[lxcoxl]

Recently, I had these Aurora pop up ads, along with adware.exe, and elitebar and i don't know what else... i tried getting rid of it, but I couldn't. Then as I was running a spyware removal program, my taskbar disappeared including the icons on my desktop.

Therefore, I had no choice but to remove the main switch from my computer. The next day, when I turned on my computer, I had the main log in page (I have Windows XP). Once I clicked on my account, there was nothing there. I only see the mouse icon and my desktop background without a taskbar, or icons..... nothing.

Please me, I am so scared! I think I'm going to have to get a new computer, just because of this ! And that computer is brand new! By the way, i'm using my other computer right now, just in case you wanted to know how I got here. Please help me please!!! Thank you so much...

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welcome lxcoxl

First of all don't worry overly much. Your computer is prob, ok. If you use Windows you learn to deal with crashed computers and if you use the internet you have to learn to deal with "malware"--stuff like spyware, viruses, trojan horses and the like.

Will your computer boot up into safe mode? See http://www.microsoft...t_failsafe.mspx
if you don't know what safe mode is or how to boot into safe mode. If it will I would try the Last Known Good Configuration optition.

Try this first and post a reply here letting us know whether or not you can boot into safe mode or whether the Last Known Good Configuration option helped.

If you still are having problems we'll try something else.

But please don't stress we are here to help. Almost certainly one of us will solve your problem. I use win 98 mostly, but if I can't solve your problem some here more knowledgable about XP can?

For the record which spyware removal program were you running when your desktop crashed?

[StarHawk]

welcome lxcoxl

First of all don't worry overly much. Your computer is prob, ok. If you use Windows you learn to deal with crashed computers and if you use the internet you have to learn to deal with "malware"--stuff like spyware, viruses, trojan horses and the like.

Will your computer boot up into safe mode? See http://www.microsoft...t_failsafe.mspx
if you don't know what safe mode is or how to boot into safe mode. If it will I would try the Last Known Good Configuration optition.

Try this first and post a reply here letting us know whether or not you can boot into safe mode or whether the Last Known Good Configuration option helped.

If you still are having problems we'll try something else.

But please don't stress we are here to help. Almost certainly one of us will solve your problem. I use win 98 mostly, but if I can't solve your problem some here more knowledgable about XP can?

For the record which spyware removal program were you running when your desktop crashed?

[lxcoxl]

Hi StarHawk,

Thank you for replying. I was running the AutoUpdate removal when it crashed.
I just tried the Safe Mode and Last Good Configuration, but it still ended up with just a desktop image with no icons and no taskbar. Is there anything else that I can do?


By the way, please bare with me. I don't know too much about computers.

Edited by lxcoxl, 08 May 2005 - 10:44 AM.

[StarHawk]

I am trying Bro or is that sister either way i have found lots of other people posting similar problems on online forums. I don't know much about XP as I don't use it or really even like it. I was hoping someone who knows more would answer.

A few questions

Does CTRL ALT DEL all pressed together bring up the Windows task manager?

Can you enter safe mode by choosing the other options? If so do you have taskbar and desktop icons?

Do you have an antivirus program? if so which one?

have you ever used a program called F-Nimda?

Do you use Spybot Search and destroy and/or lavasoft's Ad-Aware?

Do you have XP installation CD? If not do you have the "cab" files stored locally on your machine? If you are not sure post here saying that you don't know.

If you can enter safe mode and do have taskbar then try the following

Use system restore for directions see http://www.microsoft...temrestore.mspx

run your antivirus program. Do you have an antivirus rescue disk? if so and you can't run your anti virus program try your antivirus rescue disk.

If Spybot S & D is installed run it and if ad-aware is installed run it also.

Note let your antivirus, Spybot S&D and Ad-Aware check for updates first before running them.

[Metallica]

Hi lxcoxl,

Can you copy the part in bold below into notepad and save it to floppy as smitfraud.reg

REGEDIT4

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoActiveDesktop"=dword:00000001

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\
Explorer]
"NoActiveDesktop"=dword:00000001

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System]
"NoDispAppearancePage"=-
"Wallpaper"=-
"WallpaperStyle"=-
"NoDispBackgroundPage"=-

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoActiveDesktopChanges"=-

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop]
"Wallpaper"=-
"WallpaperStyle"=-

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Colors]
"Background"="0 78 152"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\Run]
"notepad.exe"=-
"notepad2.exe"=-
"winlogon.exe"=-
"paint.exe"=-

Put that floppy in the computer with the problem after it's booted.
Press Ctrl-Alt-Del and Taskmanger will come up.
Show it the way to the regfile.
Execute it and confirm you want to merge it with the registry.

It may take a reboot for it to work.

Let us know,

[lxcoxl]

Does CTRL ALT DEL all pressed together bring up the Windows task manager?
yes

Can you enter safe mode by choosing the other options? If so do you have taskbar and desktop icons?
yes, but without taskbar and desktop icons

Do you have an antivirus program? if so which one?
norton antivirus

have you ever used a program called F-Nimda?
no

Do you use Spybot Search and destroy and/or lavasoft's Ad-Aware?
yes

Do you have XP installation CD? If not do you have the "cab" files stored locally on your machine? If you are not sure post here saying that you don't know.
yes i have the xp installation cd


run your antivirus program. Do you have an antivirus rescue disk? if so and you can't run your anti virus program try your antivirus rescue disk.
I don't have a rescue disk, and i tried running the antivirus program but nothing came up.

thanks everyone for trying to help!

Edited by lxcoxl, 15 May 2005 - 09:35 AM.

[in_texas_dallas]

Hello, this is just quick fix for every Windows problem that is stubborn..

Put your Windows Installation CD and try to repair/reinstall Windows.
If you cannot do this, than you are going to have to restart your computer.
And when your computer restarts, enter the bios. Set CD to boot before the hdd.
Press button to save and exit bios/cmos. The computer will restart, and it should prompt you "Boot From CD". y .... I would say, just completely reinstall windows.

VERY IMPORTANT... As soon as you finish installing windows, run NAV(if you do new install you may have to reinstall....)
Do the most thorough scan of all your harddrives(My Computer)
Do this until no viruses are detected on you files. The reason is, the symptoms you described sound like a master boot record(don't worry what that is) virus I once had. It is very pernicious and self-replicating.

If nothing else, just replace your hdd, since you say it is new computer.

NOTE: Programs like those free ad-blockers and spyware-removers can cause more problems for your computer than solve. My advice, remove all that b$. And just use your norton. And I think there is another norton product for blockups and other things geared towards protecting you online. Setup a firewall, disable cookies or just make em delete themselves after every session. Make sure your antivirus program is set to autodetect enabled.

Good Luck... Best I can think of

[John_Doe]

Re-installing the OS, would be a last resort. It maybe time for that??

Also, no need to run NAV if you are going to do a fresh install, only if you FORMAT C: and this option will be availble to you.

If you think you have a boot sector virus, before you reinstall the entire OS, you can just rewrite that sector. Unless this virus described in the last reply, makes it impossible for a "FIXMBR"

Just incase you dont know, to access the BIOS, in normal circumstances, keep pressing the "delete" key upon turning your computer on, until you see the screen pop-up

Good Luck

It appear that the STAFF member "Metallica" has seen this problem before and has a registry file fix. I havent seen a problem like this before, so I am anxious to see what happens.

Edited by John_Doe, 16 May 2005 - 10:09 AM.

[in_texas_dallas]

Yeah... Reinstalling OS is last resort..
But I think Repair Windows is an option when you put the Windows disc in.
If you just do a fresh reinstall of windows with the same version of OS it will start the registry off with a clean slate. All your files will still be there. Usually doesn't affect files. BUT, ANY PROGRAMS YOU HAVE MUST BE REINSTALLED. IT CLEARS THE REGISTRY BASICALLY TO WHAT YOU HAD WHEN THE COMPUTER WAS NEW. CLEAN SLATE. The programs will still be in their folders, just nothing in the start menu and nothing in the registry.

Sometimes viruses are in the MBR. I think NAV scans MBR.

If there is a registry fix. I would definitely try that.

Keep posted to see if problem fixed.

No, I don't think you have to buy new computer. Don't stress out.

Important to be careful of programs that are sometimes more hurtful than helpful.