XP Home - no start button, task bar messed up

[jakkwb]

Hello folks,

I was finishing up a "system tune-up" on a machine (Virus removal, spyware removal, Windows update, etc...)

Now system looks clean and runs good. Got to the last step, where I run cleanup! to dump all temp files and others.

When I reboot, start button is gone. Taskbar is not functioning properly. Ctrl-Alt-Del does not work. I can use the Windows key on KB, but all start button icons are gone. Also the only thing viewable in start menu is all programs. Everything in there is working, just no icons.

Some other info - during the Windows update, I was installing SP2. Well it died for some reason (I didn't write the error message down) and it reverted back to original (or so it says).

Any ideas? I have tried to use the nodesktop.reg (from Kellys-korner-xp) fix, but it will not install - it says "the application failed to start because the application configuration is incorrect"

I have re-downloaded it and tried to install several times, but same results every time.

I can still get online with this machine, for what that's worth....

Also, hijackthis log looks clean, but I can post it if anyone wants to see it.

A

[Ahcoraj]

Did you try creating an new user and see if it affects it to? your NTuser.dat may be damaged.....

[jakkwb]

Yah - forgot to mention that I tried that. It does the same thing.

[Ahcoraj]

What all did you dump in the cleanup? can you use system restore to get back to a day when everything was working?

[jakkwb]

No. I always turn restore off for my clean-ups, that way the user won't recreate all the problems again.

The cleanup! program dumps:

Recycle bin contents
all temp files (bak, chk, tmp, index.dat)
cookies
prefetch files

here is the web page for more details:

http://www.stevengould.org/software/.../download.html

I have used it numerous times with no problems like this.

A

[NooNoo]

from your cleanup link

Known issues/bugs:

Under some - not all - configurations of Windows XP enabling the option "Scan local drives for temporary files" can result in some required system files being deleted. This has been identified as a problem for Microsoft Office 2003 users. [Solution: disable this option.]

And by the sounds of it, you have not properly applied sp2. ... that would also need to be applied properly.

In future, I would suggest you clean out these files by hand.

[TripleRLtd]

And by the sounds of it, you have not properly applied sp2. ... that would also need to be applied properly.

Exactly my thought.

[jakkwb]

Well, this PC does not have any type of Office app on it.

Should I go ahead and try to reinstall XP SP2? I think I will...

[MobilePCPhysician]

I would do a repair install first, then apply sp2.

[jakkwb]

Well this is a HP Pavilion. I don't think I can do a repair install with the HP recovery CD's (If it is possible, please tell me how).

I'm sure I could use an OEM or retail XP CD, but I don't want to risk losing any info in the user account or whatever. But if anyone thinks it will work without any probs, let me know.

Thanks,

A

[NooNoo]

umm back it up first?
image it?
copy the customer files and profiles
And HP's have a non destructive option on most models.

[slgrieb]

Depends on the HP model. Might post it for us just to be safe, but newer models have a restore partition and program that can be accessed by pressing F10 at startup, and the default restore option is non-destructive. Basically, just a repair installation of Windows.