Help---**** No Desktop when loggin into W2K 3

[PalmIdiot]

I log into a laptop, both on and off the network, when I log in I see a very small box flash in the top left hand corner and than no desktop loads. If I hit CTRL+ALT+DEL, I get access to the task box, I can enter the task manager and browser my drive, and everything on the screen looks fine and normal sized, however there is still no desktop/icons. I have tried creating new profiles, however, they all show up with no desktop. Has anyone seen this or have any idea why it may be happening??? Thanks for any help or advice.

 

[jc1305]

Try right-clicking on your desktop. On the menu, put the cursor over Active Desktop. There is most likely no checkmark next to Show Desktop Icons. Click Show Desktop Icons and the problem should be fixed.

Regards,
JC1305

 

[PalmIdiot]

I cannot right click on the desktop. The only way I can get to tasks is to CTRL+ALT+DLT. If I try to start a new task and run c:\ my desktop appears. Soemthing very weird about htis.

 

[jc1305]

No, I'm afraid that I haven't encountered that specific problem, so I don't know the best way to fix it.

 

[PalmIdiot]

It appears as though it is no loadin windows up all the way. I tried to do a work around and add a statement to the registry, but it never ran it from the RUN statement.

 

[tyriker]

I'm having the exact same problem with my laptop. You logon to Windows 2000, little box appears in the upper left corner and goes away, and then...no icons, no taskbar, nothing. The only way to do anything is CTRL-ALT-DEL and run programs though the task manager. I updated my virus definitions and found there were 7 viruses on my machine. I used Norton Antivirus to scan and the viruses were simply called TROJAN HORSE and IRC TROJAN. They infected various temp files, but mainly explorer.exe in the WINNT\SYSTEM32. I'm guessing thats where my problem is and so is yours. Sorry, but I haven't been able to fix it yet. I imagine I will have to simply replace the explorer.exe file with one not infected, because Norton can't fix it. Let me/us know anyone knows how to fix this.

 

[PalmIdiot]

Thanks for the tip, I am runnign the virus prtection now. I will let you know what I find. Also let me know if you ahve any luck fixing it!

 

[PalmIdiot]

The explorer.exe in the winnt\system32 is the trojan horse, jsut delete it and you are in business!!

 

[tyriker]

Thanks for the update! I've been reading about how to remove them and basically it does say just to delete the infected files and delete any references in the registry. Check

http://www.symantec.com

or another security site for exact directions. BTW, I think you mean explore.exe is the Trojan, not explorer.exe. I made the same mistake too when I saw it at first. I'm pretty sure explorer.exe is a windows file, and explore.exe is the trojan. Thanks!

 

[PalmIdiot]

The odd thing about this is that I am using Norton SystemWorks with the latest DAT files and my virus protection is not picking up any viruses.

 

[tyriker]

Ok, get this...I've removed all viruses or trojans, or whatever that were on my laptop. I can now scan with Norton, with virus definitions updated yesterday, and I get no found viruses. But I still don't get a desktop (no taskbar or icons or anything).

So I'm messing around in the WINNT folder, and I try to open WINNT\Tasks through the task manager. I run it, and the taskbar and icons pop up on the desktop (like they should), and an error pops up saying "Cannot find the file '/idlist,:0:888,C:\WINNT\Tasks' (or one of its components). Make sure the path and filename are correct and that all required libraries are available." I get curious about this and restart and using the task manager, try to open "C:\". Again, taskbar and icons pop up, and I get the same error, except "cannot find file '/idlist,:0:872,C:\'.

Does anyone know what is going on? What program is looking for '/idlist', or what does that message mean? I've tried turning the logon process off and restarting, and still got the same results. Thanks.

 

[PalmIdiot]

I got the same error yesterday when I tried to run c:\ from the task manager. What you need to do is goto your winnt\system32 dir. There is an EXPLORER.EXE file in there that is about 528k in size, that is your virus. The true explorer.exe is in your winnt dir. If you delete the explorer.exe file that in in winnt\system32, your problem will be resolved. It worked for me on two laptops.

 

[tyriker]

Thanks so much!!! My laptop works like normal again! Thanks!

 

[Mattb7]

I just went through the some exact thing last week. I ended up re-installing windows. Microsoft does talk about a similar problem on their website, but doesnt mention the little box in the corner. I thought maybe I was just seeing things. I also scanned for viruses and found a couple, but they were mostly Klez, which I have dealt with before and have never seen it do anything like this. It was driving me freaking crazy so instead of pulling out all my hair i just reinstalled.

 

[Mattb7]

Sorry palmidiot i should have read your last post before writing mine. Anyway, do you know what virus it is? I would be interested to know what is being said about it because it doesnt seem to be very widespread yet, but it is going to cause havock if it does get spread.

 

[PalmIdiot]

To be honest with you, my norton system works never picked the file or any other file up as a virus. I was just going through things and noticed the file and realized it was out of place. I haven't reported it to Norton yet. I have read some things about a similar trojan horse virus the plants a fake exploer.exe however it usually has additional virus files, that my system didn't have. I can tell you that this happened to a second computer in my office, so it is being spready via some format. I have not really had much time to play around with the file to try and determine what it does, besides not loading the desktop and the other negative effects we have seen and mentioned in this thread.

 

[Mattb7]

Thanks, let me know if you find out any more about it.

 

[BDW1969]

Thanks you guys I just ran into the same problem and this worked great!

 

[ladyhawke1]

I had the same problem...got the little box in the upper left corner and then nothing at all.

I followed your directions to delete the file, but found that I couldn't. Kept telling me the file was in use. I tried deleting it from DOS and from windows...then I noticed a small monitor like icon next to my start button that shouldn't have been there...so I deleted it..

Still couldn't delete the file, so I did the next best thing. I renamed it to something else with no extension...

Rebooted the machine and everything is back the way it should be. Windows is running fine now..desktop comes up with no problems...

 

[Mattb7]

Hey lady, your problem seems slightly different, at least from thde one I had. When my PC started, there was nothing on the desktop. From the sounds of it you at least had your tool bar with the start button, right? Maybe it is the same thing just a different strand or something.