Thread: Programs disapearing in xp pro!

I am on my second XP pro install. In the last, I was installing daemon tools which required a restart. My pc wouldn't restart and I had to do it via the power button, bad, I know. On start-up, the taskbar had disappeared and I had to reboot (again the power button). I selected 'last known configuration that worked. Windows opened and looked fine until I realized that half my programs were apparently missing. I looked in C programs and they were there but could not be accessed through all programs. Some desktop shortcuts had also disappeared as had some window install items such as games.

I decided that I had somehow damaged the registry and I carried out another new install. This looked perfect and was running well until I installed power iso which required a reboot. It rebooted perfectly but when windows opened again a lot of programs aren't showing up in START-all programs! Power iso and everything else is in the programs folder but I want to access it the normal way. Also shortcuts for Google earth and Apps have gone.

Some windows apps have gone as well! On the previous install I tried 5 different dates to do a system restore but they all failed. Does anyone know what is going on, please?

Thanks

After a fresh windows XP install, the immediate next steps should be as follows:

Install MB/system drivers

Install video card driver

Install all MS OS updates (SP3 covers SP1 and SP2)

Install personal apps.