Malware - No Start Button - No Icons

I have a Toshiba Satellite A70 laptop with Windows XP Home.

I have found several suggested methods of removing this fake anti-spy program with Google. My problem is this malware has deleted my desktop icons and even the Start button and Task Bar. Therefore I can't access the system.

After I use Ctrl/Alt/Delete to stop the Privacy Center program which loads on Start Up, Iam left with just my back-ground wallpaper and not another thing.

I have tried pushing F8 immediately on start up (without success) to try to go to Safe Mode. There are no prompts requesting or allowing F8 to be used. The computer proceeds with normal start-up to where the desktop icons would normally start to appear. Instead, Privacy Center pops up and asks me to run their cleaning system ( which I have ignored).

I have Spybot - Adaware and Clean-up plus Avast antivirus and AVG firewall.


(A) How do I access my computer ( How do I remove Privacy Center

Your assistance is humbly requested. Bimbimbi PS. My first post, so apologies if this is in the wrong forum.

Edited by The weatherman, 25 May 2009 - 02:19 AM.
Moved from XP to a more appropriate forum. TW

I am not sure where to go from here. When I accessed the site to check for a reply to my first post, a Tutorial to remove Privacy Center appeared on my screen. This was posted by Grinler.
This is great. The only problem is I cannot initiate this fix as I cannot get my laptop to start-up. I am just getting the wallpaper with no icons or task bar. (As detailed in my post). I am currently logged on with my 2nd. computer.

My post was edited and sent to the 'Am I Infected - What do I do Forum'. This was fair enough but the person doing the edit (The Weatherman) noted that "Reason for edit. Moved from XP to a more appropriate forum.TW" It would have been easy for me to locate this 'appropriate forum' if it had been named. However, I eventually found it under Forum 'Am I infected - What do I do'. But there are no replies to deal with the problem of gaining access to my laptop to commence the fix. Please advise. Thanks. Bimbimbi

+ What happens if you hit the Start Menu button on your keyboard?

Also, To try and get your taskbar back, we can do this.

+ hit Ctrl+Alt+Del to open Windows Task Manager
+ go to File -> New Task (Run...)
+ type explorer.exe and hit enter
Alternatively, type C:\ in New Task to attempt to open your C:\ drive.

If this works, you should be able to access your drives and such.
Also,

+ Does the arrow (mouse cursor) appear on your wallpaper (desktop background)?
+ If it's there, does it respond to when you move the mouse?

If it does,

+ try sliding the cursor all the way to the bottom of the screen. See if the taskbar reappears.

Edited by Supreme Edgeboy Max, 26 May 2009 - 02:24 AM.