Taskbar and desktop items gone

[pbottcher]

Hi,

As my pc is very slow (Intel Pentium 4 2.8GHz lol) I decided to run ccleaner again and make a virus scan. Some viruses were found and a lot of crap was deleted with ccleaner, I also disabled some things in the boot menu with ccleaner (or what is it called?). After that I turned my pc off but first Windows had to do some update.
The next time I started my pc the taskbar and desktop were gone, the only thing that is there when it starts is a window with the drives etc.
Things I tried/read in various forums:
- ctrl-alt-delete -> run -> explorer.exe -> normally the taskbar should show up but it opens another window with the drives
- replaced the explorer.exe file, nothing changed
- installed another anti-virus program, deleted some malware
- some other things I already forgot

Any other ideas? I'm trying to solve this for 2 days without any luck...

EDIT: Forgot to mention, if I go to the control panel and click on "Taskbar and start menu" nothing happens, it doesn't open any window. Also, if I set a background and reboot the pc again, the background will be gone.

 

[Maguscreed]

if you right click the desktop, under view. Is show desktop checked?

 

[pbottcher]

Nothing happens if I right-click the desktop.

 

[Maguscreed]

Can you get a command prompt up?
If so this might be the next best step.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1538-sfc-scannow-command-system-file-checker.html

I hate to suggest a system restore since viruses were removed.
A http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html might even be in order.
Just for the record never use the ccleaner registry function. ...only the file cleaner.

 

[pbottcher]

Already did the SFC /SCANNOW 2 times...

Hmm I think I'll have to do a Repair Install then. I will wait if somebody else knows a more simple solution thought.

 

[Maguscreed]

well I don't know where the damage is now. I'm figuring it's either files that were quarantined during the virus removal that windows actually needed. Or it could be the registry cleaning. I just have no way of knowing when I can't look for myself.

Repair install will return you to a normal desktop and will not delete any of your user files or anything though.
I would use it just for easy back up though.
Getting a new clean install on there is probably the best thing, though admittedly repair install + backup + reformat clean install.
Could be very time consuming so that's up to you.