminal justice), IE can't display some special characters, which Firefox can. Firefox also does tabs a lot better, as you don't have to switch to the tab to close it, as long as you have no more than 11 tabs open. With IE, even the latest version, you have to switch to that tab to close it, and their stupid message about tabs that displays when you open a new tab is annoying.

[JackisNimble]

Then, you must have incredible luck with PC's and Dell's. Dell used to be really, really good, but it's like Honda now: Used to make excellent products, but now are making less quality stuff, while companies previously laughed at for their quality (Toshiba and Hyundia) are making excellent stuff. As for PC's, my big problem is performance stuff. The only time I get decent speed in opening up an application is when it's the only application. Having 5 or 6 apps running seriously slows down my computer, even if only one of them is actively doing something. As for IE, it's more of a prevention thing to switch to Firefox...that, and Firefox does tabs a heck of a lot better. All viruses and spyware gotten through browsers are IE compatible, because IE is the most used browser. Firefox is able to stop a whole heck of a lot more viruses and spyware because they're either not Firefox compatible, or the security, which is a lot better than IE's. From my math class this past semester, which was also a computer logic course (one of the reasons I switched majors to criminal justice), IE can't display some special characters, which Firefox can. Firefox also does tabs a lot better, as you don't have to switch to the tab to close it, as long as you have no more than 11 tabs open. With IE, even the latest version, you have to switch to that tab to close it, and their stupid message about tabs that displays when you open a new tab is annoying.

PC's don't do anything that the user hasn't told it to do. If it's running slow it's because you've bogged it down with background apps, or it has become outdated.

As for the Dell issue, that makes me laugh. The only difference between a Dell and a PC you built yourself is that the Dell comes with some pre-loaded software. They buy the parts from the same people we do. It's not like they make the parts, the just put them all together.