All desktop icons changed to Microsoft logo

[rcapettini]

Was running Windows 2000 pro and tried to install Norton AV 2006. Thgis failed to install completely and when I rebooted, all desktop icons changed to Microsoft logos. None will open. All applics lost. Tried to reinstall OS in "repair" mode but won't do it. Tried a clean install and that also failed.

Any suggestions?? If harddrive is permanently lost is there a way to save data???

Please try to make replies understandable to a non-techie ......appreciate any help

 

[Mazza558]

Are you sure it's not just the icons that have gone wrong? If so, you will still have your apps and everything and will just need to install them again.

 

[PanicX]

If by "clean install" you mean you formatted and then installed windows, then your data is probably lost. If it's valuable data, you may want to take this drive to a professional recovery service. You can try using recovery software, but you'll likely lose more data when you install the program.

If all your files are there and just have windows icons then your data's probably ok. What happened when you tried to repair the OS?

 

[Samstoned]

you can get another drive install OS to that.
buy recovery software and try to get your data back
do not write to the drive or the space that is written to has lost old data
or you can try recovery services that are available
recovery
recovery
recovery

 

[rcapettini]

Thanks everyone for trying to help.

Mazza -- Clicking on the icons does nothing. Going to start and programs and clicking also does nothing.

PanicX -- I first tried to repair the OS -- went through the entire process which appeared to work but when got to desktip nothing had changed. Then tried to simply reinstall --- Microsoft Support and others told me that would lose all applications but not data. Didn't work either.

Samstoned -- sounds good -- I'll look into recovery services.

 

[PanicX]

PanicX -- I first tried to repair the OS -- went through the entire process which appeared to work but when got to desktip nothing had changed. Then tried to simply reinstall --- Microsoft Support and others told me that would lose all applications but not data. Didn't work either.

Ok, so you reinstalled. During the installation you are brought to a screen at the begining that reads something like the following:

Format harddisk with NTFS (quick)
Format harddisk with FAT32 (quick)
Format harddisk with NTFS
Format harddisk with FAT32
Leave current filesystem intact (no changes made)


Which option did you choose?

 

[rcapettini]

Hi PanicX .....

It was either the first or thrid choices -- I believe the first.

 

[PanicX]

Then you need to decide how valuable your data is. Formating the drive has effectively erased all your previous data unless you have multiple partitions or drives. To get your data back you need to either do as Sam suggested and install a new harddrive, load windows onto the new hard drive, purchase recovery software and run a recovery scan on your old hard drive. Or you need to take the drive out and visit a data recovery center. In all likelyhood, Sam's method is cheaper, but less likely to get your data, there are no guarantees though that your data will be recoverable at all.

Otherwise all you can do is move forward without your data. Reinstall your programs and do your best to recreate your former glory.

 

[rcapettini]

OK -- will try that -- thanx again for your help...........

 

[GoosePC]

Reset the security features

1. Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then press ENTER.
2. Type secedit /configure /cfg %windir%\repair\secsetup.inf /db secsetup.sdb /verbose, and then press ENTER. You receive a "Task is completed" message, and a warning message that something could not be done. You can safely ignore this message.