Startup Problem Wallpaper Showing But No Desktop or start menu

[thejewster]

Hi

Please help because this is racking my brains.

When I turn the computer on the wallpaper loads up but no start menu or desktop items. I have tried safe mode and exactly the same happens.

I am using Windows98.

I have tried pressing Ctrl-alt-del and it says that explore.exe is running.

Can anyone help.

Thanks

Jewster

[GaryRouth]

It's important that you check the spelling carefully. If you see explorer.exe - that is likely a Windows file. If you see explore.exe - you likely have a virus, possibly one of the Gaobot worms. Here's what the well-known Task List over at Answers That Work has to say about this process running on a system: "You have the W32.Gaobot.ADW virus, or one of the many other viruses which use this task name".

And anytime in the future you need a resource to identify otherwise unknown processes running on your system, visit their list:
http://www.answersthatwork.com/Taskl...tasklist_e.htm

Here's the Symantec webpage with information on the Gaobot worm, along with removal instructions. You'll need to see if your computer can boot into Safe Mode [try tapping the F8 key while the system powers up]. If you can get to Safe Mode, you'll need to disable System Restore, and run a complete system "thorough" antivirus scan - if you happen to have Norton Antivirus, you can follow their detailed intructions on the webpage the link below points to:
http://securityresponse.symantec.com...aobot.adw.html

If your AntiVirus is from another vendor, you may want to check their website for their removal suggestions. I am assuming you have some sort of antivirus protection.

If the system won't boot from the hard drive at all, and you have a recent Norton version, you can boot the system from the Norton CD and run an Emergency scan. Check the manual or website for details on how to use recent virus definitions while using the method (usually you download the recent definitions to a floppy & point to them to start the scan). Other vendors have their customers create Emergency Boot Disks for just this sort of thing, too.

Best of luck
. . . Gary

[ ... If you've been doing without any antivirus protection at all, AVG gets along well with older machines running Windows 98. Some of the other major brands are better for newer machines running Win2000 or WinXP. AVG has a free-for-personal-use version available for download at http://www.grisoft.com ]

[thejewster]

Hi

Thanks for the reply.

I typed it in incorrectly it actually says explorer

Thx

Jewster

[GaryRouth]

Quick Fix try:
1) boot the computer from your Windows 98 CD (you may have to change the boot order in your Bios Setup screens to have the CD-ROM as the 1st boot option). If you don't have a Windows CD, try a bootdisk floppy - you can get one from http://www.bootdisk.com - If booting from the Win98 CD, select "Start Computer with CD-rom support".
2) at the command prompt, type "scanreg/restore" without the quotes, and select a date from the list that is earlier than the disappearing desktop trouble

Once you get your desktop back, might run a full system "thorough" antivirus/antispyware scan just to be sure something wasn't altering your system files.

See how that goes.
. . . Gary