Everything but the Background Display is gone

Reply edited (deleted), sorry just noticed you couldn’t even get into F8 Safe Mode

 

Any error messages?

 

Hi,

Sorry to say but I'm the only user on this laptop; there aren't any other user names on the login screen.  Under safe mode, there is an Administrator account, and I clicked on that user.  It then opened up to a blank screen.  Something interesting that I noticed here is that the system tray flashed on the bottom of the screen, then went away.  It's almost like Windows loads up to the point of the login screen (which all looks and acts very normal), but then when it gets into the user account, it doesn't load any of the programs from that point.  The hard drive isn't running at all, and when I click the Control-alt-delete option, there are no applications listed.

 

Here's an interesting note.  I went to the options listed under the Task Manager in Safe Mode, after getting it from the control-alt-delete option, and went to File, New Task(Run), I was able to click the Browse button, view a listing of files, and chose a Word document to open (so the stuff is still there somehow).  I received a Windows error, 

 

"Windows cannot find 'C:\invoicelocationandfilename.doc'.  Make sure you  typed the name correctly, and then try again.  To search for a file, click the Start button, and then click Search."

 

Interestingly enough, Word opened and displayed correctly on the screen.

 

Next I went and switched users, and at this time I re-read the option that comes up, Yes to proceed to work in safe mode, no to go to a system restore date.  I chose to go back to Tuesday, a day before this event took place.  The cpu reacted a little differently this time, flashing the full system tray then the cpu actually churned like it was loading programs.  However, it didn't fix my problem.  While the cpu is churnning away(which hasn't happened prior to this time since the event), I hit the cntl-alt-delete option, and noticed under the Processes tab that svchost.exe was high on the CPU scale.  It did drop down after the cpu stopped, so that is the program that is running.  Any clue on that process, svchost.exe??

 

Also noted that the last listed process that runs in Safe Mode when loading is \System32\DRIVERS\agp440.sys  Is that normal??  Just clues that may provide an answer, but may never take us to the root of the problem.

 

Then rebooted, hit F8, chose the option to restart in the last known good configuration, and nothing happened.  It's like Windows doesn't recognize that it's sick. 

 

Any more ideas?  Thank you so much for your input so far, it's helping with ideas of things to try, and gives more clues.

 

 

I probably need to clarify, under Safe Mode there is another user, Administrator, and yes, I opened that account, and there are no different results.  Also, as far as I know, the computer was as clean as they come.  I have used some various tools to clean, as recommended through this site, but I don't like McAffee or Norton.  I haven't cleaned the computer for a month or two.  Another side note, when I minimize the task manager, or the program that I get to open using the task manager, they disappear, and, under Safe Mode, I have a blank screen again except for the Safe Mode words in the top side corners and the Build 2600.xpsp_sp2_gdr.070227-2254:Service Pack 2 wording in the top middle of the screen. 

 

Thank you for any input!

when running the task manager, is it possible to click new task and then write explorer and then do a system restore?

 

or just run system restore by doing a new task in the taskbar and write %SystemRoot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe

 

oh yeah, it's normal for svchost to run, also multiple svchost processes. e.g. I have 8 multiple running. They control programs or something!

 

But if you can run programs and everything, the only thing it seems something is wrong with your explorer process. Nothing showed when you typed explorer in new task?

 

There are many solution on the internet, but I have no idea of what you should do? :-(

Hi,

Yes, that's what I did.  I went back to Tuesday, which is the only restore date available, but nothing changed.  Any other ideas?

 

Thanks so much,

perhaps you can in new task run "sfc /scannow". You need the XP setup disk for this!

kangaroobug

 

Reference Safe Mode agp440.sys problems, click this MS KB article 324764