i did a control alt del and closed a lot of running processes, including explorer. since then i cant get the start menu back. i cant figure out how to shut down so i just pressed the power button, but even after restarting that way i cant get the start menu back. what do i do?
lost my start menu!
- Thread starter bigdan
- Start date
- Status
Method 2: Create a New User Account
Log on to the computer as Administrator, and then create a new user account. To do this, follow these steps: 1. Restart the computer. When the Power On Self Test (POST) completes, press F8.
2. On the Windows Advanced Options Menu, use the ARROW keys to select Safe Mode, and then press ENTER.
3. When you are prompted to select which operating system to start, select Microsoft Windows XP edition (where edition is the edition of Windows XP that is installed), and then press ENTER.
4. On the To begin, click your user name screen, click Administrator.
5. Type the administrator password, and then click the arrow button.
NOTE: In some cases, the Administrator password may be set to a blank password. In this case, do not enter a password before you click the arrow button.
6. Click Yes to close the message that states that Windows is running in Safe mode.
7. Click Start, right-click My Computer, and then click Manage on the shortcut menu that appears.
8. In the Computer Management (Local) list, expand Local Users and Groups.
9. Right-click the Users folder, and then click New User on the shortcut menu that appears.
10. Type the user name and password in the appropriate boxes, and then retype the password in the Confirm password box.
NOTE: If you do not want to assign a password to the user account, do not type a password in the Password or Confirm password boxes.
11. Click to clear the User must change password at next logon check box.
12. Click to select the Password never expires check box if you do not want the password to expire.
13. Click Create, click Close, and then quit the Computer Management snap-in.
14. Restart Windows normally, and then log on as the new user that you created.
15. If the issue is resolved, reinstall the programs that you want, and then copy the documents that you want from the My Documents folder of the old user account. To copy the contents of the My Documents folder of the old user account, follow these steps:a. Log off Windows.
b. Press CTRL+ALT+DELETE twice.
The Log On to Windows dialog box appears.
c. In the User name box, type Administrator. In the Password box, type the administrator password, and then click OK.
d. Right-click Start, and then click Explore on the shortcut menu that appears.
e. In the Folders tree, expand the old user account under Documents and Settings.
f. Click user name's Documents (where user name is the name of the old user account with which you experience this issue).
g. On the Edit menu, click Select All, and then click Copy on the Edit menu.
h. Under Documents and Settings, expand the new user account folder.
i. Click new user's Documents (where new user is the name of the new user account that you created).
j. On the Edit menu, click Paste.
k. If you are prompted to replace files or folders, click Yes to All to confirm the replacement.
l. On the File menu, click Close.
m. Log off Windows.
Method 3: Repair Windows XP
Perform an in-place repair of Windows XP. Start the installation of Windows XP, but select the option to repair the existing installation. This will replace all of the Windows files, while leaving the installed programs and data intact.
Log on to the computer as Administrator, and then create a new user account. To do this, follow these steps: 1. Restart the computer. When the Power On Self Test (POST) completes, press F8.
2. On the Windows Advanced Options Menu, use the ARROW keys to select Safe Mode, and then press ENTER.
3. When you are prompted to select which operating system to start, select Microsoft Windows XP edition (where edition is the edition of Windows XP that is installed), and then press ENTER.
4. On the To begin, click your user name screen, click Administrator.
5. Type the administrator password, and then click the arrow button.
NOTE: In some cases, the Administrator password may be set to a blank password. In this case, do not enter a password before you click the arrow button.
6. Click Yes to close the message that states that Windows is running in Safe mode.
7. Click Start, right-click My Computer, and then click Manage on the shortcut menu that appears.
8. In the Computer Management (Local) list, expand Local Users and Groups.
9. Right-click the Users folder, and then click New User on the shortcut menu that appears.
10. Type the user name and password in the appropriate boxes, and then retype the password in the Confirm password box.
NOTE: If you do not want to assign a password to the user account, do not type a password in the Password or Confirm password boxes.
11. Click to clear the User must change password at next logon check box.
12. Click to select the Password never expires check box if you do not want the password to expire.
13. Click Create, click Close, and then quit the Computer Management snap-in.
14. Restart Windows normally, and then log on as the new user that you created.
15. If the issue is resolved, reinstall the programs that you want, and then copy the documents that you want from the My Documents folder of the old user account. To copy the contents of the My Documents folder of the old user account, follow these steps:a. Log off Windows.
b. Press CTRL+ALT+DELETE twice.
The Log On to Windows dialog box appears.
c. In the User name box, type Administrator. In the Password box, type the administrator password, and then click OK.
d. Right-click Start, and then click Explore on the shortcut menu that appears.
e. In the Folders tree, expand the old user account under Documents and Settings.
f. Click user name's Documents (where user name is the name of the old user account with which you experience this issue).
g. On the Edit menu, click Select All, and then click Copy on the Edit menu.
h. Under Documents and Settings, expand the new user account folder.
i. Click new user's Documents (where new user is the name of the new user account that you created).
j. On the Edit menu, click Paste.
k. If you are prompted to replace files or folders, click Yes to All to confirm the replacement.
l. On the File menu, click Close.
m. Log off Windows.
Method 3: Repair Windows XP
Perform an in-place repair of Windows XP. Start the installation of Windows XP, but select the option to repair the existing installation. This will replace all of the Windows files, while leaving the installed programs and data intact.
How to perform a clean boot in Windows XP
Note You must be logged on as an administrator or a member of the Administrators group to follow these steps. If your computer is connected to a network, network policy settings may also prevent you from follow these steps. 1. Click Start, click Run, type msconfig in the Open box, and then click OK.
2. On the General tab, click Selective Startup, and then clear the Process System.ini File, Process WIn.ini File, and Load Startup Items check boxes. You cannot clear the Use Original Boot.ini check box.
3. On the Services tab, select the Hide All Microsoft Services check box, and then click Disable All.
4. Click OK, and then click Restart to restart your computer.
5. After Windows starts, determine whether the symptoms still occur.
Note Look closely at the General tab to make sure that the check boxes that you cleared are still cleared. Continue to step 6 if none of the check boxes are selected. If the Load System Services check box is the only disabled check box, your computer is not clean-booted. If additional check boxes are disabled and the issue is not resolved, you may require help from the manufacturer of the program that places a check mark back in Msconfig.
If none of the check boxes are selected, and the issue is not resolved, you may have to repeat steps 1 through 5, but you may also have to clear the Load System Services check box on the General tab. This temporarily disables Microsoft services (such as, Networking, Plug and Play, Event Logging, and Error Reporting) and permanently deletes all restore points for the System Restore utility. Do not do this if you want to retain your restore points for System Restore or if you must use a Microsoft service to test the issue.
6. Click Start, click Run, type msconfig in the Open box, and then click OK.
7. On the General tab, select the Process System.ini File check box, click OK, and then click Restart to restart the computer. If the issue continues, the issue is with an entry in your System.ini file. If the issue does not continue, repeat this step for the Process Win.ini File, Load Startup Items, and Load System Services check boxes until the issue occurs. After the issue occurs, the last item that you selected is the item where the issue is occurring.
How to start the Windows Installer service
Note The Windows Installer service does not start if you disable Load System Services. To use Windows Installer in this case, you must start the service manually: 1. Click Start, right-click My Computer, and then click Manage.
2. In the left pane, click Services and Applications, and then click Services.
3. In the right pane, right-click Windows Installer, and then click Start.
If you run a Setup program without manually starting the Windows Installer, you may receive the following error message:
The Windows Installer service could not be accessed. Contact your support personnel to verify that the windows Installer service is properly registered.
How to return from a clean boot state
1. Click Start, click Run, type msconfig in the Open box, and then click OK.
2. On the General tab, click Normal Startup - load all device drivers and services.
3. Click OK, and then click Restart when you are prompted to restart your computer.
Note You must be logged on as an administrator or a member of the Administrators group to follow these steps. If your computer is connected to a network, network policy settings may also prevent you from follow these steps. 1. Click Start, click Run, type msconfig in the Open box, and then click OK.
2. On the General tab, click Selective Startup, and then clear the Process System.ini File, Process WIn.ini File, and Load Startup Items check boxes. You cannot clear the Use Original Boot.ini check box.
3. On the Services tab, select the Hide All Microsoft Services check box, and then click Disable All.
4. Click OK, and then click Restart to restart your computer.
5. After Windows starts, determine whether the symptoms still occur.
Note Look closely at the General tab to make sure that the check boxes that you cleared are still cleared. Continue to step 6 if none of the check boxes are selected. If the Load System Services check box is the only disabled check box, your computer is not clean-booted. If additional check boxes are disabled and the issue is not resolved, you may require help from the manufacturer of the program that places a check mark back in Msconfig.
If none of the check boxes are selected, and the issue is not resolved, you may have to repeat steps 1 through 5, but you may also have to clear the Load System Services check box on the General tab. This temporarily disables Microsoft services (such as, Networking, Plug and Play, Event Logging, and Error Reporting) and permanently deletes all restore points for the System Restore utility. Do not do this if you want to retain your restore points for System Restore or if you must use a Microsoft service to test the issue.
6. Click Start, click Run, type msconfig in the Open box, and then click OK.
7. On the General tab, select the Process System.ini File check box, click OK, and then click Restart to restart the computer. If the issue continues, the issue is with an entry in your System.ini file. If the issue does not continue, repeat this step for the Process Win.ini File, Load Startup Items, and Load System Services check boxes until the issue occurs. After the issue occurs, the last item that you selected is the item where the issue is occurring.
How to start the Windows Installer service
Note The Windows Installer service does not start if you disable Load System Services. To use Windows Installer in this case, you must start the service manually: 1. Click Start, right-click My Computer, and then click Manage.
2. In the left pane, click Services and Applications, and then click Services.
3. In the right pane, right-click Windows Installer, and then click Start.
If you run a Setup program without manually starting the Windows Installer, you may receive the following error message:
The Windows Installer service could not be accessed. Contact your support personnel to verify that the windows Installer service is properly registered.
How to return from a clean boot state
1. Click Start, click Run, type msconfig in the Open box, and then click OK.
2. On the General tab, click Normal Startup - load all device drivers and services.
3. Click OK, and then click Restart when you are prompted to restart your computer.
- Status