i lost all the desktop icons on a gateway laptop

I am on my backup laptop because my primary laptop a Gateway model MD2614U os Win7 home 32bit is acting funky. 1st I have lost all the desktop icons and the icons in all the folders and sub folders. The names of the folders, prog's and files are still there and I can still activate and use some things, others just freeze. I Left click on the win start button does nothing, right click still works. The only way right now to get at the control panel is via a right click of the mouse on the desktop. The only way to shutdown or restart the laptop right now is via ctrl + alt + del > then click on switch user > the icon in the lower right conner. Ctrl + alt + del and the task manager still work fine. I have the same problems safe mode (no icons) and I am locked out of the super admin account in both regular and safe modes. I have a way around the password lockout problem with a special self booting prog that is designed for just this job, (it is a legal prog that I found on the internet). I have tried a system restore a few times, it didn't worked. I was looking at some prog's that I downloaded that monitor things like fan speed, cpu temperature and so on. The reason for looking at those sys monitor prog's is because my cpu fan is getting noisy. The cpu fan is getting replaced in May. 1 of the prog's asked for a reboot to beable to sync with the sensors. When the desktop came backup up "I said hold the phone, something isn't right here". I have no clue as to what is going on. And the only way that I can see to fix it is to wipe the C drive partition clean and start all over from scrach reinstalling everything. Does anyone have any other ideas how to save it short of wiping the hard drive clean.


Steve

It sounds like there might be some malware issues affecting your computer. Are you able to run a full scan with your installed anti-virus program? If the malware scan comes back clean (no report or malware or threats) you could see if any of your system files are damaged or corrupt by trying to run a System File Checker scan from an elevated command prompt (option two, first link.) If that doesn't work or if you can't get to an elevated command prompt, you could try running the scan at boot (second link.)

SFC /SCANNOW Command - System File Checker

SFC /SCANNOW : Run in Command Prompt at Boot

ZoneAlarm reports all clean and clear

marsmimar said:

It sounds like there might be some malware issues affecting your computer. Are you able to run a full scan with your installed anti-virus program? If the malware scan comes back clean (no report or malware or threats) you could see if any of your system files are damaged or corrupt by trying to run a System File Checker scan from an elevated command prompt (option two, first link.) If that doesn't work or if you can't get to an elevated command prompt, you could try running the scan at boot (second link.)

SFC /SCANNOW Command - System File Checker

SFC /SCANNOW : Run in Command Prompt at Boot

Did you run the System File Checker scan?

It's been awhile but I was helped through cleaning up the infection which hides files before in this thread: Fake AV infection - files hidden? - Windows 7 Help Forums . Since then I've linked it to resolve the hidden files infection.

Start in the thread with Jacee's suggested approach which orders the process to work best.