In the Windows operating system, the explorer.exe program is responsible for the display and normal operation of all elements located on the desktop. It starts when the computer boots up and runs continuously until it is turned off. If all the shortcuts have disappeared from the desktop, and even the "Start" button is not in place, then this is a clear sign that Explorer is either not running or is not working correctly.
Instructions
Step 1
Find out if File Explorer is currently running. To do this, you need to see a list of all running processes in the system. Press CTRL + alt="Image" + Delete to open Windows Task Manager.
Step 2
Go to the Processes tab. The name explorer should be looked for in the "Image name" column of the table located here. There are many lines in it, so it will be easier to search if you can sort the process names alphabetically by clicking on the heading of this column.
Step 3
If you do not find a process with that name, then skip this step of the procedure. If it is in the list, it means that the program is running, but it works abnormally and does not respond to external requests from other components of the operating system and application programs - it “hangs”. You should forcibly close the Explorer by right-clicking this line and selecting “End Process” from the context menu that appears.
Step 4
Go to the Applications tab and click the New Task button located in the lower right corner. The Create New Task dialog box appears.
Step 5
Type explorer in the input field and press Enter. This will launch Windows Explorer, which should replace all the items on the desktop, as well as restore normal functioning of the main menu on the "Start" button in the taskbar.
Step 6
If the described sequence of actions failed to restart Explorer, or after starting it again freezes and the desktop is still empty, the reason was not an accidental crash in its work. Apparently, the explorer.exe executable file has been deleted or damaged - this usually happens as a result of a virus in the operating system. The best way out of this situation is to contact specialists who will help identify, neutralize the virus or eliminate the consequences of its activity. You can do this through specialized web resources.
