Windows 7 Blank Start Menu/Taskbar

SierraLeone

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May 25, 2010
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10
I've tried searching the web and the forum for similar posts and still haven't found a solution. I'm running Windows 7 and as of a few days ago my taskbar (which I usually have pinned icons) is blank and the icons are highlighting but not showing leaving the taskbar to appear blank. The start menu only shows all programs and the rest is blank including the blue side of the start menu under the profile picture..I tried to do a print screen but I couldn't figure out how to get it in this post so if anyone cleary understands this issue or has experienced it please help. :(
 


Solution
Unfortunately, no one may have an answer

What kind of support forum is this? No one has an answer?

Sometimes, there are cases, where no one really knows why you are having the problem. Granted, you have given us some information, but it is an odd sounding problem. There are many reasons this could be happening.

Your video card could be dying.
Your Windows installation could be corrupted by malware, trojans, or viruses.
Your video drivers could have been corrupted.

Can you give us some system specs to work with? Otherwise, you may want to download the latest drivers for your video card and see if the problem persists.

You may also want to run a free virus scan:

Free ESET Online Antivirus Scanner

The problem is...
Anyone? I've already tried to restore but there are no previous restore points and I misplaced my windows 7 disk. I need to know if theres a simple way to fix this or maybe a free software that will clean up my computer. I'm thinking explorer.exe is not starting up properly causing my taskbar and start menu to stay blank..What should I do?
 


Unfortunately, no one may have an answer

What kind of support forum is this? No one has an answer?

Sometimes, there are cases, where no one really knows why you are having the problem. Granted, you have given us some information, but it is an odd sounding problem. There are many reasons this could be happening.

Your video card could be dying.
Your Windows installation could be corrupted by malware, trojans, or viruses.
Your video drivers could have been corrupted.

Can you give us some system specs to work with? Otherwise, you may want to download the latest drivers for your video card and see if the problem persists.

You may also want to run a free virus scan:

Free ESET Online Antivirus Scanner

The problem is unusual, but artifacting and strange display rendering problems on the screen are usually the sign of a faulty video card or poorly seated video card. You need to eliminate the software problems before you start to make conclusions on whether this is a hardware issue. This begins with a process of elimination that needs to be done carefully. Please post additional system specifications, and I can try to help you further.

For example, what video card are you using? Do you know? If you do not, you can usually find out from the manufacturer if its not custom-built. If its an integrated video card, the problem could be unresolvable, but if its dedicated, it may be solvable.

Assuming its not the video card, and is in fact a corruption of Windows, you may want to try Malwarebytes. Did the problem start suddenly or has it gradually gotten worse? Was there a time when the problem did not exist? All of these questions need to be addressed and that is partly why you have not received a thorough attempt at an answer.

And, unfortunately, being the open community this is, no one is obligated to assist you. Although many of us are very much willing to help you.
 


Solution
I've tried searching the web and the forum for similar posts and still haven't found a solution. I'm running Windows 7 and as of a few days ago my taskbar (which I usually have pinned icons) is blank and the icons are highlighting but not showing leaving the taskbar to appear blank. The start menu only shows all programs and the rest is blank including the blue side of the start menu under the profile picture..I tried to do a print screen but I couldn't figure out how to get it in this post so if anyone cleary understands this issue or has experienced it please help. :(


Control Panel -> User Accounts,

have you tried creating a new user account to see if it fixes the issue ?
 


It must a local profile corruption.
As Cybercore said, just create a new account, log in to it, and see if the problem still occurs.
Let us know if it fixes your issue.
 


When I click on anything under user accounts, it does nothing and won't allow me to do anything. I tried the free malware removers, taskbar and menu are still blank..Only thing I have tried to installing the latest display drivers for winows 7...where would I find those?
 


Hello !!

Try to Enable the Build-in administrator.

Start | CMD | Right Click and Run as administrator then in the command Prompt type in

net user administrator /active:yes then close the command prompt and reboot the System. Once it's backup on the Log on screen you can find another account called "Administrator" Login to that account and see if your facing the same problem.

Hope this helps,
Captain
 


I created and logged into the admin account, taskbar and menu are still blank. I attached a word document with screen print I took to give a visual of exactly what the issue looks like.
 


Attachments

I created and logged into the admin account, taskbar and menu are still blank. I attached a word document with screen print I took to give a visual of exactly what the issue looks like.

Hello !!

Check this link and see if that helps Start Menu All Programs List - Enable or Disable - Vista Forums also this thread A story of Windows 7 and an empty All Programs (and how I fixed it) - Greg's Cool [Insert Clever Name] of the Day

Hope this helps,
Captain
 


I'm also seeing this issue on a client's computer... did the OP ever find a fix, or was it a reinstall job?

I tried SFC /SCANNOW which said some files were corrupt and would be fixed on a restart, but didn't fix anything.

I tried system retore, but it might have been going for too long, or that didn't fix it.

any other tips?
 


more details; found that 6 files were corrupt according to SFC:

C:\Windows\fonts\simsun.ttc

C:\Windows\System32\imageres.dll
C:\Windows\System32\sxshared.dll
C:\Windows\System32\twext.dll
C:\Windows\System32\tcpbidi.xml

C:\Windows\System32\en-US\KernelBase.dll.mui


and their linked files in WinSXS... so I painstakingly replaced them from a Win 7 install Disc... which made SFC happy.. but the taskbar and start menu are still blank... all programs works ok, other then that, the start menu is empty
 


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