Results 1 to 10 of 10

Thread: Win XP icons "disappeared"

  1. #1
    Registered User Clive Long's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    London-innit
    Posts
    1,467
    Rep Power
    11

    Win XP icons "disappeared"

    Weird behaviour today on my XP machine.

    Roday I started up my slow but steady Win XP Pro SP2 laptop

    All the application launch icons on my task bar have disappeared.

    A config file I had recently created for an application has "disappeared".

    The Internet Explorer short-cut has disappeared.

    All (most?) applications still seem to be there.

    I didn't delete anything in a drunken stupor. There were no error messages, as I recall, when I started the machine telling me that the XP had reverted to some previous configuration.

    Any idea what has happened?

    Clive

  2. #2
    Commercial Operator
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Hastings
    Posts
    4,386
    Blog Entries
    2
    Rep Power
    10

    Re: Win XP icons "disappeared"

    To state the ob first, have you tried restarting it?

    Next, has it gone in to safe mode (you norm get that message if it has)?

    Are there more than one account on the machine?

  3. #3
    Registered User Clive Long's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    London-innit
    Posts
    1,467
    Rep Power
    11

    Re: Win XP icons "disappeared"

    Quote Originally Posted by woodface View Post
    To state the ob first, have you tried restarting it?
    Yes
    Next, has it gone in to safe mode (you norm get that message if it has)?
    No
    Are there more than one account on the machine?
    No

  4. #4
    The Gobby one! WittyBird's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    Geekville
    Posts
    6,889
    Rep Power
    13

    Re: Win XP icons "disappeared"

    Sounds like the profile might be corrupt. Simpliest fix is a new Windows profile. Reboot the machine and then login as another user with administrator rights. Create a new temporary account if you cannot recall what the administrator account password is.
    Once the machine has been logged in as another user, rename the folder in C:\Documents and Settings\ that matches your user name. Simply put 001 or something on the end. Then reboot the machine again. Login as yourself once more and you will have a clean profile. Copy across the contents of "My Documents" and other data files from the old profile location to the new one. DO NOT copy the entire profile folder as that could bring corruption across as well.

    HTH

  5. #5
    Commercial Operator StokeBloke's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Stoke-on-Trent
    Posts
    2,366
    Rep Power
    10

    Re: Win XP icons "disappeared"

    Quote Originally Posted by Clive Long View Post
    All the application launch icons on my task bar have disappeared.

    Any idea what has happened?
    Try, right mouse clicking on your Task Bar (anywhere it's blank) from the pop up menu select [Toolbars] and make sure that there is a check mark next to Quick Launch. If there isn't click it to select it to its 'on' status.

    HTH

  6. #6
    The Gobby one! WittyBird's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    Geekville
    Posts
    6,889
    Rep Power
    13

    Re: Win XP icons "disappeared"

    Quote Originally Posted by StokeBloke View Post
    Try, right mouse clicking on your Task Bar (anywhere it's blank) from the pop up menu select [Toolbars] and make sure that there is a check mark next to Quick Launch. If there isn't click it to select it to its 'on' status.
    Might be it.

    Doubt it though it just doesn't disappear like that, it depends what else is missing

  7. #7
    Commercial Operator StokeBloke's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Stoke-on-Trent
    Posts
    2,366
    Rep Power
    10

    Re: Win XP icons "disappeared"

    Quote Originally Posted by WittyBird View Post
    Might be it.

    Doubt it though it just doesn't disappear like that, it depends what else is missing
    When problem solving I always try the most simple solution (like is it plugged in) before getting into the complex stuff. It's a policy that has served me well in the past

  8. #8
    Registered User frodo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Posts
    1,156
    Rep Power
    11

    Re: Win XP icons "disappeared"

    Quote Originally Posted by Clive Long View Post
    Any idea what has happened?
    If you haven't checked it so far, the event log often holds clues as to what went wrong.

  9. #9
    Registered User Clive Long's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    London-innit
    Posts
    1,467
    Rep Power
    11

    Re: Win XP icons "disappeared"

    Quote Originally Posted by StokeBloke View Post
    Try, right mouse clicking on your Task Bar (anywhere it's blank) from the pop up menu select [Toolbars] and make sure that there is a check mark next to Quick Launch. If there isn't click it to select it to its 'on' status.

    HTH
    Yes!

    That was it.

    I certainly didn't disable it though.

    The QuickLaunch icons came back large so I have reset them to small.

    That config file still vaporised - but I can recreate it.

    Can you tell me where to access the log file? Neither Accessories > System Tools nor Control Panel give me access.

    Thanks

    Clive

  10. #10
    Registered User frodo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Posts
    1,156
    Rep Power
    11

    Re: Win XP icons "disappeared"

    Quote Originally Posted by Clive Long View Post
    Can you tell me where to access the log file?
    It should be under "Control Panel"-"Performance and Maintenance"/"Administrative Tools" - Event Viewer.

    Alternatively right click on "My Computer", select "Manage" - the event viewer will be shown as one item in the tree.

    The "System" then the "Application" logs are most likely to hold any relevant events.

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. Class levels: Icons & classifications
    By Gadget in forum Intermediate Corner
    Replies: 9
    Last Post: 6th-October-2006, 10:05 AM
  2. Win XP functionality / configuration
    By Bob in forum Geeks' Corner
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: 9th-January-2006, 12:19 AM
  3. Upgrade Windows ME to Windows XP Home
    By Clive Long in forum Geeks' Corner
    Replies: 28
    Last Post: 8th-November-2005, 12:24 PM
  4. Who is going to win the Rubgy World Cup?
    By Will in forum Chit Chat
    Replies: 53
    Last Post: 16th-February-2004, 12:26 PM
  5. How to Win Competitions!!!
    By Amir in forum Let's talk about dance
    Replies: 31
    Last Post: 18th-January-2004, 05:54 PM

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •