Task bar blank/other operational problems

[Guest Ted]

The computer is running Windows XP Home Edition. The computer was

accidentally "rebooted" by turning the power off and back on. Since then the

operational environment has been corrupted as follows:

 

When booting up, the typical logon window no longer displays the icons and

names of the various users defined on the system. Instead, a small "Log On To

Windows" box appears with the name of one of the users. Once logged on, the

Task Bar is blank/white from left to right except the clock is showing. There

is no Start button. If a window is minimized it disappears behind the white

task bar area and is unretrievable. If I press the Windows key on the

keyboard, the Start Menu appears but all is blank except the All Programs

option and the options for Windows Update, Windows Catalog, etc. as well as

options to Log Off and Turn Off the Computer.

 

I can navigate the All Programs paths to get to the various programs on the

system.

Alt/Ctl/Del does not bring up Windows Task Manager. I can navigate the

internet but cannot download a file from the internet. The problem persists

when running in Safe Mode. And using System Restore to reset the system to an

earlier date when the problems were not occurring does not solve the problem.

On a separate computer I downloaded RegCure to try to work on the Registry. I

transferred RegCure to the Desktop of the ailing computer, but RegCure will

not execute.

 

When I right clicked My Computer on the Deskktop and selected Manage, I

received the following error message in a Window entitled Microsoft

Management Console: "MMC failed to initialize because it was installed

incorrectly or because a portion of the registry has been corrupted. Make

sure the file mmcndmgr.dll is registered by running

regsvr32%SystemRoot%\System32\mmcndmgr.dll." I have no idea how to run this

file. (The Run... option usually available in the Start Menu is not

accessible.)

 

Please, if you have any advice I would appreciate the help.

 

Ted

[Guest Colin Barnhorst]

Re: Task bar blank/other operational problems

 

If you have an XP Home Edition cd at the same service pack level as the

Windows on the hdd, then do

Start>Run, type "cmd" + Enter and in the Command window type "sfc /scannow"

to run the System File Checker. You will probably be instructed to insert

your Windows cd. The purpose is to repair any system files corrupted by the

accidental power recycle.

 

If this does not fix the issues then a repair install should. This will

also require a cd at the same sp level as the hdd.

 

Your Windows cd should say right on the cd whether it includes SP1 or SP2,

or no statement, in which case it is the original release. You can make a

slipstreamed cd that includes the same service pack as on the drive if

needed. WinKey + Pause/Break will tell you what the installed service pack

level is. Post back if you need to make an up-to-date cd.

 

"Ted" <Ted@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:D6BC1937-904B-4062-943F-9CA5DF541C00@microsoft.com...

> The computer is running Windows XP Home Edition. The computer was

> accidentally "rebooted" by turning the power off and back on. Since then

> the

> operational environment has been corrupted as follows:

>

> When booting up, the typical logon window no longer displays the icons and

> names of the various users defined on the system. Instead, a small "Log On

> To

> Windows" box appears with the name of one of the users. Once logged on,

> the

> Task Bar is blank/white from left to right except the clock is showing.

> There

> is no Start button. If a window is minimized it disappears behind the

> white

> task bar area and is unretrievable. If I press the Windows key on the

> keyboard, the Start Menu appears but all is blank except the All Programs

> option and the options for Windows Update, Windows Catalog, etc. as well

> as

> options to Log Off and Turn Off the Computer.

>

> I can navigate the All Programs paths to get to the various programs on

> the

> system.

> Alt/Ctl/Del does not bring up Windows Task Manager. I can navigate the

> internet but cannot download a file from the internet. The problem

> persists

> when running in Safe Mode. And using System Restore to reset the system to

> an

> earlier date when the problems were not occurring does not solve the

> problem.

> On a separate computer I downloaded RegCure to try to work on the

> Registry. I

> transferred RegCure to the Desktop of the ailing computer, but RegCure

> will

> not execute.

>

> When I right clicked My Computer on the Deskktop and selected Manage, I

> received the following error message in a Window entitled Microsoft

> Management Console: "MMC failed to initialize because it was installed

> incorrectly or because a portion of the registry has been corrupted. Make

> sure the file mmcndmgr.dll is registered by running

> regsvr32%SystemRoot%\System32\mmcndmgr.dll." I have no idea how to run

> this

> file. (The Run... option usually available in the Start Menu is not

> accessible.)

>

> Please, if you have any advice I would appreciate the help.

>

> Ted

[Guest Ted]

Re: Task bar blank/other operational problems

 

Thanks for the info. I'm going to need to make the up-to-date cd. Can you

give me directions?

Thanks.

Ted

 

"Colin Barnhorst" wrote:

> If you have an XP Home Edition cd at the same service pack level as the

> Windows on the hdd, then do

> Start>Run, type "cmd" + Enter and in the Command window type "sfc /scannow"

> to run the System File Checker. You will probably be instructed to insert

> your Windows cd. The purpose is to repair any system files corrupted by the

> accidental power recycle.

>

> If this does not fix the issues then a repair install should. This will

> also require a cd at the same sp level as the hdd.

>

> Your Windows cd should say right on the cd whether it includes SP1 or SP2,

> or no statement, in which case it is the original release. You can make a

> slipstreamed cd that includes the same service pack as on the drive if

> needed. WinKey + Pause/Break will tell you what the installed service pack

> level is. Post back if you need to make an up-to-date cd.

>

> "Ted" <Ted@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

> news:D6BC1937-904B-4062-943F-9CA5DF541C00@microsoft.com...

> > The computer is running Windows XP Home Edition. The computer was

> > accidentally "rebooted" by turning the power off and back on. Since then

> > the

> > operational environment has been corrupted as follows:

> >

> > When booting up, the typical logon window no longer displays the icons and

> > names of the various users defined on the system. Instead, a small "Log On

> > To

> > Windows" box appears with the name of one of the users. Once logged on,

> > the

> > Task Bar is blank/white from left to right except the clock is showing.

> > There

> > is no Start button. If a window is minimized it disappears behind the

> > white

> > task bar area and is unretrievable. If I press the Windows key on the

> > keyboard, the Start Menu appears but all is blank except the All Programs

> > option and the options for Windows Update, Windows Catalog, etc. as well

> > as

> > options to Log Off and Turn Off the Computer.

> >

> > I can navigate the All Programs paths to get to the various programs on

> > the

> > system.

> > Alt/Ctl/Del does not bring up Windows Task Manager. I can navigate the

> > internet but cannot download a file from the internet. The problem

> > persists

> > when running in Safe Mode. And using System Restore to reset the system to

> > an

> > earlier date when the problems were not occurring does not solve the

> > problem.

> > On a separate computer I downloaded RegCure to try to work on the

> > Registry. I

> > transferred RegCure to the Desktop of the ailing computer, but RegCure

> > will

> > not execute.

> >

> > When I right clicked My Computer on the Deskktop and selected Manage, I

> > received the following error message in a Window entitled Microsoft

> > Management Console: "MMC failed to initialize because it was installed

> > incorrectly or because a portion of the registry has been corrupted. Make

> > sure the file mmcndmgr.dll is registered by running

> > regsvr32%SystemRoot%\System32\mmcndmgr.dll." I have no idea how to run

> > this

> > file. (The Run... option usually available in the Start Menu is not

> > accessible.)

> >

> > Please, if you have any advice I would appreciate the help.

> >

> > Ted

>

[Guest Ted]

Re: Task bar blank/other operational problems

 

Does the following link provide the appropriate instructions to create the

up-to-date cd you mentioned?

http://www.theeldergeek.com/slipstreamed_xpsp2_cd.htm

 

Thanks.

 

Ted

 

"Colin Barnhorst" wrote:

> If you have an XP Home Edition cd at the same service pack level as the

> Windows on the hdd, then do

> Start>Run, type "cmd" + Enter and in the Command window type "sfc /scannow"

> to run the System File Checker. You will probably be instructed to insert

> your Windows cd. The purpose is to repair any system files corrupted by the

> accidental power recycle.

>

> If this does not fix the issues then a repair install should. This will

> also require a cd at the same sp level as the hdd.

>

> Your Windows cd should say right on the cd whether it includes SP1 or SP2,

> or no statement, in which case it is the original release. You can make a

> slipstreamed cd that includes the same service pack as on the drive if

> needed. WinKey + Pause/Break will tell you what the installed service pack

> level is. Post back if you need to make an up-to-date cd.

>

> "Ted" <Ted@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

> news:D6BC1937-904B-4062-943F-9CA5DF541C00@microsoft.com...

> > The computer is running Windows XP Home Edition. The computer was

> > accidentally "rebooted" by turning the power off and back on. Since then

> > the

> > operational environment has been corrupted as follows:

> >

> > When booting up, the typical logon window no longer displays the icons and

> > names of the various users defined on the system. Instead, a small "Log On

> > To

> > Windows" box appears with the name of one of the users. Once logged on,

> > the

> > Task Bar is blank/white from left to right except the clock is showing.

> > There

> > is no Start button. If a window is minimized it disappears behind the

> > white

> > task bar area and is unretrievable. If I press the Windows key on the

> > keyboard, the Start Menu appears but all is blank except the All Programs

> > option and the options for Windows Update, Windows Catalog, etc. as well

> > as

> > options to Log Off and Turn Off the Computer.

> >

> > I can navigate the All Programs paths to get to the various programs on

> > the

> > system.

> > Alt/Ctl/Del does not bring up Windows Task Manager. I can navigate the

> > internet but cannot download a file from the internet. The problem

> > persists

> > when running in Safe Mode. And using System Restore to reset the system to

> > an

> > earlier date when the problems were not occurring does not solve the

> > problem.

> > On a separate computer I downloaded RegCure to try to work on the

> > Registry. I

> > transferred RegCure to the Desktop of the ailing computer, but RegCure

> > will

> > not execute.

> >

> > When I right clicked My Computer on the Deskktop and selected Manage, I

> > received the following error message in a Window entitled Microsoft

> > Management Console: "MMC failed to initialize because it was installed

> > incorrectly or because a portion of the registry has been corrupted. Make

> > sure the file mmcndmgr.dll is registered by running

> > regsvr32%SystemRoot%\System32\mmcndmgr.dll." I have no idea how to run

> > this

> > file. (The Run... option usually available in the Start Menu is not

> > accessible.)

> >

> > Please, if you have any advice I would appreciate the help.

> >

> > Ted

>

[Guest Ted]

Re: Task bar blank/other operational problems

 

Assuming the Elder Geek article does define the proper procedure for creating

the cd, I used it and all worked well until I got to the step to merge the

SP2 updates with XP. When I entered c:\xp-sp2x\i386\update\update.exe

-s:c:\xp in the Run command line and clicked OK, nothing apparent happens.

The Run command window closes and that's it. Is there a syntax error?

 

Thanks again.

 

Ted

 

"Colin Barnhorst" wrote:

> If you have an XP Home Edition cd at the same service pack level as the

> Windows on the hdd, then do

> Start>Run, type "cmd" + Enter and in the Command window type "sfc /scannow"

> to run the System File Checker. You will probably be instructed to insert

> your Windows cd. The purpose is to repair any system files corrupted by the

> accidental power recycle.

>

> If this does not fix the issues then a repair install should. This will

> also require a cd at the same sp level as the hdd.

>

> Your Windows cd should say right on the cd whether it includes SP1 or SP2,

> or no statement, in which case it is the original release. You can make a

> slipstreamed cd that includes the same service pack as on the drive if

> needed. WinKey + Pause/Break will tell you what the installed service pack

> level is. Post back if you need to make an up-to-date cd.

>

> "Ted" <Ted@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

> news:D6BC1937-904B-4062-943F-9CA5DF541C00@microsoft.com...

> > The computer is running Windows XP Home Edition. The computer was

> > accidentally "rebooted" by turning the power off and back on. Since then

> > the

> > operational environment has been corrupted as follows:

> >

> > When booting up, the typical logon window no longer displays the icons and

> > names of the various users defined on the system. Instead, a small "Log On

> > To

> > Windows" box appears with the name of one of the users. Once logged on,

> > the

> > Task Bar is blank/white from left to right except the clock is showing.

> > There

> > is no Start button. If a window is minimized it disappears behind the

> > white

> > task bar area and is unretrievable. If I press the Windows key on the

> > keyboard, the Start Menu appears but all is blank except the All Programs

> > option and the options for Windows Update, Windows Catalog, etc. as well

> > as

> > options to Log Off and Turn Off the Computer.

> >

> > I can navigate the All Programs paths to get to the various programs on

> > the

> > system.

> > Alt/Ctl/Del does not bring up Windows Task Manager. I can navigate the

> > internet but cannot download a file from the internet. The problem

> > persists

> > when running in Safe Mode. And using System Restore to reset the system to

> > an

> > earlier date when the problems were not occurring does not solve the

> > problem.

> > On a separate computer I downloaded RegCure to try to work on the

> > Registry. I

> > transferred RegCure to the Desktop of the ailing computer, but RegCure

> > will

> > not execute.

> >

> > When I right clicked My Computer on the Deskktop and selected Manage, I

> > received the following error message in a Window entitled Microsoft

> > Management Console: "MMC failed to initialize because it was installed

> > incorrectly or because a portion of the registry has been corrupted. Make

> > sure the file mmcndmgr.dll is registered by running

> > regsvr32%SystemRoot%\System32\mmcndmgr.dll." I have no idea how to run

> > this

> > file. (The Run... option usually available in the Start Menu is not

> > accessible.)

> >

> > Please, if you have any advice I would appreciate the help.

> >

> > Ted

>