Desktopitems and start and task bar missing!!
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This is a Rootkit - ugly and difficult to clean completely. You have no desktop because explorer.exe has been gutted - it's still in C:\Windows, but it's icon is a dos box because the file is no longer recognizable. The infection has probably gutted other system files and changed registry keys and file associations. Hiding under the Rootkit are potentially hundreds of infections.
Probably your best option with this kind of infection is to reformat and reinstall your operating system. But, if you have data you don't want to lose and have not been able to (and cannot now) make backups, go to a forum such as BleepingComputer.com or GeeksToGo.com (MajorGeeks is good too). Only go to one - many of the techs work in several of these forums and they'll notice if you cross post to other forums and shut down all but one thread.
Go to their Virus and Malware section, find the top sticky post with "Instructions & Do This First" info. Do the tasks they ask, then make your first post as they instruct you to. Make your title something to the effect of "Rootkit Infection, explorer.exe Missing or Corrupt". Wait for help. Only these people can help with such a kernel/registry infection - trying to fix it yourself could damage your computer operating system beyond repair.
Source: I am currently cleaning this very Rootkit from a friend's computer. Same exact symptoms in same order of occurrence as poster has listed. + years of cleaning training & experience.
Best of luck to you and anyone else that reads this.
Probably your best option with this kind of infection is to reformat and reinstall your operating system. But, if you have data you don't want to lose and have not been able to (and cannot now) make backups, go to a forum such as BleepingComputer.com or GeeksToGo.com (MajorGeeks is good too). Only go to one - many of the techs work in several of these forums and they'll notice if you cross post to other forums and shut down all but one thread.
Go to their Virus and Malware section, find the top sticky post with "Instructions & Do This First" info. Do the tasks they ask, then make your first post as they instruct you to. Make your title something to the effect of "Rootkit Infection, explorer.exe Missing or Corrupt". Wait for help. Only these people can help with such a kernel/registry infection - trying to fix it yourself could damage your computer operating system beyond repair.
Source: I am currently cleaning this very Rootkit from a friend's computer. Same exact symptoms in same order of occurrence as poster has listed. + years of cleaning training & experience.
Best of luck to you and anyone else that reads this.
xpcman
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Aug 17, 2010 at 03:53 PM
Aug 17, 2010 at 03:53 PM
This should get back your desk top but it will not remove the virus:
A program called explorer.exe controls the display of your taskbar and desktop icons. If for some reason it goes missing (you may have killed it using Task Manager, for example, or something more sinister like a virus has deleted it from your processes), then try this first:
1. Open Task Manager (press Ctrl+Alt+Del, then click Task Manager).
2. On the Applications tab, click New Task at the bottom right of the window.
3. Type explorer.exe, then click OK.
If nothing sinister caused it to disappear, it should all come back as it was and you can stop panicking, breathe a sigh of relief, and continue working.
If that doesn't work, then try this:
1. Open Task Manager (press Ctrl+Alt+Del, then click Task Manager).
2. Go to the Processes tab.
3. Click on the Image Name column header to sort the list alphabetically.
4. Find all explorer.exe processes -- select each, then click End Process for each one.
5. On the Applications tab, click New Task at the bottom right of the window.
6. Type explorer.exe, then click OK.
Good Luck
A program called explorer.exe controls the display of your taskbar and desktop icons. If for some reason it goes missing (you may have killed it using Task Manager, for example, or something more sinister like a virus has deleted it from your processes), then try this first:
1. Open Task Manager (press Ctrl+Alt+Del, then click Task Manager).
2. On the Applications tab, click New Task at the bottom right of the window.
3. Type explorer.exe, then click OK.
If nothing sinister caused it to disappear, it should all come back as it was and you can stop panicking, breathe a sigh of relief, and continue working.
If that doesn't work, then try this:
1. Open Task Manager (press Ctrl+Alt+Del, then click Task Manager).
2. Go to the Processes tab.
3. Click on the Image Name column header to sort the list alphabetically.
4. Find all explorer.exe processes -- select each, then click End Process for each one.
5. On the Applications tab, click New Task at the bottom right of the window.
6. Type explorer.exe, then click OK.
Good Luck
