PC utilities: No icons visible after start up

No icons visible after start up

I am at wits end. This is what I did.

To improve my laptop performance (Windows XP) I went to Control Panel – Administrative Tools – Services (Local) and changed quite a few Startup Type to Manual from Automatic (after reading cnet story; haha, the joke's on me). I usually write down the changes made, but this time I skipped it. Well I turned something to Manual from Automatic that I should not have and ever since when I start the laptop (after Turn Off), no icons or tool bars are visible (the blue windows background is still visible; I do not have blank, dark screen, just no icons / shortcuts). I can press the Windows button on my keyboard and nothing happens. The only command that I know of that still works is the Ctrl-Alt-Delete buttons, so I use the Windows Task manager and move the laptop to Stand By mode. Then I restart it (works with Hibernate as well) and everything is fine, all icons / shortcuts, toolbars come back.

I have been trying to remedy this, but have had no success so far.

1. I tried to restore the laptop to 4 previous points with no success (get message no restore can be done)
2. Got a printout of the all the Services from a friend and cross-reference them with mine. I have changed and turned the laptop off / on about dozen times, still no luck.

Do not know what else to do. Perhaps someone out there knows what Service to turn to Automatic, so I can shut off the laptop and not keeping it in Hibernate all the time.

Thank you for your help.