Pc mad with me?

Bushboy

Hi there,

Wonder if anyone knows the problem I've got.

I cannot see any of my desktop icons,Start menu,taskbar, at all.
Once the pc is started ( after at least 5 minutes ) I can see the desktop wallpaper and that's it.

If I right-click no menu is shown, left click nothing, I'm stuck!

I had previously had Norton AV on trial 3 month period which was great.
Once that ran out I tried to install AVG from a cd-rom but had problems installing the updates and the pc seem to slow down very quickly after that ( logging on and off was taking about 5-10 mins )

So I tried another AV ( Mcafee ) from a cd-rom and tried to log on to the net ( I'm on dial-up ) to update the latest upgrades but seemed to get nowhere.
Have I been hit by a virus?

I run Firefox browser, and had Spybot S&D.

The pc is only 6 months old and there aren't a lot of files on it at all.
Does anyone have any suggestions as what the problem is or what my next step should be?
Any help will be greatly appreciated. ( sorry for the long post )

Thanks

ABH_3

Bushboy wrote:

Hi there,

Wonder if anyone knows the problem I've got.

I cannot see any of my desktop icons,Start menu,taskbar, at all.
Once the pc is started ( after at least 5 minutes ) I can see the desktop wallpaper and that's it.

If I right-click no menu is shown, left click nothing, I'm stuck!

I had previously had Norton AV on trial 3 month period which was great.
Once that ran out I tried to install AVG from a cd-rom but had problems installing the updates and the pc seem to slow down very quickly after that ( logging on and off was taking about 5-10 mins )

So I tried another AV ( Mcafee ) from a cd-rom and tried to log on to the net ( I'm on dial-up ) to update the latest upgrades but seemed to get nowhere.
Have I been hit by a virus?

I run Firefox browser, and had Spybot S&D.

The pc is only 6 months old and there aren't a lot of files on it at all.
Does anyone have any suggestions as what the problem is or what my next step should be?
Any help will be greatly appreciated. ( sorry for the long post )

Thanks

It sounds a little like you have activated Active Desktop:

"How to enable\disable active desktop"
http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000593.htm
http://www.alegsa.com.ar/N/i60/Desktop%20background%20problem.php

You could try the above and see if it solves the problem.

But this is purely a guess, my advise would be to goto Start\Control Panel - Add&Remove Programs, then uninstall the programs that you have installed. Ie: McKaffee, AVG etc. Upto the point when your system worked as you intended it to work. Uninstall each one in turn, then reboot your computer after the uninstall process has completed. At some point you should get back to where you wish to be. If you don't then you could always try System Restore: http://www.windowsreinstall.com/install/winxp/howto3/lauchsystemrestore.htm and choose a date when the computer last worked as it should do.

If you don't feel competent to do this on your own, then find someone who knows about "computers" ie: friend\relative to lend a hand. Or alternatively, visit a local computer shop and have them do it.

HTH

GreenNotM

Hi Bushboy - did you un-install the previous AV's, you have not said - but having 3 competing AV's would slow you down - see above for removal.

Can you get to Task Manager ( press Ctlr + Alt + Del keys all together ) and see on the Processes Tab what process is running the highest CPU %

albertross_2

try going in to task manager, new task, explorer

or startup in safe mode.

or a system restore:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/helpandsupport/learnmore/systemrestore.mspx

Bushboy

Thanks for all your help peeps!

I had performed a Ctrl,Alt,Del and looked at Processes last week but when I clicked "End Processes" the message came up saying I can damage the system etc, so I didn't want to do it.
But last night I did, and it worked, having the 3 AV's running was quite stupid of me but I've learnt my lesson!

My girlfriend had told me to do end the processes but her IT knowledge is worse than mine and being the Alpha male I dismissed her input.
I mean who listens to women anyway! ( only kiddin )

So have also uninstalled the AVG and Mcafee and will buy Norton AV which is what I should have done in the first place.
Will stay offline until then.

Thanks again. :beer: