Icons, task bar disappears and Windows Explorer does not start

The problem is related to disappearing of desktop icons and task bar on windows startup. In some cases even when the user tries to open windows explorer by new task-option in task-manager the explorer flashes for a second but doesn’t start properly.

Let’s see how can we solve this problem.

Fix:

There are different types of methods which you can follow to repair your windows to show desktop icons properly.

Normally this problem of disappearing of desktop icons caused by the virus called called F-Nimda which creates a file named bxomebc.exe which aborts the windows explorer from starting. But this problem could be due to the corrupted registry also.

 Let’s discuss the possible solutions one by one.

 Firstly before following any of the methods given below download the F-Nimda virus removal tool.

 Method 1:

1. Start Windows XP, after starting press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to launch task manager.

2. Click File menu and select “New Tasks (run…)”

3. Now type CMD and click OK, this will open command prompt.

4. Type following command on command prompt:

Reg add “HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\RpcSs” /v ObjectName /t REG_SZ /d LocalSystem and press enter.

Note: You can also try downloading this registry entry in order to re-enable the showing of your desktop icons. Download from here, double click and press OK button to merge it in registry.

 Method 2:

Start Windows XP, after starting press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to launch task manager.

2. Click File menu and select “New Tasks (run…)”

3. Now type CMD and click OK,this will open command prompt.

4. Type cd %SystemRoot% and press enter.

5. Now rename the file Shdocvw.dll file by typing ren shdocvw.dll shdocvw.old and press enter.

6. Restart windows.

 Method 3:

1.Download this shell fix registry settings from here , merge it into the registry by double clicking the downloaded file and press OK.

2. Download process explorer from here and run it.

3. Locate a process called bxomebc.exe in process explorer, end this process and delete the file from its location (You will get to know the file path by taking mouse over the process).

4. Restart your computer.

We hope at least one of fixes provided above will help you fix the trouble.

source : http://www.troublefixers.com/

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Windows Recovery

How to Use the Microsoft Windows Recovery Console

The Recovery Console is a command-line tool that you can use to repair Windows if the computer does not start properly. You can start the Recovery Console from the Windows Server 2003 CD or at startup if the Recovery Console was previously installed to your computer.Use the Recovery Console if you used the Last Known Good Configuration startup option and it was not successful and you cannot start the computer in Safe mode. Microsoft recommends that you use the Recovery Console method only if you are an advanced user who can use basic commands to identify and locate problem drivers and files. To use Recovery Console, follow these steps: 

Insert the Windows Server 2003 installation CD in your CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive, and then restart the computer.
When you are prompted during text-mode setup, press R to start the Recovery Console.
You can use the Recovery Console to:
Access the drives on your computer.
Enable or disable device drivers or services.
Copy files from the Windows Server 2003 installation CD or copy files from other removable media. For example, you can copy a file that you need that was deleted.
Create a new boot sector and a new master boot record (MBR). You might have to do this if there are problems starting from the existing boot sector.
To Confirm That Your Hard Disk or File System Is Not Damaged
To confirm that your hard disk or file system is not damaged, start your computer from the Windows Server 2003 CD, start the Recovery Console, and then use the Chkdsk command-line utility. This may solve your problem.IMPORTANT Microsoft recommends that only advanced users or administrators use the Recovery Console. You have to know the password for the Administrator account to use the Recovery Console.For additional information about how to test and repair a damaged hard disk by using Chkdsk, see the "Using the Recovery Console and Using the Recovery Console Command Prompt" sections in the following article: 

307654 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307654/ ) How to install and use the Recovery Console in Windows XP Note If Chkdsk reports that it cannot access your hard disk, you may have a hardware failure. Examine all cable connections and any jumper settings on your drive. Contact a computer repair professional, or the manufacturer of your computer for more assistance. If Chkdsk reports that it cannot fix all hard disk problems, your file system or MBR may be damaged or no longer accessible. Try using the appropriate Recovery Console commands, such as Fixmbr and Fixboot, contact a data recovery service, or repartition and then reformat your hard disk.WARNING: If you repartition and reformat your hard disk, you lose all information on the disk. IMPORTANT For more assistance, contact your computer manufacturer or a Microsoft Product Support Services professional. Only qualified personnel should try to repair your computer. If the computer repair is performed by non-qualified personnel, this may nullify your computer's warranty. For additional information about how to Use Recovery Console, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 

326215 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/326215/ ) How to use the Recovery Console on a Windows Server 2003-based computer that does not start



How to Use Automated System Recovery 

To recover from a system failure by using Automated System Recovery (ASR), follow these steps:
Make sure you have the following on hand before you start the recovery procedure:
Your previously created ASR floppy disk.
Your previously created backup media.
The original operating system installation CD.
If you have a mass storage controller and you are aware that the manufacturer has supplied a separate driver file for it (different from the driver files that are available on the Setup CD), obtain the file (on a floppy disk) before you start this procedure.
Insert the original operating system installation CD into your CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive.
Restart your computer. If you are prompted to press a key to start the computer from CD, press the appropriate key.
If you have a separate driver file as described in step 1, press the F6 key to use the driver as part of Setup when you are prompted.
Press the F2 key when you are prompted at the start of the text-only mode section of Setup.You are prompted to insert the ASR floppy disk that you previously created.
Follow the on-screen instructions.
If you have a separate driver file as described in step 1, press F6 (a second time) when you are prompted after the system restarts.
Follow the on-screen instructions.
Notes
ASR does not restore your data files. See Windows Help for more information about backing up and restoring your data files.
If you are restoring a server cluster in which all nodes failed and the quorum disk cannot be restored from backup, use ASR on each node in the original cluster to restore the disk signatures and the partition layout of the cluster disks (quorum and nonquorum). For more information about backing up and restoring server clusters, see Windows Help.
To Create an ASR Disk Set by Using Backup
To use ASR, you must have an ASR disk set. To create an ASR disk set, follow these steps:
Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click Backup. By default, the Backup or Restore Wizard starts, unless it is disabled. You can use the Backup or Restore Wizard to create an ASR disk set by answering All information on this computer in the What do you want to backup? section. Otherwise, you can go to the next step to create an ASR disk set in Advanced Mode.
Click the Advanced Mode link in the Backup or Restore Wizard.
On the Tools menu, click ASR Wizard.
Follow the instructions that appear on your screen.
Notes
You need a blank 1.44 megabyte (MB) floppy disk to save your system settings and media to contain the backup files. If your computer does not have a floppy disk drive, perform an ASR backup on the computer without the floppy disk drive. Copy the Asr.sif and Asrpnp.sif files that are located in the %SystemRoot%\Repair folder to another computer with a floppy disk drive, and then copy those files to a floppy disk.
To perform this procedure, you must be a member of the Administrators or Backup Operators group on the local computer, or you must have been delegated the appropriate authority. If the computer is joined to a domain, members of the Domain Admins group might be able to perform this procedure. As a security "best practice," consider using the Run as command to perform this procedure.
This procedure backs up only those system files that you must have to start your system. You must back up your data files separately.
After you create the ASR set, label this floppy disk and the backup media carefully and keep them together. To use the backup media, you must have the floppy disk that you created with that set of media. You cannot use a floppy disk that you created at a different time or with a different set of media. You must also have your Setup CD available at the time you perform ASR. Keep the ASR set in a secure location. The ASR set contains information about your systems configuration that might be used to cause damage to your system.
If you are backing up a server cluster, run the Automated System Recovery Wizard on all nodes of the cluster, and make sure that the Cluster service is running when you start each ASR backup. Make sure that one of the nodes on which you run the Automated System Recovery Preparation Wizard is listed as the owner of the quorum resource while the wizard is running.
How to Repair Your Installation of Windows

You may be able to repair a damaged Windows Server 2003 installation by running Windows Setup from the Windows CD.To repair your installation of Windows, follow these steps:
Insert the Windows Server 2003 CD in the CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive.
If the Windows CD displays the What would you like to do? menu, click Exit.
Turn off your computer, wait ten seconds, and then turn your computer back on.
If you are prompted to start your computer from the CD, do so.Note You must be able to start your computer from the Windows Server 2003 CD-ROM to run Windows Setup. Your CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive must be configured to do so. For information about how to configure your computer to start from the CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive, see the documentation that is included with your computer, or contact your computer manufacturer.
After Setup starts, press ENTER to continue the setup process.
Press ENTER to select the option To set up Windows now, press ENTER. Do not select the Recovery Console option.
Press F8 to accept the licensing agreement. Setup searches for previous installations of Windows. If Setup does not find a previous installation of Windows Server 2003, you might have a hardware failure.Hardware failures are beyond the scope of this article. See a computer hardware specialist for more help or try the Hardware troubleshooter. For more information about the Hardware Troubleshooter, see the Windows Server 2003 Help topic "Using Troubleshooters."
If Setup does find a previous installation of Windows Server 2003, you may receive the following message:
If one of the following Windows Server 2003 installations is damaged, setup can try to repair it. Use the up and down arrows to select an installation. To repair the selected installation, press R. To continue without repairing, press ESC. Select the appropriate Windows Server 2003 operating system installation, and then press R to try to repair it.
Follow the on-screen instructions to repair the installation. Notes
You might have to change the boot drive sequence in your BIOS settings to successfully start your computer from the Windows Server 2003 CD. Contact the manufacturer of your computer, or see your manufacturer's documentation, for more information.
If you cannot start your computer from the Windows Server 2003 CD, you might have a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive failure or other hardware failure.Hardware failures are beyond the scope of this article. See a computer hardware specialist for more help or try the Hardware troubleshooter. For more information about the Hardware Troubleshooter, see the Windows Server 2003 Help topic "Using Troubleshooters."
After you repair your Windows Server 2003, you may be required to reactivate your copy of Windows Server 2003.
 

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How to Use System Configuration Utility

          System Configuration Utility (Msconfig.exe) automates the routine troubleshooting steps that Microsoft Product Support Services technicians use when they diagnose Windows configuration issues. You can use this tool to modify the system configuration and troubleshoot the problem by using a process-of-elimination method.You must be logged on as Administrator or as a member of the administrative groups to use System Configuration Utility. If your computer is connected to a network, network policy settings may prevent you from using the utility. As a security "best practice," consider using the Run as command to perform these procedures.Note Microsoft strongly recommends that you do not use System Configuration Utility to modify the Boot.ini file on your computer without the help of a Microsoft support professional. Doing so may render your computer unusable.

To Create a Clean Environment for Troubleshooting
Click Start, click Run, type msconfig in the Open box, and then click OK. (To use the Run as command, type runas /user:administrator Path\msconfig.exe in the Open box, and then click OK. ) 
Click the General tab, click Diagnostic startup - load basic devices and services only, click OK, and then click Restart to restart your computer. 
After Windows starts, determine whether the problem still occurs.
To Isolate Problems by Using System Startup Options
Click Start, click Run, type msconfig in the Open box, and then click OK. 
Click the General tab, and then click Selective Startup. 
Click to clear the following check boxes: 
Process SYSTEM.INI FileProcess WIN.INI FileLoad System ServicesYou will not be able to clear the Use Original BOOT.INI check box. 
To test the software loading process, make sure the Load Startup Items check box is selected, and then click OK. 
Restart the computer when you are prompted to do so.
To Isolate Problems by Using Selective Startup Options
Click Start, click Run, type msconfig in the Open box, and then click OK. 
Click the General tab, and then click Selective Startup. 
Click to clear all the check boxes under Selective Startup. You will not be able to clear the Use Original BOOT.INI check box. 
Click to select the Process SYSTEM.INI File check box, click OK, and then restart the computer when you are prompted.Repeat this process and select each check box one at a time. Restart your computer each time. Repeat the process until the problem occurs. 
When the problem occurs, click the tab that corresponds to the selected file. For example, if the problem occurs after you select the Win.ini file, click the WIN.INI tab in System Configuration Utility. 
To Isolate Problems by Using the Startup Tab
The Startup tab lists items that load at startup from the Startup group, Win.ini load= and run=, and the registry. 
Click Start, click Run, type msconfig in the Open box, and then click OK. 
Click the Startup tab. 
Click to clear all check boxes. 
To start troubleshooting, click to select the first check box, click OK, and then restart the computer when you are prompted.Repeat this process and select each check box one at a time. Restart your computer each time. Repeat the process until the problem occurs. 
To Troubleshoot System Services 
Click Start, click Run, type msconfig in the Open box, and then click OK. 
Click the Services tab. 
Make a note of any services that are not selected. IMPORTANT Do not skip this step. You will need this information later. 
Click Disable All, click OK, and then restart your computer. 
Click Start, click Run, type msconfig in the Open box, and then click OK. 
Click the Services tab. 
Click to select the check box of a service to turn it on, and then click OK. 
Restart your computer, and see if the problem occurs. 

Repeat steps 5 through 8 for each service until the problem occurs. When the problem occurs, you will know that the last service you turned on is causing the problem. Make a note of this service, and go to step 10. 

Click Enable All, click to clear the check box next to the faulty service, click to clear the check boxes of any other services you made note of in step 3, click OK, and then restart your computer. As a workaround, you can leave the faulty service turned off (not selected). Contact the manufacturer of the faulty service for more assistance. Note You might be able to determine more quickly which service is causing the problem by testing the services in groups. Divide the services into two groups--select the check boxes of the first group, and clear the check boxes of the second group. Restart your computer, and then test for the problem. If the problem occurs, the faulty service is in the group with the selected check boxes. If the problem does not occur, the faulty service is in the group with the cleared check boxes. Repeat this process on the faulty group until you have isolated the faulty service.

To Troubleshoot the System.ini File
Click Start, click Run, type msconfig in the Open box, and then click OK. 
Click the SYSTEM.INI tab. 
Make a note of any items that are not selected. You might have to expand some items (such as [drivers]) to determine if any sub-items are not selected. IMPORTANT Do not skip this step. You will need this information later. 
Click Disable All, click OK, and then restart your computer. 
Click Start, click Run, type msconfig in the Open box, and then click OK. 
Click the SYSTEM.INI tab. 
Expand all items in the list, click the check box of an item to turn it on, and then click OK. 
Restart your computer, and see if the problem occurs. 
Repeat steps 5 through 8 for each item until the problem occurs.When the problem occurs, you will know that the last item you turned on is causing the problem. Make a note of this item, and then go to step 10. 
Click Enable All, click to clear the check box next to the faulty item, click to clear the check boxes of any other items you made note of in step 3, click OK, and then restart your computer.As a workaround, you can leave the faulty item turned off (not selected). If possible, contact the manufacturer of the faulty item for more assistance. Note You might be able to determine more quickly which System.ini item is causing the problem by testing the items in groups. Divide the items into two groups--select the check boxes of the first group, and clear the check boxes of the second group. Restart your computer, and then test for the problem. If the problem occurs, the faulty service is in the group with the selected check boxes. If the problem does not occur, the faulty service is in the group with the cleared check boxes. Repeat this process on the faulty group until you have isolated the faulty System.ini item.

To Troubleshoot the Win.ini File
Click Start, click Run, type msconfig in the Open box, and then click OK. 
Click the WIN.INI tab. 
Make a note of any items that are not selected. You might have to expand some items (such as [OLFax Ports]) to determine if any sub-items are not selected. IMPORTANT Do not skip this step. You will need this information later. 
Click Disable All, click OK, and then restart your computer. 
Click Start, click Run, type msconfig in the Open box, and then click OK. 
Click the WIN.INI tab. 
Expand all items in the list, click the check box of an item to turn it on, and then click OK. 
Restart your computer, and see if the problem occurs. 
Repeat steps 5 through 8 for each item until the problem occurs.When the problem occurs, you will know that the last item you turned on is causing the problem. Make a note of this item, and then go to step 10. 
Click Enable All, click to clear the check box of the faulty item, click to clear the check boxes of any other items you made note of in step 3, click OK, and then restart your computer.As a workaround, you can leave the faulty item turned off (not selected). If possible, contact the manufacturer of the faulty item for more assistance.Note You might be able to determine more quickly which Win.ini item is causing the problem by testing the items in groups. Divide the items into two groups--select the check boxes of the first group, and clear the check boxes of the second group. Restart your computer, and then test for the problem. If the problem occurs, the faulty service is in the group with the selected check boxes. If the problem does not occur, the faulty service is in the group with the cleared check boxes. Repeat this process on the faulty group until you have isolated the faulty Win.ini item.
To Troubleshoot the Boot.ini File
Only system administrators and advanced users should try to change the Boot.ini file. Steps for troubleshooting Boot.ini are beyond the scope of this article. For additional information, search the Microsoft Knowledge Base. To do this, visit the following Microsoft Web site: 
Microsoft Product Support Serviceshttp://support.microsoft.com (http://support.microsoft.com/)
To Reset System Configuration Utility to Normal Startup
To reset System Configuration Utility to normal startup, follow these steps: 
Click Start, click Run, type msconfig in the Open box, and then click OK. 
On the General tab, click Normal Startup - load all device drivers and services, and then click OK. 
Restart your computer. 

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How to Start the Computer by Using the Last Known Good Configuration

            If the startup problem occurs immediately after you make a change to the computer (for example, after you install a new driver), try to start the computer by using the Last Known Good Configuration feature. When you use the Last Known Good Configuration feature, you start your computer by using the most recent settings that worked. This feature restores registry information and driver settings that were in effect the last time the computer started successfully. Use this feature when you cannot start Windows after you make a change to the computer (for example, after you install or upgrade a device driver). To start the computer by using Last Known Good Configuration, follow these steps: 

Click Start, and then click Shut Down.
Click Restart, and then click OK. 

When you see the message Please select the operating system to start, press the F8 key. 

Use the arrow keys to select Last Known Good Configuration, and then press ENTER. Note NUM LOCK must be off before the arrow keys on the numeric keypad will function.

If you are running other operating systems on the computer, click Microsoft Windows Server 2003 in the list, and then press ENTER.
Notes
By selecting Last Known Good Configuration, you can recover from problems such as a newly added driver that may be incorrect for your hardware. This feature does not solve problems caused by corrupted or missing drivers or files. 

When you select Last Known Good Configuration, only the information in registry key HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet is restored. Any changes you have made in other registry keys remain. 

If you can start your computer by using Last Known Good Configuration, the last change that you made to the computer (for example, the installation of a driver) may be the cause of the incorrect startup behavior. Microsoft recommends that you either remove or update the driver or program, and then test Windows for correct startup. 

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Windows 7 Trouble shooting

WINDOWS 7 Trouble Shooting - View

SYMPTOM / FIX TIPS (See my separate "TROUBLESHOOTING PC's" document for ideas not directly related to WINDOWS 7.)

ANY PROBLEM: Make sure the PC's Date and Time is set correctly. A wrong date can cause a myriad of problems.

AERO AND/OR TRANSPARENCY WON'T WORK: Make sure you have a video card that is

supported by Win7/Vista. If you cannot find a Win7/Vista video driver for your Video card

online, you may have to buy a new video card that has a driver available.

BOOT FAILURE

BOOTLOG:

If booting into Safe Mode works, use msconfig to create a bootlog on the next regular boot.

After failure, boot into safe mode or with a win98 Disk or DOS Disk and look at the bootlog file.

See what the last driver that started was. That driver or hardware device is what is failing.

STARTUP REPAIR: This is a WINDOWS 7 Recovery Tool that can be used to repair some

problems. It is best loaded from a WINDOWS 7 Install DVD. If you do not have one (as is most

common), try loading per the following Microsoft Article:

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/5c59f8c1-b0d1-4f1a-af55-74f3922f3f351033.mspx

RUN CHKDSK FROM INSTALL DVD to scan & fix corrupted sysem files using a Windows 7 Install

DVD. Boot the Win 7 Install DVD and when asked, select Repair. Then when a menu comes up,

select command prompt. Enter chkdsk c: /f /r . If it says volume is locked, add the /x switch.

You can also use a UBCD4WIN BOOT CD, go to a command prompt and enter: chkdsk c: /x /f /r

(Note: When using UBCD4WIN, the main system drive may not be drive "c:". If not, use whatever letter is for the system drive in place of c: in the chkdsk command).

CHKDSK: TO ERROR CHECK THE HARD-DRIVES: Run this on all your hard-drives if you experience

any strange problems. See my WINDOWS 7 TIPS sheet for details on how to run chkdsk.

COMMAND PROMPT. If programs will not run from a Command Prompt, make you you first right-click on the Command Prompt Icon and select " topic above)

DESKTOP ICONS MOVING after reboot or refresh. Apparently this is a bug in WINDOWS 7.

Two tricks to try:

1. Try turning off "Align to Grid: (Right-click on Desktop > View > click on "Align to Grid", to

uncheck it). If you want the Icons lined up nicely again, turn on "Align to grid" and then turn it off

again. (Yes, I know that "Align to Grid" does not cause any problems in XP)

2. Here is a workaround. Download & install a free Utility called "Icon Restore 1.0" from

http://www.download.com/Icon-Restore/3000-2347_4-10163499.html . Then right-click most

any Icon on the Desktop and select "Save Desktop Icon Layout". Then when the bug shows up,

you can restore the Icon positions by right-clicking an Icon and selecting "Restore Desktop Icon

Layout". Not much of a fix but it helps. PS: This download works on all versions of Windows.

EVENT VIEWER

(Control Panel > System and Security. Under "Administrative Tools", click "View Event logs"). Look at both System and Application errors. The event viewer displays all errors detected by Windows 7.

INTERNET EXPLORER 8 (IE8):

Cannot connect to the internet or any strange problems. Try resetting IE back to factory defaults:

Open IE8 > Tools > Internet Options > Advanced Tab > click Reset.

Run as Administrator". See the Command Prompt Icon

Page 1 of 2

On the Reset IE Settings window, select Reset > click OK. When done, click close & restart

IE8.

SLOW TO START: There are problems with IE8 and SpyBot Search & Destroy. On the SpyBot

"Immunize" window, you need to remove all IE protections ending with the words (Domains) or

(Secure Domains). For more details, here is a link to the spybot forums:

http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=48815

MEMORY DIAGNOSTICS TOOL (Control Panel > System and Security > Administrative tools >

Memory Diagnostics Tool).

This Tool tests your RAM.

Click “Restart now and check for problems”. During the Restart, a set of memory tests will run. It could take 30 minutes or more to run. Do not interrupt the process!

When done, it will restart Windows and display test results in the Taskbar Notification Area.

NETWORKING ISSUES (See my separate "NETWORKING TIPS" document).

PING: UNABLE TO PING PC SOMETIMES: (Go to Device Manager > Network Card > properties).

Make sure any power saver modes are OFF

SLOW STARTUP (Slow to Boot):

Hold down the Shift Key while booting. This takes you to a semi-safe (diagnostic mode) mode.

Run msconfig or Starter. Try removing various programs from Startup.

SYSTEM FILE CHECKER : (SFC). This Utility will find missing or corrupt WINDOWS 7 System Files.

You may be required to insert your Windows DVD to continue the program. (Start > Run > enter: SFC

/scannow > OK). If it does not run, go the Command Prompt and run it from there. Note; If it runs successfully, you get no warm fuzzy messages. It just goes away.

SYSTEM HEALTH REPORT

(Control Panel > System and Security > Performance Information and Tools > Advanced Tools). Read the info on this screen and then click "Generate a system health report" . Best run by an Administrator Account.

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Frequently Asked Problems with Solutions

Frequently Asked Problems with Solutions

1. In my windows Task Manager / Registry Editor / Tools -> Folder Options has been disabled. I'm getting warning message that "It has been disabled by Administrator". How can I enable it again?

That's a very common problem for Windows users. Many times when you try to open Task Manager, you find that "Task Manager" option has been grayed out:

Also when you try to run it by typing "taskmgr" in RUN dialog box, Windows shows following error message:

Task Manager has been disabled by your administrator.

There might be 2 possible reasons behind this problem:

• Your system administrator applied the restriction using Registry Editor or Group Policy Editor.
• Your system has been infected with virus and it has disabled the Task Manager.

If you are already the Administrator of the system, then your system is most probably infected. You should follow the instructions given in following topic first:

Is Your System Infected with a Virus / Spyware / Adware / Trojan?

Now if your system in not infected or you have successfully removed the virus, then you can follow these simple steps to enable Task Manager again:

1. Type regedit in RUN dialog box or Startmenu Search box and press Enter. It'll open Registry Editor. If Registry editor is also disabled, then follow instructions given in following tutorial:

How to Enable Tools -> Folder Options and Registry Editor in Windows

2. Now go to following keys one by one:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System
HKEY_USERS\.default\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System

and look for a DWORD value "DisableTaskMgr" in right-side pane. If you find it, delete it.

3. That's it. Now Task Manager will be enabled.

PS: If you are not familiar with editing the registry, then you can use ready-made registry script to do the task automatically. Download following ZIP file, extract it and then run the extracted .REG file. It'll ask for confirmation, accept it:

Enable Task Manager

If any other Windows component like RUN, Desktop Properties, System Properties, etc has been disabled, then you can check following link:

All Kinds of Restrictions for Windows 2000, XP, 2003 and Vista

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2. Whenever I double-click on any drive/folder in My Computer, a Search window opens.

Sol: Open regedit and goto following keys one by one:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shell

In right-side pane, delete the "Default" key. If it doesnt work then delete the key "find" under both.

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3. Whenever I double-click on any drive in My Computer, "Open with" dialog box opens OR I get following error message:

Cannot find copy.exe. Make sure you have typed the name correctly and then try again.

Sol: Enable "Show hidden files" option in "Tools -> Folder Options" and then search for "Autorun.inf" file in all drives and if you get them in root of any drive (e.g. in C:\, D:\ and so on), delete them.

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4. Whenever I double-click on any folder in My Computer, it opens in a new window even I have selected the option "Always open folders in same window" in "Tools -> Folder Options".

Sol: Download following zip file, extract it and then run .REG file and confirm the action:

Download Link

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5. Whenever I open a folder, another folder with the same name is created under it.

Sol: Your system is infected by a variant of Indonesian virus called Brontok/Rontokbro. It creates a sub-folder in a folder with same name. Most of the times it comes from mobile memory cards. Scan with a good anti-virus and remove the virus. Also download HijackThis and scan your system with it in Safe Mode, then fix following entries:

C:\WINDOWS\system32\SSVICHOSST.exe
F2 - REG:system.ini: Shell=Explorer.exe SSVICHOSST.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Yahoo Messengger] C:\WINDOWS\system32\SSVICHOSST.exe
O7 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Policies\System, DisableRegedit=1

You can also post the log file content here and we'll tell you which entries should be fixed.

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6. Whenever I start my computer, My Documents/My Computer opens automatically at windows startup.

Sol: Open regedit and goto:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

In right-side pane, change value of "Userinit" to:

C:\WINDOWS\system32\userinit.exe,

NOTE: If you have windows installed in other drives, then change C:\ to that drive label.

Now goto:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Explorer\Advanced

In right-side pane, change value of "PersistBrowsers" to 0

Now log off windows and it should solve the problem.

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7. When I start my computer, I get error message:

NTLDR is missing
or
Boot: Couldn't find NTLDR

Sol: Boot using Windows Setup CD and enter into "Recovery Console" by pressing "R". Now Log into windows installation and enter admin password. Now give following commands at prompt:

copy x:\i386\ntldr c:\
copy x:\i386\ntdetect.com c:\

Where "x" is your CD drive, change it acc. to your system.

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8. When I start my computer, I get error message:

Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:
<Windows root>\system32\hal.dll.
Please re-install a copy of the above file.

Sol: Boot using Windows Setup CD and enter into "Recovery Console" by pressing "R". Now Log into windows installation and enter admin password. Now give following commands at prompt:

Attrib -H -R -S C:\Boot.ini
Del C:\Boot.ini
BootCfg /Rebuild
Fixboot

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9. When I start my computer, I get error message:

"Windows\System32\config\system" file missing or corrupt.

Sol: Boot using Windows Setup CD and enter into "Recovery Console" by pressing "R". Now Log into windows installation and enter admin password. Now give following commands at prompt:

copy %windir%\Repair\system %windir%\System32\Config

If it doesnt work, then again boot into "Recovery Console" and give following commands:

fixmbr
bootcfg /scan
bootcfg /rebuild
fixboot

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10. I have Windows 2000/XP/2003 installed in my system and yesterday I installed Windows 98 over it, after that I'm not able to boot into Windows 2000/XP.2003. I'm not getting option to select the OS.

Sol: Windows 98 has overwritten the boot loader. Boot using Windows Setup CD and enter into "Recovery Console" by pressing "R". Now Log into windows installation and enter admin password. Now give following commands at prompt:

fixmbr
bootcfg /scan
bootcfg /rebuild
fixboot

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11. When I start my system, I'm getting 2 entries for windows XP in the boot loader. How can I remove the duplicate entry?

OR

How can I change the default OS in windows boot loader?

OR

How can I change the entry labels in windows boot loader?

OR

How can I change the boot loader time? Its set to 30 seconds and I want to change it.

Sol: There are several way. You can follow any of following:

A. Type "sysdm.cpl" in RUN dialog box and press <Enter>. Now goto "Advanced" tab and click on "Settings" button in "Startup & Recovery" section. Now click on "Edit" button and then you can edit the boot loader time, labels, etc.

B. Type "msconfig" in RUN dialog box and goto "Boot.ini" tab and then you can change the desired thing. If you want to remove the corrupt/non-working entries, then click on "Check all boot paths" button.

C. Enable "Show hidden files/folders" and disable "Hide protected system files" options in "Tools -> Folder Options". Now open C:\ drive and remove the READ-ONLY attribute of "BOOT.INI" file from its Properties. Now open this file and then you can make your desired changes.

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12. Whenever I start my computer, Scandisk starts running even I proper shut down the PC last time.

Sol: Do as following:

A. Open regedit and goto:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager

In right-side pane, change the value of BootExecute to:

autocheck autochk *

B. If the above trick doesnt help then give following commands in Command Prompt:

chkntfs /x drive_name

for e.g., if ScanDisk runs automatically for C: and D: drives, then give following commands one by one:

chkntfs /x C:
chkntfs /x D:

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13. When I start my computer, I get following error message:

CMOS checksum error, defaults loaded.

Sol: Open your computer cabinet and look for a coin-sized battery attached in motherboard. Remove it and attach a new one. The new battery will cost approx. 15-20 Rs.

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14. I forgot my system BIOS password. How can I reset it?

BIOS passwords are used to add some extra security to computers. You can either set a password to prevent access to BIOS settings or to prevent PC from booting.

But sometimes this extra security might become a pain when you forget the BIOS password or someone changes your system BIOS password intentionally.

But there is no need to worry. There are many known ways to reset / remove / bypass the password:

• By removing the CMOS battery
• By using the motherboard jumper
• By using MS DOS command
• By using software
• By using Backdoor BIOS password

Now I'll try to explain each method one by one:

A. By Removing the CMOS Battery:

Almost all motherboards use a small coin sized CMOS battery to store all BIOS settings along with the password. To reset the password, unplug the PC, open the cabinet and remove the CMOS battery for approx. 15-30 minutes and then put it back. It'll reset all BIOS settings as well as the password and you'll need to re-enter all settings.

If it fails, then try to remove the battery for at least one hour.

B. By Using the Motherboard Jumper:

Almost all motherboards contain a jumper that can clear all CMOS settings along with the BIOS password. The location of this jumper varies depending upon the motherboard brand. You should read your motherboard manual to check its location. If you don't have the manual then look for the jumpers near the CMOS battery. Most of the manufacturer label the jumper as CLR, CLEAR, CLEAR CMOS, etc.

When you find the jumper, look carefully.  There will be 3 pins and the jumper will be joining the center pin to either left or right pin. What you need to do, is remove the jumper and join the center pin to the opposite pin. e.g. if the jumper joins center pin to left pin, then remove it and join center pin to right pin. Now wait for a few seconds and then again remove the jumper and join the center pin to left pin.

Make sure to turn the PC off before opening the cabinet and resetting the jumper.

C. By Using MS DOS Command:

This method works only if you have access to the system when its turned on because this method requires MS DOS. Open Command Prompt from Programs menu and provide following commands one bye one:

debug
o 70 2E
o 71 FF
quit

NOTE: The first character in the above commands is "O" and not the number 0.

After providing the above commands, restart your system and it should reset the CMOS Settings along with the BIOS password.

If you are curious to know how it works? then let me explain the above commands:

In this method we are using the Debug tool of MS DOS. The "O" character present at first in these commands, outputs the values to IO ports. The number 70 and 71 are port numbers which are used to access CMOS memory. By providing FF value we are telling CMOS that there is an invalid checksum and it resets the CMOS settings as well as BIOS password.

D. By Using Software:

There are a few software which can also reset CMOS settings or BIOS password or both within a few clicks. But as stated above you should have access to a system which is turned on and should have access to MS DOS or MS Windows:

KillCMOS

!BIOS

CmosPwd

E. By Using Backdoor BIOS Password:

Some BIOS manufacturer put a backdoor password in BIOS which always works irrespective of what password you have set in BIOS. Its a master password which is used for testing and troubleshooting purposes.

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15. I re-installed my windows and now "Stand By" option is greyed out in shutdown dialog box and I can't use it.

Sol: Install VGA drivers from your motherboard CD and the option will be enabled. If you don't have the motherboard CD, then goto the manufacturer site and download the required drivers.

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16. My Windows Login Screen has changed to "Classic Logon Box". I want the new Welcome Screen back.

Sol: Type "control userpasswords" in RUN dialog box or Open "User Accounts" in Control Panel. Then click on "Change the way Users log on and off". Now check the option "Use Welcome Screen". If you get following error:

Uninstall client services for netware.

Then Open "Network Connections" and open Properties of your Internet Connection. Now goto "Networking" tab and select "Client services on Netware" option and click on the"Uninstall" button.

--------------------------------------------------

17. A strange process "ctfmon.exe" always runs in background and if I click on "End Process" button, it restarts automatically.

Sol: Open Control Panel and goto Add/Remove Programs list. Now click on the Microsoft Office entry and then click on "Change" button. Now select "Add/Remove Features" and click on "Next". Now expand "Office Shared Features" and click on "Alternative User Input" and then select "Not Available" and finally click on Update. It'll permanently remove that ctfmon.exe and your problem will be solved.

You can also use 3rd party utility "CTFMON-Remover" to get rid of ctfmon.exe easily and quickly:

CTFMON-Remover

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18. I just noticed that all my Firefox Bookmarks have gone. The bookmarks list is empty. How can I get them back?

Sol: Type "%appdata%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles" in RUN dialog box and then open the "xxxx.default" folder (where xxxx will be random numbers and characters). Now open "bookmarkbackups" folder and you'll get your bookmarks there. Now you can import them in Firefox again.

--------------------------------------------------

19. My Windows is showing some wrong icons of files. How can I reset the corrupted icons?

Sol: You can use any of following methods:

A. Download TweakUI from here and then click on "Repair Icons" in "Repair" section.

B. Open My Computer and goto:

C:\Documents and Settings\User_Name\Local Settings\Application Data

Replace C:\ with your system drive and "user_Name" with your username.
Now there'll be a HIDDEN file "iconcache.db", delete it and restart your system.

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20. I'm using Windows XP and the desktop icons suddenly started showing an ugly background rectangle behind the text. How can I make the text transparent?

Sol: Type "sysdm.cpl" in RUN dialog box and press <Enter>. Now goto "Advanced" tab, click on "Setting" button in "Performance" section and enable the option "Use drop shadows for icon labels on the desktop".

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21. I'm using Windows XP and suddenly the Common tasks stopped showing in left-side pane.

Sol: Open "Tools -> Folder Options" and enable the option "Show Common Tasks in folders".

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22. Whenever I right-click on Start button and select "Open", a "Copy To"/"Move To" dialog box opens automatically.

Sol: Open regedit and goto:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AllFilesystemObjects\shellex\ ContextMenuHandlers\

Now under this key, delete following 2 keys:

Copy To
Move To

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23. I can't see Hidden files/folders in my computer. Even I enable the option "Show hidden files/folders" in "Tools -> Folder Options", its automatically disabled again.

Sol: Open regedit and goto:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\explorer\Advanced\Folder\Hidden

Under this key, you'll see 2 more keys "NOHIDDEN" and "SHOWALL". Make sure that the values of "CheckedValue" and "DefaultValue" in right-side pane are "2" and "2" for "NOHIDDEN" and "1" and "2" for "SHOWALL" respectively. If its not so, then change them and you'll be able to enable/disable these options in "Folder Options".

You can also alter Hide/unhide settings using registry as following:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Explorer\Advanced

In right-side pane, change value of "Hidden" to:

1 - To show hidden files
2 - To not show hidden files

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24. I accidentally deleted my "mspaint.exe"/"notepad.exe"/etc. file, how can I get it back?

Sol: You can use any of following methods:

A. Goto "%windir%\System32\DLLCache" folder and look for the file, if its there then copy it to "%windir%\System32\" folder.

B. Insert your Windows Setup CD and goto "I386" folder. Now look for the same file, it'll present there but the last letter of extension will be "_". e.g., u'll get "mspaint.ex_"/"notepad.ex_"/etc. Now open Command Prompt and goto "I386" folder and give following command:

expand mspaint.ex_ mspaint.exe
expand notepad.ex_ notepad.exe
etc.

Now u can copy the file to "%windir%\System32" folder.

C. Give following command in Command Prompt:

sfc /SCANNOW

It'll automatically restore the files.

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25. Suddenly my taskbar is showing only icons in all opened application buttons. I can't see any text. How can I get back the full taskbar buttons?

Sol: Open regedit and goto:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\WindowMetrics

In right-side pane, delete "MinWidth" value.

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26. Whenever I open "www.orkut.com" or any folder with the name "orkut", I get following error with a scary laugh:

Orkut IS BANNED, orkut is banned you fool The administrators didnt write this program guess who did?? r r MUHAHAHA!!

Sol: Please visit following link:

[Solution] Orkut.com, Youtube.com and Firefox is Banned in System

--------------------------------------------------

27. I have forgotten my Windows Administrator password. How can I reset / recover it?

Sol: Please visit following link:

How to Reset / Recover Forgotten Windows NT / 2000 / XP / 2003 Administrator Password?

--------------------------------------------------

28. In Yahoo! Messenger, whenever I send a message or get a message I can't see the contents in chat window. All I can see is a blank window.

Sol: Please download Windows Script using any of following links and install it:

Download Link
Alternate Link

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29. Why all User folders in my Windows Vista show default yellow icon instead of the new glass icons?

Sol: Please follow the steps mentioned in following tutorial:

How to Fix User Folders Showing Simple Folder Icon in Windows Vista?

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30. Whenever I click on power button in Vista startmenu, it put my system in Sleep state. How can I change it to shut down the system?

Sol: In Windows Vista the default action of power button is set to Sleep. But you can change it to shut down like previous Windows versions. Please follow the instructions given in this tutorial:

How to Change Power Button in Windows Vista to Shut Down the System instead of Sleep?

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31. Suddenly Hibernate option is missing in my Windows Vista. How can I enable it again?

Sol: You must have run "Disk Cleanup". Its a known issue in Vista. There is a solution to re-enable Hibernate option:

How to Re-enable Missing Hibernate Option in Windows Vista?

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32. Why in Windows Vista menus appear on left side of mouse cursor? In previous Windows versions, menus used to show on right-side. How can I change it in Vista?

Sol: Its a problem which many Vista users are facing. Don't worry, follow the following link:

How to Change Menu Position from Left to Right in Windows Vista?

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33. Whenever I try to open any EXE file, it opens in Notepad or Windows asks for the application to open it.

Sol: Its a common problem. It occurs when EXE file settings are corrupted in Registry. Please download following file and run it. It'll fix the issue:

Download EXE File Fixer

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34. Whenever I set "Thumbnail" view in Windows Explorer, the files are not shown as thumbnails.

Sol: Open RUN dialog box and provide following commands one by one:

regsvr32 shdocvw.dll
regsvr32 thumbvw.dll
regsvr32 shimgvw.dll

Restart your computer and your problem will be solved.

PS: Also check out our "Troubleshooting" section which contains solutions of various other problems.

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