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(Solved) - windows 7 64 bit lost taskbar, start menu and desktop icons

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installer69:
Hi, the above happened and may or may not have coincided with using Adwcleaner as a precaution. Re booted and presented with a black screen with just a curser. Ctrl, Alt Del brings up task manager and I can see that explorer.exe is running. Close it and restart it and all it launches is a my computer screen. Strangely, I cannot launch Taskbar and Start Menu from Control Panel\Appearance and Personalization or via the command prompt. I can add windows 7 desktop gadgets to my empty black desktop. The windows key does not launch anything either.
I have tried restoring to last good, SFC scannow, chkdsk /f and upgrade reinstall of windows 7. Various malware scanners report no problems.
Windows Repair 2.8.9 hangs whenever I try to action or scan anything.
Everything is there and working (except those I've mentioned) and can be started from explorer windows but it is a bit of a pain to have lost the familiar bits. Is this a shell problem?
Please help

Boggin:
When you were in Safe Mode to select LKGC do you also have an option for Repair your Computer to navigate into the Recovery Environment.

In there you will have options for Startup Repair and using your Restore Points back to before you downloaded AdwCleaner if they still exist.

It's recommended running Startup Repair up to three times if it doesn't do it at first.

There's an icon cache rebuilder patch plus additional steps you can also try, but may not restore the Start Menu or the Taskbar http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/49819-icon-cache-rebuild.html

If you have an install disk that you can boot up with, you can also navigate to the RE by selecting Repair your Computer then selecting Command Prompt and enter-

bootrec /fixmbr
exit (to close command window)

If you don't have an install disk then you can download/save an ISO for your version from http://www.w7forums.com/threads/official-windows-7-sp1-iso-image-downloads.12325/page-2#post-124821 and use http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/html/pbPage.Help_Win7_usbdvd_dwnTool to create a bootable USB/DVD.

installer69:
Hi Boggin,

I've been in and out of the recovery environment so much I hope to never see it again. I tried a system restore to before adwcleaner so I suppose I answered my own question as that didn't fix it.

I downloaded a retail disc as mine is an oem system and that's how I did the upgrade install which took hours and achieved nothing.

I'm just going to try bootrec /fixmbr which sadly is the only thing in your helpful list that I haven't tried yet.

I'll report back but if anything else comes to mind, please let me know.

Shane:
Normally I never offer this right off the bat, but I wouldnt mind connecting to you with teamviewer and taking a look. The reason why is if I can find the reason for it, and the fix is one that can be automated I can add it to the windows repair, also I would like to see what and why WR is hanging up as well, that way I can put in a check or handle for situations like that :wink:

Shane

installer69:
Shane, if you are happy to have a look I don't mind letting you in. I've got an identical laptop that's my daughters and I've been poring my way through the registry, services etc trying to spot a difference. Would I private message yu the teamviewer code?

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