My computer wont load the desktop icons!

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isaac16 - Mar 15, 2009 at 11:16 PM
xpcman Posts 19528 Registration date Wednesday October 8, 2008 Status Contributor Last seen June 15, 2019 - Mar 16, 2009 at 01:07 PM
Hello, well when i turn on my computer, it goes to the login screen like normal. i do everything i normally do, login and all that, but recently it has just been loading my background first, then it wont load any desktop stuff. No icons, search bar, anything. Can someone please help me out? Im on the downstairs computer. and the one upstairs is the one with the problem. It is a windows xp.
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1 response

xpcman Posts 19528 Registration date Wednesday October 8, 2008 Status Contributor Last seen June 15, 2019 1,824
Mar 16, 2009 at 01:07 PM
A number of virus programs can cause this problem. You might be able to get the desktop by going through the Task Manager screen.

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
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