Start Button, Taskbar, and Desktop Icons Missing After Logon

Last reviewed: December 11, 1997
Article ID: Q174659
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0
  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer version 4.0 for Windows NT 4.0

SYMPTOMS

After you log on to Windows NT, the Start button, taskbar, and desktop icons may not be displayed. The only visible object on the screen may be the mouse pointer.

CAUSE

This behavior can occur if you restore the System and Software registry keys from an Emergency Repair Disk (ERD) that was created before you installed Internet Explorer 4.0 with the Windows Desktop Update component.

RESOLUTION

To work around this behavior, please follow the steps in "More Information" section of the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID : Q166314
   TITLE      : Removing Internet Explorer for Windows NT 4.0 Using
                Ieremove.exe

MORE INFORMATION

For more information about uninstalling Internet Explorer and Windows NT, see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID : Q165695
   TITLE      : How to Add or Remove Windows Desktop Update

   ARTICLE-ID : Q174265
   TITLE      : How to Uninstall Internet Explorer 4.0

   ARTICLE-ID : Q171411
   TITLE      : Cannot Log In After Uninstalling Internet Explorer 4.0

   ARTICLE-ID : Q172919
   TITLE      : Uninstall Internet Explorer 4.0 Option Is Missing

   ARTICLE-ID : Q164538
   TITLE      : Using Older Registry or Repair Disk with Internet Explorer
                4.0

   ARTICLE-ID : Q167185
   TITLE      : Problems after Restoring Older Registry or ERD


Additional query words: 4.00 msient blank
Keywords : kbenv kbui
Version : WINDOWS:4.0
Platform : WINDOWS


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Last reviewed: December 11, 1997
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