OS: XP Pro
RAM: 256 MB
HD: 40 GB
Net: Dial-up

Hey everyone. Sorry if i broke any forum rules but i have expensive connection and cant really mess around much, (i live in europe )

My desktop wont load. It happened on 12/28/05, then the day after when i booted my comp up, the desktop icons wouldnt load. EVERYTHING works except desktop does not load up, so I browse by Ctrl+Alt+Del > New task > explorer.exe but its hard without desktop icons.

First I tried system restore, and chose a restore point for 12/21/05, when the progress bar was half done, it froze, soo I rebooted. System restore doesnt work for my problem

I then tried running Spybot, Registry mechanic to fix all problems. Many entries were fixed, esp. NewDotNet. But when i rebooted, my problem with the desktop was still present

I dont know if it could have been something i installed. The day before it happened I did install Warez P2P client (if that holds New.Dot.net)

But so far I tried everything, virus scanning/spyware scan/system restore/uninstall all programs on 12/27 ad nothing is working. It is the new year right now (1/1/06 2:00 AM) and I really want to get my comp working good. I would appreciate any smart fella here who can help me out. If I missed anything please just tell me for any other info you would need to know to figure out this issue here.

other notes: I am using my sons account right now, his account is working just fine. We each have our own partition, me Drive F and him Drive C 20 GB each.

Thanks very much.

Try to start the computer in safe mode. Press F8 key at startup and select safe mode and try to scan ur computer with all the virus and spyware cleaning programs u have

b4 all this post HijackThis Log http://www.majorgeeks.com/download3155.html and let our experts take a look at the running programs in ur computer.

Okay, heres the log:

Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.1
Scan saved at 5:00:24 AM, on 1/2/2006
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP2 (6.00.2900.2180)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\aswUpdSv.exe
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashServ.exe
C:\Program Files\iolo\System Mechanic Professional 6\IoloSGCtrl.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\VS7DEBUG\MDM.EXE
C:\Program Files\Analog Devices\SoundMAX\SMAgent.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ZoneLabs\vsmon.exe
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashMaiSv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\wscntfy.exe
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashWebSv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuauclt.exe
C:\WINDOWS\explorer.exe
C:\Program Files\Hijackthis\HijackThis.exe

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page =
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page =
F2 - REG:system.ini: Shell=
O2 - BHO: DAPBHO Class - {0096CC0A-623C-4829-AD9C-19AF0DC9D8FE} - C:\Program Files\DAP\DAPIEBar.dll
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHlprObj Class - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Reader\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy\SDHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {E53CEE00-E8ED-09F4-FC97-BDECDF409BC3} - blank (file missing)
O3 - Toolbar: DAP Bar - {62999427-33FC-4baf-9C9C-BCE6BD127F08} - C:\Program Files\DAP\DAPIEBar.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [avast!] C:\PROGRA~1\ALWILS~1\Avast4\ashDisp.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Zone Labs Client] C:\PROGRA~1\ZONELA~1\ZONEAL~1\zapro.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SystemGuardAlerter] "C:\Program Files\iolo\System Mechanic Professional 6\SystemGuardAlerter.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ioloDelayModule] C:\Program Files\iolo\System Mechanic Professional 6\delay.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\RunOnce: [*Restore] C:\WINDOWS\system32\restore\rstrui.exe -i
O4 - HKLM\..\RunOnce: [SpybotSnD] "C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy\SpybotSD.exe" /autocheck
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [SMSystemAnalyzer] "C:\Program Files\iolo\System Mechanic Professional 6\SMSystemAnalyzer.exe"
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [System Mechanic Popup Blocker] "C:\Program Files\iolo\System Mechanic Professional 6\PopupBlocker.exe"
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [PeerGuardian] C:\Program Files\PeerGuardian2\pg2.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Tracks Eraser Pro] C:\Program Files\Acesoft\Tracks Eraser Pro\te.exe min
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MSMSGS] "C:\PROGRAM FILES\MESSENGER\msmsgs.exe" /background
O8 - Extra context menu item: &Download with &DAP - C:\PROGRA~1\DAP\dapextie.htm
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O9 - Extra button: Research - {92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\REFIEBAR.DLL
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O20 - AppInit_DLLs: MsgPlusLoader.dll
O23 - Service: avast! iAVS4 Control Service (aswUpdSv) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\aswUpdSv.exe
O23 - Service: AutoComplete Service (Autocomplete) - Acesoft - C:\Program Files\Acesoft\Tracks Eraser Pro\delautocomp.exe
O23 - Service: avast! Antivirus - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashServ.exe
O23 - Service: avast! Mail Scanner - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashMaiSv.exe" /service (file missing)
O23 - Service: avast! Web Scanner - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashWebSv.exe" /service (file missing)
O23 - Service: iolo System Guard (IOLO_SRV) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\iolo\System Mechanic Professional 6\IoloSGCtrl.exe
O23 - Service: SoundMAX Agent Service (SoundMAX Agent Service (default)) - Analog Devices, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Analog Devices\SoundMAX\SMAgent.exe
O23 - Service: TrueVector Internet Monitor (vsmon) - Zone Labs Inc. - C:\WINDOWS\system32\ZoneLabs\vsmon.exe

Please help me out. Sicne it happened on 12/28, I had to browse using command lines from Task manager, like a damn old 1980s MAC and its really annoying. This has just been making my life hell, and my son (a really smart computer punk) couldnt figure it out either

There are lots of programs running at the startup I fear theres an unwanted service running which is creating delay in desktop

Just try this and see if it works or not

click on Start-Run and type 'msconfig' without quotes-ok

click on services tab and click disable all.

This will disable all the services but don't panic u can enable them by following the same procedure.

Now restart the computer.

If this time the desktop icons load quickly it means some unwanted services is running.

Ok, I did that. It didn't solve the problem. My desktop icons still wont load. I dont think its because of the services, the latest service I got was that Acesoft Tracks eraser thing, and that was since a month ago and everything worked fine.

This is the weirdest computer problem I ever had. I mean, EVERYTHING works except the desktop wont load. I can access everything thru Task manager (very annoying) and everything runs perfect. It's just this damn desktop thing. I wonder what could cause this? It couldn't be the program I got on 12/27, (P2P Warez client) because I did a system restore and it was half done to remove *some* changes including the new programs installed and deleted documents.

What could it be?

As u have Windows XP u could attempt a repair, if u have got ur XP SP2 CD. Repairing doesnt delete any data, but solves many problems such as these

I think its a pretty big hassle for me to try all that for a simple problem like this one. I'm sure it can be fixed easily but im a newbie so I dont know. Thanks for your attention and for trying to help me. It would be great if you asked more people you know and see if they have any ideas. Please!

Thanks.

anything? anyone? please!

ok

by the way. Using my Windows XP CD and repairing didn't work. I just realized the version I have is different than the one on the CD. Damn!

This is the strangest computer problem i've come across. I wonder if anyone else had the same problem as me? Everything works except desktop don't load?