Once, I had an electricity stop and of course my computer was shut down violently. On the other day, however i wasn't able to see my desktop icons, start button, quicklauch, etc. but only my wallpaper on the screen, and all i could do was only using Task Manager to run the programs I needed...I restarted the computer several times but nothing changed ... And it was not all...when i tried to run some mp3-s i had error messages for my soundcard. However when I play a game or something i have sound...Help me please!!!

Try this

Go to Start | Run
Type in cmd

At the command Prompt c:\> type cd windows

At the command prompt, type attrib -h shelliconcache and press ENTER

Now type del shelliconcache and press ENTER

Log off and back on and hopefully the default icons should be restored.

Can't use your suggestion because ...I don't have a CDROM right now ...By the way, when i activate Task Manager and open ANY file of the type "shortcut" on my desktop it automatically restores, but when I restart my computer the "blank wallpaper" is all I can see again. Could this be some kind of virus?

cd isn't the windows cd, it is a windows command to instruct the computer to Change Directory

Sorry for not knowing this...I said that because I received message " File not found - shelliconcache .

Hi..
Even I have a exactly similar problem and when I tried for the attrib -h shelliconcache ,its saying file not found. I also had a number of entries in the hosts file and RPC (lsass.exe) shutdown error used to appear.but after deleting the host file entries ,the error did not appear.
I am only able to run the programs from the task manager and nothing else.

Please advice on this...its very urgent.

try this fix

Line 195 "Restore Desktop Icons and Taskbar"
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm