We have received this problem from many readers, they reported that suddenly they found all the desktop icons and taskbar disappeared after windows startup. The only way to control your computer is through task manager as windows explorer is not running.

This problem of missing desktop icons and taskbar is caused when your computer is infected by Adware.Dynamic from Dynamic Desktop Media. This adware runs a process sysu.exe and ddm_d.exe which you can see through task manager under process tab, you can end the processes to end the problem temporarily to get the missing desktop icons and taskbar back.

This adware can get installed on your computer with the following names: Msbb.exe (Adware.Ncase) Optimize.exe (Adware.NetOptimizer) Winpup.exe (Adware.Winpup). Make sure to remove Active Alert under add remove programs if found.

Let’s see how can you remove this adware from your computer to get all the missing desktop icons and taskbar.

Fix:

After properly analyzing the problem of missing desktop icons and taskbar we figured out the two methods to solve it.

Method 1:

Follow the procedure given below to remove the virus or adware completely from your computer

1. Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open task manager

2. Click the process tab and end the process named sysu.exe and ddm_d.exe if they are running.

3. Delete the following folders

C:\Programs\ddm
C:\Programs\pup
C:\Program Files\Internet Optimizer

4. Search and delete the following files on your computer

actalert.exe
ddm.exe
ddm_d.exe
msbb.exe
optimize.exe
pup.exe
sysu.exe
winpup.exe

5. Open C:\Windows\System32

and delete all the files that start with a random 7/12 digit number eg. 37473696.exe

6. Press Window Key + R to open run and type regedit and press Enter

and delete the following keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
and/or RunOnce that refers to ddm, *randomnumber*.exe or sysu.exe.

HKEY_CURRENT_USERS\SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\MUICache
delete the keyfile C:\progra~1\ddm\sysu.exe

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\pup.setup

Delete all these folders:

HKEY CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{539AFCA0-9542-44F0-A286-9B8857DFD30A}

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{F5192746-22D6-41BD-9D2D-1E75D14FBD3C}

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TypeLib\{2C4AC0A2-7DA0-4061-B57A-C292A8F3B109}

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Avenue Media

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\\Dynamic Desktop Media

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\ddm

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\pup

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\Shared Tools\MSConfig\startupreg\Internet Optimizer

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Management\ARPCache\Internet Optimizer

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Internet Optimizer

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Internet Optimizer Active Alert

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Internet Optimizer Software Installer

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\msbb

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\nCase

7. Open Internet Explorer navigate to File Menu >> Tools >> Internet Options >> Settings >> View Objects and locate ddm and delete it. I hope I have not missed anything, after following all the steps properly you should be able to remove the virus.

If by any chance windows desktop icons and taskbar disappears due to some other reason then  you can try the method 2 to get the disappeared desktop icons and taskbar.

Method 2:

After you log on to your computer press ctrl + shift + esc to start task manager, click File >> New Task and type regedit.exe

Windows Registry window will open up and navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE >> Software >> Microsoft >> Windows NT >> Current Version >> Winlogon once, but don’t expand it, Locate shell and change it value to explorer.exe, even if it is explorer.exe already retype it.

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[ Fixed ] Restore Missing Desktop Icons and Taskbar is a post from TroubleFixers - All about fixing computer troubles