PC problem - empty desktop

[rocket]

Folks,

Firstly, I am a computer numpty! Right....
I suddenly have a problem with my PC at home. When I switch it on, my usual wallpaper appears, but there are no icons on the desktop, and no Start bar (thingy)at the bottom of the screen. Right clicking on the mouse does nothing. If I press ctrl_alt_del, the only thing listed in the Task Manager is 'msgsrv32 (Not responding)'. Basically I can't get it to do anything.

Does anyone have any ideas as to what might be wrong, or how I can fix it?
If I need to take it to a computer shop, would I be better going to PC World or a small independant outfit?

Many thanks for any advice,

Neil

[Plotloss]

When it boots up hit F8 to get it into safe mode.

Does it boot normally then?

[rocket]

Matt,

At what point should I press F8? It boots up quite quickly, and the only prompt I see is something like 'Press DEL to enter Set-up'?

Cheers.

[Plotloss]

When you get the DEL bit, when that screen clears hit F8.

[Plotloss]

If you can get it up in safe mode (once you have hit F8 at the right time) then do:

Start>Run scanreg/fix if you are using 98 or Me

[rocket]

Ok, did that, (speaking to my wife on the phone at home) and got a message along the lines of "You are now entering safe mode, there may be problems....bla bla....use your Control Panel to check settings...". Trouble is, once this message disappears, the desktop is stil completely empty, and we can't get to the Control Panel.

[Plotloss]

So its in safe mode and still no icons etc?

OK, when you get the safe mode menu is there a step by step confirmation mode?

Just hit Y to every question and it should let you know where the error is because it will hang at that point.

Probably driver related.

[rocket]

Hi Matt,

I tried the step by step confirmation mode last night. I hit Y to every question, and it seemed to go through the whole lot. After confirming Y about 40 times, the wallpaper appeared as usual, but still without the desktop icons or start bar.

(At this point I left the room to try and find a large hammer....)

Cheers,

Neil

[Plotloss]

What operating system is it?

[rocket]

Windows 98

[Plotloss]

OK.

Unplug everything thats not neccesary so all cables that arent monitor keyboard and mouse.

Start Windows.

Once you get the Windows 98 splash screen thing hit the CTRL key as it boots, this will bypass the items in your startup folder.

What I think is happening is that something is being started with Windows thats conflicting and causing the Windows Messaging Server (msgsrv32) to hang.

[rocket]

Ok, thanks Matt. I'll give that a try when I get home tonight.

Cheers,

Neil

[Plotloss]

You're dont have a Palm Pilot cradle connected per chance?

[rocket]

I don't at the moment, but I have done in the past.
I'm not sure even if the software for the Palm is still installed as I had the PC upgraded/fixed about 6 months ago, and haven't connected the Palm to it since.

[Plotloss]

Its just there is an MS Knowledge base article about them causing this very error...

[rocket]

Tried hitting CTRL on the Windows splash screen during boot up, but still no change.

I have noticed that it's not always 'msgsrv32' showing in the Task Manager....very often it's actually 'rnaapp' instead. Can't work out a pattern as to when each one shows.

I also dug out some of the old manuals last night, and discovered this PC Doctor application I could run in DOS. So I ran it, and the diagnosis showed several failures such as BIOS Timer, CMOS and Systemboard. Unfortunately this means nothing to me so I don't know what to do with the information.


Cheers,

Neil