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Lost my Desktop icons

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  • GDudley
    GDudley Posts: 37 Forumite
    Hi
    Things seem to be getting a bit worse !!.
    Now, when I log on in Safe Mode there is no Control Panel to be found anywhere - and I've really looked. This means I can't create another "account", also some of my programs are missing in Safe Mode, MS Word for example. Plus I definitely don't get the Start bar along the bottom.
    I think it's time for me to call it a day guys and get a new Hard Drive, I'm dead afraid of it getting worse and losing what does work ok now.
    So, a big thank's to everyone who chipped in with advice and help, it was very much appreciated, and lets hope England wins.
    Beam me up Scotty.
  • closed
    closed Posts: 10,886 Forumite
    edited 22 June 2010 at 12:31PM
    Get an external usb drive, and backup what you have with disk imaging software. Then once your data is safe, you can look at fixing this problem properly

    Can you still get on the net, and into explorer (ie start menu), in normal mode?
    !!
    > . !!!! ----> .
  • GDudley
    GDudley Posts: 37 Forumite
    Hi "Closed"
    Yes, I can get on the net ok and into Explorer (is that the Start menu?. But I can't get the Start button on screen when I press the windows Start button on the keyboard)
    Can I ask a final question, would it be better to install Windows and all my files onto a new HDD so that I boot up on that, and have my existing drive as a secondary one to migrate my programs over as I need them? or would it be better to just use the new drive for my files and programs and leave Windows on the old drive and boot up with that? hope that makes sense.
    Regards
  • closed
    closed Posts: 10,886 Forumite
    edited 22 June 2010 at 2:19PM
    If you are buying a new internal hdd and have the means to reinstall (ie windows install disc and serial no), then it would be better to install windows on the new disk, and use the original disk as a backup drive, once you have copied the data to the new disk, however extra programs will need to be installed on the new drive. This assumes that your existing drive hardware isn't failing, and the problems you are having are either virus related, or due to logical corruption.

    If the existing disk is ok physically, then you could get a usb drive for backup, and reinstall windows on the internal one once you have your data backed up, slightly more resilient and useful way of doing it, and not much if any difference in cost. You can then use it to backup other pc's if you have one.

    One thing you could do is run chkdsk on the drive, to find out if there are any logical corruptions.
    !!
    > . !!!! ----> .
  • GDudley
    GDudley Posts: 37 Forumite
    Help needed on new topic please.
    Windows XP. Is it possible to password protect my pc so that if it needs to go in for repairs the repairer will have access to the OS but not my files.
    Thanks
  • closed
    closed Posts: 10,886 Forumite
    only if you encrypt it, are you talking about the pc in question, it would be cheaper to do it yourself
    !!
    > . !!!! ----> .
  • GDudley
    GDudley Posts: 37 Forumite
    Hi "Closed"
    I've ordered a Seagate 1T external drive from Amazon and I'm planning to backup my whole c:drive to it before going through the Windows/install/repair process on my c-drive.
    My question did, as you guessed, apply to my current pc. I don't have any !!!!!! etc on my pc but I do have confidential stuff and I would have thought there would be a facility to protect files and folders from someone with prying eyes who logs on as a "guest".
    Regards
  • closed
    closed Posts: 10,886 Forumite
    edited 24 June 2010 at 1:31PM
    If you follow advice here, there is no need to hand it to anyone.

    Encrypting will add another layer of complication, if you encrypt using windows , then reinstall, you wont be able to get at your data, so avoid this. Permissions on folder won't stop anyone getting at your data if they want to.

    Download and install maxblast, and backup to the seagate drive when you get it.
    !!
    > . !!!! ----> .
  • Lil306
    Lil306 Posts: 1,692 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Another option is to install TrueCrypt or something similar of that sort, then encrypt the whole drive :)

    If you DIY it, will cost you next to nothing. If you go to a shop there should be no reason as long as you get referrals from trusted people otherwise DIY. I wouldn't trust any shops to do it, frankly most of them are idiots and secondly I don't trust them :D

    The only true way to secure drives from being scanned is by physical destruction, all data can be cracked eventually, it's just a matter of time, correctly however file encyrption software exists (pointsec, pgp, truecrypt, etc)
    Owner of andrewhope.co.uk, hate cars and love them

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  • GDudley
    GDudley Posts: 37 Forumite
    Thanks Closed & Lil306.
    I'm certainly going to try the DIY route to backup, then "repair" my c:drive, I think (hope) it should be within my capabilities and I can then get my life back together after the time & worry that the damn thing has caused me.
    I also promise myself - again - that I will keep better backups.
    What I'm thinking of doing (after repairing the c:drive) is to have my programs only on the internal c:drive and the content files on the new external drive I'm getting, in that way I could always unplug the external HDD and give the pc to a shop for repair without giving access to confidential info.
    All those "techies" who have taken the time to responded to my problem have been a Godsend. Thank you all
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