Computer Problem!

[Carl Shepherdson]

Hi,

I got a phone call from a friend earlier, his son has been touching his laptop. He has switched it on, logged on and he is just getting the wallpaper.

No start menu, icons nothing! We can't get to the run command etc.

I gave him instructions to get into safe mode and use the Administrator account still the same.

Anyone got any ideas what it could be? Running XP Home.

TIA,

[FOD]

Carl,

Possible that the start bar has been dragged off screen (should not happen but I have seen it before)

Sorry but just questions ...

Does the windows key do anything ?
What happens with alt-ctrl-delete?
Does the mouse behave as it should.
Try a right mouse click on the desktop - if it responds click properties then increase the screen resolution and see it you see anything. (also try right click > arrange icons by > auto arrange).

Hope some of these might help.

David.

[Carl Shepherdson]

Hi David,

Thanks for the reply, the first thing I said to him was press the windows flag key and nothing appears, when he right clicks nothing and CTRL-ALT-DEL shows task manager.

Mouse is fine as far as I know. The desktop is just blank nothing there at all. :smilie:

Thanks,

[FOD]

hi Carl,

Task manager running is a start. I would look to see if explorer is running and if not try and launch it from File > New task (from task manager). You could also launch event viewer to see if any problems are logged.

Another suggestion is to launch %SystemRoot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe again from task manager
to restore back to before his sun played with it.

Good Luck,
David.

[scambler]

Carl

Is you friend sure that his son did not change anything or install any software?

Have they got another machine they can connect remotely from?
If so have a look at HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon and check the entry for shell?

[Carl Shepherdson]

hi Carl,

Task manager running is a start. I would look to see if explorer is running and if not try and launch it from File > New task (from task manager). You could also launch event viewer to see if any problems are logged.

Another suggestion is to launch %SystemRoot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe again from task manager
to restore back to before his sun played with it.

Good Luck,
David.

I should have included more information in my first post, I told him to do the File > New Task and try opening something like iexplore.exe or www.google.co.uk both failed, fle not found.

Also tried the system restore with command prompt in Safe Mode, It didn't like the command. :unsure:

[Carl Shepherdson]

Carl

Is you friend sure that his son did not change anything or install any software?

Have they got another machine they can connect remotely from?
If so have a look at HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon and check the entry for shell?

I personally think it's a virus, we can't get access to regedit.

[sladmin]

Hi All,

Just a suggestion but if the task manager runs ok, try clicking new task, then typing in explorer.exe and press ok. See what comes up then.

Cheers,
Adam