XP - Can Not Find Any References To My Computer

[Kevsim]

No matter where I look there is no reference to My Computer.
I also found all references to Windows Explorer are missing.
I looked at C:\Windows\Explorer.exe and created a shortcut for the Desktop but when I press this My Documents open and still no reference to My Computer or any drives.

I wanted to install some programes to check for virus, trojan's, malware, spyware etc, but have no way to recognize
My memory stick.

I would appreciate some assistance to resolve this problem.
kevsim

 

[goombawaho]

So, if you right click on the desktop, choose PROPERTIES, then choose DESKTOP, then choose Customize Desktop, and then click the MY COMPUTER box (to show it on the desktop) and click on on OK to get out - you don't get a functioning My Computer link on your desktop??

If not - try a malware scan (with malwarebyte's anti-malware) and then an SFC /SCANNOW.

 

[vacunita]

[ol]
[li]What happens when you open up explorer? Do you not get a side panel with options? Can you go to View->Explorer Bar-> and click on the "Folders" option. Does that bring up the folder tree on the left side of explorer?[/li]

[li]If it does is My compute not one of the tree branches there?[/li]

[li]Alternatively Pressing the Folder UP icon until you get to the Desktop should in most cases show a My Computer Icon for you to click. [/li]

[li]Does this behavior occur in safe mode as well?[/li]
[/ol]

----------------------------------
Phil AKA Vacunita
----------------------------------
Ignorance is not necessarily Bliss, case in point:
Unknown has caused an Unknown Error on Unknown and must be shutdown to prevent damage to Unknown.

Behind the Web, Tips and Tricks for Web Development.

http://behindtheweb.blogspot.com/

 

[cdogg]

The important thing to ask first and foremost is whether or not this is a workstation that has been locked down by group policy, local policy, or some other security application. Are you logging in with administrative rights on the computer?

If you can get Windows Explorer to open, there's no reason you shouldn't be able to see My Computer unless there is a security restriction in place or the PC is infected with something.

~cdogg
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Einstein
[tab][navy]For posting policies, click [/navy]here.

 

[goombawaho]

Yeah - CDogg's suggestion should be first because if it's locked down, you're done.

 

[Kevsim]

Thank you all for the info.
The computer is not a workstation and I had already run SFC without any problems
As mentioned earlier there were no references to My Computer or Windows Explorer.
In Start/All Programs/Accessories, Windows Explorer was missing.
Somebody had been playing around as My Computer was renamed to something else and had the icon changed, Windows Explorer had been deleted from the Accessories menu along with some other items.
I have now renewed the shortcut in Accessories, fixed the other items, renamed back to My Computer and changed the icon back.
kevsim

 

[linney]

I wonder whether it is worth running System Restore and reverting back to before your machine was tampered with? There might be other tricks played on you, and your machine, that you haven't discovered yet.

 

[goombawaho]

Advice: whoever that person was - give them a good tongue lashing and don't let them back on your PC. That's a bunch of B.S. they did to you.

 

[Turkbear]

Hi,
Your experience reinforces the need to have a strong password set for any user account with the power to screw things up, and especially for the admin account
How did that person get access?





To Paraphrase:"The Help you get is proportional to the Help you give.."

 

[ANFPS26]

This is when Windows Steady State might have helped.

Jim

 

[cdogg]

Also here's a thought...

Can you get Task Manager to run? You can try right-clicking on the taskbar or pressing CTRL-SHIFT-ESC. If so, take a few minutes to google the name of each process running. See if one or more are suspect and kill 'em.

Also you might want to try creating another local Administrative account and log into that instead of your own. Maybe it's just your profile that's hosed.

~cdogg
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Einstein
[tab][navy]For posting policies, click [/navy]here.

 

[Kevsim]

Thank you all for the input,
Since I fixed those few items described in my post computer running OK.
kevsim