Member Avatar for Boeingman

Whenever I open my laptop, a Windows 7 HP Mini, all I see is my desktop background with no icons, task bar, or anything. When I right click, nothing happens. The only time I see something is when I "Alt+Space", which is useless. I can't even press Ctrl+Alt+Delete. When I try to turn it off and turn it back on, it takes me back to the desktop screen, once again with no icons or anything. Any ideas of how to fix this?Thanks!

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by arquimedes

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This looks like the desktop shell isn’t loading (or the user profile/config got damaged) rather than a hardware problem. As noted it began while uninstalling Skype, so an interrupted uninstall or a bad shell extension is plausible. The quick fixes already suggested — restarting the shell (as and noted) and trying Safe Mode / Startup Repair (as recommended) — are good first checks. If those only give a temporary recovery, try the steps below.

Try a System Restore next: boot to the Windows Recovery/repair environment (use your OEM recovery key or a Windows repair disk), choose System Restore and pick a restore point dated before the Skype uninstall. This is non-destructive to personal files and often fixes shell-related failures caused by recent changes.

Repair core system files with System File Checker from an elevated command prompt (inside Windows or from recovery tools):

sfc /scannow

If SFC reports errors it cannot fix, run it from the recovery environment or follow with a repair install.

Check whether the problem is a corrupted user profile by creating a temporary administrator account and logging into it. From an elevated command prompt you can create one (example):

net user RepairUser MyP@ssw0rd /add
net localgroup administrators RepairUser /add

If the new account shows the desktop normally, migrate your data to that account or repair the original profile.

If none of the above helps: run an offline antivirus/rescue scan (malware can replace the shell), inspect third‑party shell extensions in Safe Mode, and carefully check the Winlogon shell setting in the registry (backup the registry first). As a last resort consider an in‑place Repair Install or OEM recovery — but back up important files first (use recovery media or a Linux/USB rescue environment to copy data if needed). Reporting any error messages from SFC or Event Viewer will narrow the cause.

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Member Avatar for JorgeM

Try powering off the computer, turning it back on, but booting Windows in Safe Mode instead and see if there is a difference.

When did this start happening.. After you installed something?

Member Avatar for Boeingman

It didn't make a difference at all :( This started when I was trying to uninstall Skype but it kept on freezing so I had to open task manager to close it. After constantly trying to end the task by clicking rapidly, it finally disappeared, everything with it.

Member Avatar for sebastianedu

I think your leptop unable to load all the data , you have need to increase the ram size .

Member Avatar for aVar++

Ok. When you have you have your windows background screen, press windows key + r. If a window pops up then, type cmd and then type in that "explorer.exe" and see if that does anything. Also from ctrl+alt+delete screen go to the task manager and see if explorer.exe is running.

Member Avatar for saharnaseer

how can install the window 7?

Member Avatar for aVar++

You need to buy the windows 7 installation disk.

Member Avatar for shdwmage

If you can give us the actual model number of your computer there may be a way to restore the computer using the basic disk.

A few things to try in the mean time:
1. When your computer first turns on click F8 on the top of the keyboard repeatedly until the safe mode prompt comes up. Select start up repair and run automatic. Let this run and see if it fixes your computer issue.
2. If that doesn't work press the F8 key and boot to the safemode command prompt only. type chkdsk /f and hit enter, it will probably prompt you if you want to do this on next reboot. Hit "y" and enter if it does. Type exit to reboot the machine.
3. When your computer first comes up hit "ctrl" + "shift" = "esc" all at the same time and see if it brings up the task manager.

Member Avatar for arquimedes

Do the following: Press CTRL+ShIFT+ESC. In the Window that appear, locate the bottom New Task. Press it. Then, write Explorer.exe and press OK. This will solve your problem!

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