The very first thing we see after turning on the computer is the desktop with the icons of various programs and documents located on it. This is a completely ordinary view on the monitor screen, and therefore it does not hold onto itself much attention. However, this time everything is different: you peer eagerly at the screen, trying to find the familiar splash screen with many shortcuts on it and ... don’t find it. The desktop is empty - it simply disappeared! What to do?! First of all, do not panic, everything is fixable. The second is to try to return the "Desktop" to the desktop using one of the following methods, described in detail in the article.
The reasons for the loss
Before taking active measures to eliminate this annoying problem, you need to find out its causes. They can be reduced to two main ones - serious and not serious. In the case of the latter option, "loss" may be the result of a banal joke that someone from your home made. Then returning the "Desktop" to the desktop of your computer is very easy. Find an empty place (it will be easy to do this) and right-click on it. A menu will open in which we are interested in the "Arrange Icons" item - click on it. In the list that opens, check the box "Display desktop icons." We are waiting for some time (usually no more than 10 seconds) and enjoy the result.
If the attempt turned out to be futile, then probably a virus has crept into your computer. He stole your table. If this is the reason, then you will have to tinker longer, but do not worry - the situation is fixable. Before trying the methods described below, check your computer with antivirus software (we hope you have it installed). Otherwise, all the work may be in vain. If any infection has been detected, remove it. Now you can begin to solve the problem.
Ways to return the "desktop" stolen by the virus
How to return the old "Desktop" if it disappeared as a result of tricks of the virus? We offer some methods, which are best tested in the order in which they are described (until the desired result is obtained).
Launch Explorer process
The system file explorer.exe is responsible for the correct display of the desktop. We need to find him. Procedure:
- Holding the key combination Ctrl + Alt + Del, call the "Task Manager". Open the "Applications" tab and click on the "New Task" button.
- A window for creating a new task will appear. Enter the name of our file in the "Open" field and click "OK."
- Reboot the system.
As a result, the problem can be solved or not. If you didn’t get the “Desktop” back to the computer’s desktop, we proceed to the next method.
Restore system
The second way to solve the problem:
- Similarly to the actions described above, we create a new task and in the corresponding field we specify the path to the document of interest to us: SystemRoot / System32 / Restore / rstrui.exe. Click OK. A system recovery window should appear.
- Select the item "Restore to an earlier state of the desktop", click "Next".
- We select the day of the control point in the calendar: the one when the "Desktop" was in place (yesterday, 3 days ago, etc.).
Your system should return to normal. If it turned out that there is no control point, then the option to create it is disabled. Go to the next item.
Editing the registry
You can return the icons to the desktop by editing the registry of your computer system. This is what we will do:
- We are doing the actions we already know: open the "Task Manager" and create a new task in the "Applications" tab. The team will be like this - regedit. Click the "OK" button. A registry editor window will appear.
- Open the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE folder, in which we find the Image File Execution Options section in the currentVersion internal folder. The path to it lies through the folder Software / Microsoft / Windows. Here we need the explorer.exe section / file. If you find one, delete it (right-click on the icon and click "Delete" in the menu that opens).
- Now we move on to another section, also located in the Current Version folder. It is called Winlogon. Once we click on it with the left mouse button. We look in the left column of the editor - there should be a Shell parameter.
- Open the menu of the specified parameter and select the "Change" item. A window for changing the string parameter will open, in which the name of the file explorer.exe should be written. If the record in the field is different, then clear it and enter the line we need. Click OK.
- We are also interested in the Userinit parameter. We open it. The field should contain the entry C: \ Windows \ system32 \ userinit.exe. Everything that is written, in addition to this line, is deleted.
We save the changes and restart the computer. The system and desktop should return to normal. If this does not happen, you can try another way.
Internet Access Techniques
How to return the desktop icons, as well as the control panel displayed on it, the Start menu and other attributes, if the above actions did not help? For help, you can turn to the Internet.
We launch the reg-file:
- We call the already well-known "Task Manager" and create a new task. Enter in the field the address for calling the standard Windows browser: C: \ Program Files \ Internet Explorer \ iexplorer.exe. Click OK. A browser window will open.
- In the address bar, enter the following address: kompsecret.ru/problem/puscproblem.html. Go through it by pressing Enter.
- We need the file nodekstop.reg - run it.
- He must make the required changes to the registry, give consent.
- Reboot the computer. The desktop should appear.
If this method also did not help you return the "Desktop" to the Windows desktop, then there is one more option - it can be used as an alternative to the previous method. We make the following steps:
- We look at the above steps (restore the desktop using the Internet) and repeat the first two steps.
- The third step is to find a script called xp_teskbar_desktop_fixall.vbs. We launch it.
- Reboot the computer.
We hope this time the result has pleased you.
Return individual desktop icons
There are less serious problems when not all the icons disappear, but only some specific ones. In this case, returning them is usually much easier. Consider the situation on the example of how to return Skype to the desktop. If there is a program on the computer, but the shortcut from the desktop is gone, then the following steps will help:
- We open the C drive (or another, depending on where the program is installed) and in the Program Files folder we find the name you need (in our case, Skype).
- We find in the Phone folder and use the right mouse button to create a shortcut.
- Drag the shortcut to the desktop. Now the program starts from it.
These actions are suitable for any application / program whose shortcuts are missing, but they themselves are installed on your computer.
Finding the missing picture
In addition to the problem with the disappearance of the icons and the Windows control panel, there may be a less serious, but still annoying nuisance. The image set as your background has disappeared - it has changed to another. And you liked it so much, and you don’t want another at all. How to return the desktop image to its place? Will seek:
- To begin with, it is worth checking in the folder where recent documents are stored. Here is the path to it: on drive C we find Documents and Settings / user / recent. Perhaps the picture is found somewhere there.
- Look in the folder "My Pictures" or in the folder into which all new files are downloaded by default (you can find it in the settings of your browser).
- Check your desktop settings. Right-click on it and select "Properties". The drop-down list should display all the images that you previously had. Probably the right one is also among them.
To ensure that in the future you do not have questions about where to go and where to look for the desktop image, do the following. In the browser settings opposite the item "Download path", uncheck the box and check "Always ask." We hope these tips will help you find a picture and prevent similar incidents in the future.