# Windows Server 2003 No desktop icons



## rhombus (Apr 25, 2012)

Hi, 

I have a client that is running Windows Server 2003. When they login or when I log on to the server through RDC is it showing no desktop icons. 

System:
IBM
Microsoft Weindows Server 2003
Xseries_100
3.00GHz
1.00 GB of RAM

1) explorer.exe is running 

2) Right click on the desktop/Arrange Icons By (everything is greyed out)

3) a. Start your Windows XP to Desktop. 
2. Press Ctrl+Alt+Del key to open the Task Manager. 
b. Click File menu and click "New Tasks (run...)" 
c. Type iexplore.exe, and will open internet explorer browser
d. Type c:\, click "My computer", click Control Panel
e. Goto add remove programs, then removed the windows update file that 
caused the problem before blank desktop occured. (also applicable to 
remove the specific software that caused the problem- "blank desktop"). 
f. restart server

4)I ran regedit to check HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
Shell=Explorer.exe

5) Restarted the Server

I appreciate any ideas that could help.


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## DoubleHelix (Dec 10, 2004)

What icons are you expecting to see? What's in that user account's desktop folder?


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## rhombus (Apr 25, 2012)

Thanks for the reply.

Items in user account's desktop folder:
My Documents
My Computer
My Network Places
Recycle Bin
Internet Explorer
AVG 2011
Foxit Reader
Symantec Backup Exec 10d
Symantec pcAnywhere
disk1 (folder)
z51798L11[1] (folder)
APC PowerChute Business Edition Console
[email protected]
Server Management


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## rhombus (Apr 25, 2012)

Any ideas on this? Could it be a virus, worth running malwarebytes and superantispware?


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## DoubleHelix (Dec 10, 2004)

Has this ever worked? You're running a server that allows remote connections and Internet access without having any security in place?


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## rhombus (Apr 25, 2012)

Yes, you use to be able to see the icons on the desktop. There is AVG antivirus installed, if that what you mean by security?


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## DoubleHelix (Dec 10, 2004)

You're running AVG on a server? 

If you're allowing anyone to log into this box and use it for web surfing, there's no telling what the problem may be. Generally companies don't use servers that way.

You haven't provided many details or history, so it's difficult to offer advice. It could be some kind of policy setting. Does everything work fine when you log into the console?


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## rhombus (Apr 25, 2012)

Yes running AVG for antivirus. 

they only log on to the server to run / check the back ups, I very rarely remote log on to the server (only when something goes wrong or to reboot the server) It hasn't been used to surf the net as I know off. 

Everything else is running fine on the server, A little slow but this may be due to its age. All icons where on the desktop until the other day. 

I can access the desktop icons through the desktop folder.


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## peonowns (Apr 16, 2012)

Anything in the event log for example.

Log Name: Application 
Source: Microsoft-Windows-Winlogon 
Event ID: 4006 
Level: Warning 
User: N/A 
Computer: M1.Contoso.com 
Description: 
The Windows logon process has failed to spawn a user application. Application name: . Command line parameters: C:\Windows\system32\userinit.exe.


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## rhombus (Apr 25, 2012)

They have decided to get a new server, as there is more problems to it than just this one. 

Thanks everyone for your help.


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