Help with disappearing icons and start menu...

[Tim]

Yeah. A few days ago, I turned my computer on, and everything was normal. After about 20 seconds, all of my desktop icons disappear, along with the start menu at the bottom, leaving only my background. After another 10 or so seconds, everything comes back. After another 15 or so seconds, everything disappears again. And doesn't come back. I have had to open all of my stuff through the Windows Task Manager and it's a pain in the ass. I want my icons and menu back.

[Mister Pigwell]

Go to your task manager and kill off explorer then run explorer.exe for a quick fix.

Beyond that you may have a virtual memory problem or even a number of other minor annoyances that can add up to this sort of issue.

[Tim]

Aug 2, 2008 17:30:10 GMT -5 Mister Pigwell said:

Go to your task manager and kill off explorer then run explorer.exe for a quick fix.

Beyond that you may have a virtual memory problem or even a number of other minor annoyances that can add up to this sort of issue.

I use Firefox. Or do you not mean Internet Explorer?

[Mister Pigwell]

Nothing to do with your web browser...


Open up your Task Manager.

Choose to end explorer.exe.

That's your desktop device to put simply.

Stay in the task manager window and click on file ---> run and type in explorer.exe

That'll work as a temp fix when you run across this problem until you're able to identify the real issue with why your virtual memory is screwed or why explorer is screwed or why your system resources are spread so thin.

[Mister Pigwell]

This is of course assuming you haven't done something on the user end of things to cause this with messing with a set options somewhere.

But if it's a VM issue this'll reset the values and you should have the desktop back after just resetting the program.

[Tim]

Aug 2, 2008 18:00:53 GMT -5 Mister Pigwell said:

This is of course assuming you haven't done something on the user end of things to cause this with messing with a set options somewhere.

But if it's a VM issue this'll reset the values and you should have the desktop back after just resetting the program.

I did the explorer.exe thing and it worked, but then explorer.exe disappeared from the Task Manager. It came back, explorer.exe came back.

How would I go about finding out if I did something to mess it up? I didn't, but I think my friends may have done something trying to download something from LimeWire.

[Mister Pigwell]

Aug 2, 2008 18:07:45 GMT -5 Tim said:

Aug 2, 2008 18:00:53 GMT -5 Mister Pigwell said:

This is of course assuming you haven't done something on the user end of things to cause this with messing with a set options somewhere.

But if it's a VM issue this'll reset the values and you should have the desktop back after just resetting the program.

I did the explorer.exe thing and it worked, but then explorer.exe disappeared from the Task Manager. It came back, explorer.exe came back.

How would I go about finding out if I did something to mess it up? I didn't, but I think my friends may have done something trying to download something from LimeWire.

If turning explorer off and on fixed it, it's not an options issue. Personally I have my desktop disabled by choice and run everything through a quicklaunch so I figured you might have messed with something. If resetting explorer.exe fixed it, that means it's a problem on your computer's end somewhere.

What kind of virus and spyware protection do you use?


Something on your computer could be eating your resources.

[Mister Pigwell]

Use AVG Free for your virus needs. It's free, great, and better than any Norton type garbage that may be on your computer already (which for the life of me I can't figure out why people claim they can be safe when running that as their main security scanner). It's straight forward and after updating the definitions you should be fine with just hitting scan. Very simple interface.
For more info please read this.



As for adware and a bunch of other things that could be sapping you dry use Spy-Bot. Again, it's free and VERY effective.
This has a couple steps you need to do in order to get it to work proper like, but it's all explained in a step by step tutorial when you first start it up. Just remember when using it to ~check for updates > download updates > immunize > scan~ in that order. I highly recommend this program. Here's some more info.


Download and use both of those and this should take care of some of your computer issues and will help fix your explorer.exe sapping issue IF it's due to a leak due to some malware of somesort.

[Brandon Walsh is Insane.]

Norton isn't THAT bad.

[Mister Pigwell]

Aug 2, 2008 18:27:11 GMT -5 Brandon Walsh is Insane. said:

Norton isn't THAT bad.

Yes it is.

[Mister Pigwell]

A little maintenance might help you out too.

How often do you defrag?

You should do that after running these scans.

Do you have a registry cleaner?

Run that too if you have one. It'll cost ya but Tuneup 2008 is a godsend for keeping your PC running smooth from registry errors among many other uses. For a free registry cleaner try regscrub. It's barebones compared to Tuneup but it gets the job done.

The 4 tasks I've recommended should work wonders and I'm more than willing to bet it'll fix your issue and prevent others from forming if you do these on at least a monthly basis.

[Tim]

Well, I had Spy Sweeper and Trend Micro AntiVirus, but both subscriptions expired about two weeks ago, how lucky for me.

I'll try your recommendations, thanks for your responses.

[The Wraith]

Aug 2, 2008 18:25:17 GMT -5 Mister Pigwell said:

Use AVG Free for your virus needs. It's free, great, and better than any Norton type garbage that may be on your computer already (which for the life of me I can't figure out why people claim they can be safe when running that as their main security scanner). It's straight forward and after updating the definitions you should be fine with just hitting scan. Very simple interface.
For more info please read this.



As for adware and a bunch of other things that could be sapping you dry use Spy-Bot. Again, it's free and VERY effective.
This has a couple steps you need to do in order to get it to work proper like, but it's all explained in a step by step tutorial when you first start it up. Just remember when using it to ~check for updates > download updates > immunize > scan~ in that order. I highly recommend this program. Here's some more info.


Download and use both of those and this should take care of some of your computer issues and will help fix your explorer.exe sapping issue IF it's due to a leak due to some malware of somesort.

The only thing annoying about AVG nowadays is that it tells me to restart the computer so the updates can take effect, then I do, and it STILL pops up saying to restart. I don't know if I'd be the only one with that problem.

[Mister Pigwell]

Well while I'm at it and since you should be cool now I'm gonna hijack this thread and make it a bit of a security step by step for people.

You run FireFox you said, that's very good. Make sure it's updated to the newest version 3.0.1

To add to the security with that make sure you run NoScript (which takes a little educating yourself to run properly) and Adblock+.

So far we have security for virus/spy issues covered.
Registry and maintenance issues covered.
Browser security covered.




Now you need to make sure you're running your windows firewall. That isn't enough tho you need a good one to monitor and keep other crap at bay. My favorite Sygate FireWall is no longer in production so here's the next best thing tho it's still new to me I recommend it. Also it's free, has great advanced features, secure like a mother smurfer, and even comes with a scanner for some malware. COMODO is on my quick list of great products I wish I've known about for a longer period of time.


That's pretty much everything you need.

If you wanna get fancy, go get yourself hijackthis and learn how to use that puppy as well. It'll train you and teach you to keep an eye on how your computer works with processes and give you a bit of control over how what works and where. Not needed, but it's helpful. Also it's free.

[Brandon Walsh is Insane.]

Pretty good information.

I have taken your advice, and have already removed three Trojans from my system.

Norton let me down.