# All icons gone, no programs listed under start menut



## WOLFMAN1966 (Sep 2, 2006)

and I can't send any shortcuts to the desktop
My wife was on the computer while I was at work, and doesn't remember what she did, but all of the icons except for the recycle bin are gone from the desktop. When I go to Start>All Programs, there are NO programs listed,and when I try to send something from a program to the desktop(make a shortcut) that option is not available...the only option avialable is to send it to my DVD drive.

HELP, lol ....how can i restore things? I was going to use a system restore point, but from what I see, the farthest one back has Windows Live Essentials having been uninstalled, and I can't go back before that...which was at 11:08pm Central time last night


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## kenny111111 (Mar 24, 2009)

theres not an option to list more dates? try the rebuild the icon cache... Icon Cache - Rebuild - Windows 7 Forums

good luck

ps, change your password....LOL


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## WOLFMAN1966 (Sep 2, 2006)

what password? if you mean the one to log on to windows, we don't have one set up....she'd never remember it....I'll try the icon rebuild, but I did also notice that even though the programs ARE on my hard drive,they aren't listed under "all programs" and though I have re-downloaded my antivirus, and a couple of other programs, THOSE are the ONLY ones listed, the rest are still under c:computer/windows7/programfiles(x86)


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## spunk.funk (May 13, 2010)

Boot off of the Windows 7 DVD and choose* Repair My Computer*. If this fails you will then have the option to go to the Command Prompt. Here type *chkdsk C: /R* and press enter. The Check Disk utility will try and fix any file errors.


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## WOLFMAN1966 (Sep 2, 2006)

Icon rebuild didn't do it....I don't think thats the problem. its just that ALL of my shortcuts to programs are gone, and no programs show up under Start>All Programs except for Firefox and Avira which I just redownloaded. The other programs are in the programfiles(x86) folder but I cannot shortcut them to the desktop. oh and also, all my screensavers are gone too, and when I right click the desktop, there is no option for Properties


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## WOLFMAN1966 (Sep 2, 2006)

oh and I dont' have a windows 7 DVD, didn't come with the computer, and i haven't got around to making one....stupid me

um, as far as the command prompt, how do i open that....when I hit Start all it has is the search menu


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## WOLFMAN1966 (Sep 2, 2006)

ok, i got the cmd prompt, did the chkdsk command and it said that I don't have sufficient privilages . I have to evoke this utility in elevated mode


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## spunk.funk (May 13, 2010)

In search, type* CMD* in the Search Results right click the Command Prompt and choose *Run as Administrator*. Now type *chkdsk C: /R* and press enter. Now type a *Y* and reboot the computer. If this fails, go to the Advanced boot menu (press *F8 *at bootup) and choose *Repair My Computer*.


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## WOLFMAN1966 (Sep 2, 2006)

f8 only lets me decide which device to boot from dvd drive or hard drive, 

the MAIN problem I'm having is that the programs ARE on the hard drive, just don't show up in Start>All Programs, and I cannot create shortcuts, IF I could create the shortcuts,then I could open the programs from the desktop

and again, i can't do the chckdsk thing, see above for the message I get a message saying I don't have sufficient privilages . I have to evoke this utility in elevated mode


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## kenny111111 (Mar 24, 2009)

I was trying to make a joke about the password....bad attempt i guess.... good luck, your in good hands!


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## WOLFMAN1966 (Sep 2, 2006)

I think I found the part of the problem about the Send To function,kinda weird here but

following the path c:\users\default\appdata\roaming\microsoft]windows

after I get to windows....that file is EMPTY.


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## crazydemon (May 10, 2011)

I found this forum while researching a nasty bit of malware that deletes all the program icons in the start menu. It leaves the folders, but nearly all icons are gone. The only ones that remain are some icons in accessories. On a few systems I have seen it set all the files and folders on the system with a hidden attribute. Fun huh?

Wolfman, you should look up a few programs to install and scan your system with. The first one is Malwarebytes Free. The second is Spybot Search and Destroy. Install, update, and scan your system with both. Should you find anything (particularly with malwarebytes) I would consider having the system professionally looked at. Good luck.


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## WOLFMAN1966 (Sep 2, 2006)

I use malwarebaytes, and so I'm pretty sure its NOT malware
its not just the icons,
when i click start/all programs....other than a few programs i've loaded recently ...its empty....and as said above, once I get to c:\users\default\appdata\roaming\microsoft\windows.....that file is empty too, so no "SendTo" file there



update>I downloaded a Windows7 Recovery disc, and though I couldn't get the disc to actually do anything...(I think that's because i just put the files on the disc,didn't ISO them correctly), I did COPY the "SendTo" file to my computer, still didnt help


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## WOLFMAN1966 (Sep 2, 2006)

just to be safe, ran Malwarebyts....found 2 "hijacker applications" which it deleted....hmmm, still having the problems though


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## WOLFMAN1966 (Sep 2, 2006)

bump....and also, I now think it has something to do with SHORTCUTS.....no Shortcuts on Desktop, nothing in start>all programs, and I can't right click/send to desktop on any programs, when I try I only see it wanting to send to the DVD drive....
someone plz help


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## spunk.funk (May 13, 2010)

Go to Start/Search and type *SFC /scannow* and press enter. Put the Windows DVD in and it will replace any missing files from the disc.


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## WOLFMAN1966 (Sep 2, 2006)

sfc scannow,cant see that it did anything, don't have a windows DVD


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## clyde123 (Apr 10, 2008)

We ran across something like this a couple of weeks ago. I'm sure I posted somewhere about it. Note - yours might be a different problem though.
Go to C drive, and go to Folder Options, then View , then Show hidden files & folders.
Assuming some of the icons now show up, you can then check the properties of each icon. If it's the same problem as we had, the properties will show attributes hidden. You need to go through one at a time (yes, it'll take forever) and change that.
Hope this helps


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## WOLFMAN1966 (Sep 2, 2006)

umm,I don't see a Folder Options option...<EDIT> found it under the Control Panel, but it didnt make any difference.
and I THINK I may have figured it out....I think that somehow she deleted the files in the "All Programs" file....I got a zip file that includes 
Accessories
Administrative Tools
Games
Maintenance
Microsoft Visual Studio 2005
Startup
Tablet PC
Windows Live
and shortcuts to 
Media center
Sidebar
Windows Anytime Upgrade
Windows DVD Maker
Windows Fax and Scan
Windows Media Player
and 
XPS Viewer

is that the right file that SHOULD be in the "All programs" and HOW do I add it...just putting the file, which is named PROGRAMS doesn't quite work right.


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## WOLFMAN1966 (Sep 2, 2006)

I'm giving up, as long as I CAN access all my programs, I'm not that worried about it....and my desktop is a lot cleaner now...lol


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## WOLFMAN1966 (Sep 2, 2006)

quick update, i found some software that can find deleted files and ATTEMPT to recover them, the finding part is free...but to recover you have to pay for the program
anyway, it found a LOT of files that were deleted at within 3 minutes of each other at the time my wife messed things up, most of them are amd64 folders...so I'm guessing those are it....too bad I can't recover them


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## Glitterer (Feb 16, 2011)

Cyde123 is right, the files are there their attributes have been changed by the infection. Malwarebytes will clear it and turn back on your task manager (a common result) but it does not fix the hidden file attribute and neither has a repair reload as reported in some forums. Unhiding everything is an option but having done this for over 20 years the chance that something else has been changed somewhere down the directory tree is pretty great. I have been recommending to my clients that have encountered this infection (2 in the last week) to allow us to show the hidden files, backup everything they need: desktop, documents, pictures, email etc... And to reload clean and restore. Time consuming but safe until there a fix available.


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## WOLFMAN1966 (Sep 2, 2006)

allowing to show hidden files did nothing....as for doing a restore, can't do that without a windows CD which I don't have and didn't make


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## kenny111111 (Mar 24, 2009)

try creating another (admin) user account. if it's all good there, save your data and delete the other account..

good luck


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## WOLFMAN1966 (Sep 2, 2006)

just tried that kenny, wont let me log on with that account and pops up this message

User Profile Service service failed the logon. User profile cannot be loaded


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## kenny111111 (Mar 24, 2009)

dynamite ???


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## [email protected] (Mar 15, 2011)

Wolfman,are you familiar with registry..??


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## [email protected] (Mar 15, 2011)

You can got by this path into the registry : HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList .... here you sill find two profile files,one with a .bak extension & one without .bak,what you need to do is .. delete that one without .bak & rename the one with .bak removing the .bak extension.. please reply if any confusion..


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## [email protected] (Mar 15, 2011)

Do this by booting into safe mode & selecting the profile which gives you error "User Profile Service service failed the logon. User profile cannot be loaded"..


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## WOLFMAN1966 (Sep 2, 2006)

will try later today, pretty sure I can do it, I have done registry changes before


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## TheGift73 (Oct 17, 2006)

Hi WOLFMAN1966,

If you are going to do any edits to your registry, make sure you back up your registry first. Use Erunt to do this. As you are using Windows 7, you must disable UAC first and then run the program. Store the backed up files to an external drive like a USB stick or drive.

I also suggest you start a new thread in the 'Virus/Trojan/Spyware Help' section and give then all the details they require to help you. The situation you are having does sound a bit fishy and it's better to be safe than sorry which is why you should ask them for advice. If they give you a clean bill, then we can carry on helping you. I'd do this before making any registry edits as well.


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