File/window explorer not working properly

[MrDinamighty]

When I try to open my file explorer or window explorer, whatever it is called, the Icon glows to show that it is open, but nothing appears on my desktop. Trying Alt+Tab does not help, but it shows that it is open as well. The same thing had occured with my google chrome browser, but I found the way to arrange it. It appears that this happens when I leave both applications open on the desktop and put the computer on stand by. As I relogin, both get completely invisible. I can interact with the keyboard and with the preview of the window that appears when you hover the mouse over the icons on the toolbar.

[erico]

To repair operating system issues you do have a few options. #1 is generally the simplest solution.

1) Open a command line window and type in SFC /scannow to attempt to find corrupt system files and repair them.

2) Reinstall the operating system by use of the recovery disk set you should have created by now.

Make sure that you save all important data to an external storage device befoe you begin a recovery!

[MrDinamighty]

I tried but here is the result of the first suggested step to follow. I don't know how to access the details as it is said...

[mdklassen · Accepted solution]

> When I try to open my file explorer, the Icon glows to show that it is open, but nothing appears on my desktop.

There might be no need to "repair" or "re-install".

It's possible that the window is "off-screen", where you cannot see it.

POINT your mouse-pointer at that "glowing icon", to show a preview of the window.

Move the mouse-pointer to POINT to that preview.

Right-mouse-button CLICK on "maximize", to make the window fill the screen.

If you click on the top-left corner, you will see that 'move' and 'size' are greyed-out, but 'restore' is available.

If you now try to "restore" the window,  it again will go off-screen, but 'move' and 'size' are now enabled, although you cannot see them, making them impossible to click.

But, hold-down the ALT key, and press SPACE.  Release both keys and type M.

Now, repeatedly use the "arrow" keys (left/right/up/down) to try to "guess" which key(s) will move the window "onto" the visible screen. 

If/when you do see the window, press ENTER to "commit" the movements.

If you do not see the window, press ESC to "abort" this attempt at a "move".

Repeat the ALT-SPACE, and give it another try.

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[MrDinamighty]

Thank you very much for the help...

One last question though, but this is only in case it happens again:

As I said in my first post, the same issue occurred with my google chrome browser. Is it possible then, that it was also off-screen and can be ''fixed'' the same way with the file explorer?

Again, thank you very much...

[mdklassen]

>  the same issue occurred with my google chrome browser. Is it possible then,

> that it was also off-screen and can be ''fixed'' the same way with the file explorer?

Yes, the way that Windows manages each "window" is consistent, across all applications that create a "window".

It would be a terrible user-experience if each application had a different way of manipulating its window !