I'm not sure if this is the right place for this question, but here goes: I'm running Linux Cinnamon Mint "Qiana" on a laptop and when I boot up, my desktop wallpaper is missing and all of my desktop icons are a picture of a page or book with a Red X in the middle, and also it is impossible to move anything around on the screen, is there something I can do to get my desktop back to normal, any help is very much appreciated.

open a terminal and issue:
terminal from keyboard is likely Ctrl+Alt+[tT]

and paste the results here please.

Sorry, I'm unable to enter the Terminal anywhere, I really tried, I looked everywhere (Home folder, etc), tried everything, I can open some things, but the Minimize, Maximize and Close buttons in the upper right hand corner of a window is missing and I have to use "Ctrl Q or Ctrl W" to close them, I hate to be a nuisance, your patience is really appreciated.

Ctrl+Alt+t or Ctrl+Alt+T does nothing?

IF not, then use Ctrl+Alt+F1 and login as yourself.
issue:
write down and post here the short url please.

Then
Ctrl+Alt+F7 should get you back to the broken desktop.

Thank you.

Did it ever work? Has this changed recently and if so, what changes did you make just before the problem?

Did you try holding down the Ctrl+Alt+t keys simultaneously to open a terminal?

I know it looks like I'm slacking and I'm not looking for pity, but I'm Handicapped and Disabled and my therapy, medicines and Home Health Care takes a lot out of my day, so there might be delays in me answering posts.

With that communicated, the problem at hand: Ctrl + Alt + T (and t) doesn't bring up a Terminal screen and F1 brings up a "DOS" like screen, but nothing I do makes it work.

At this point, all your help is greatly appreciated, but I think it's time for me to change gears and maybe install something like Linux Mint 17.2 "Rafaela" - Cinnamon (64-bit), but ONLY after backing up important files to, say maybe, a Blu Ray burner and a 25GB disk (more than enough room).

However I'll wait a week or so to do the backup's and to keep this question open in case an answer comes through before I perform a risky upgrade.

I'll keep you posted if I should come across something that fixes it.

You say that if you use ctrl-alt-F1 you get cmd line env: what exactly does it look like and what exactly did you try in terms of logging in?

It should just have a login prompt that you can the login using your acct and then supply the password when prompted or use the root acct and supply that password.

Note that for security reasons, when you login on a screen like that, it will not show the passwd being typed in, NOR will it supply an asterisk '*' for each passwd char.
IOW even though it looks like its not working, in fact it is - you just have to be very careful entering the passwd.

HTH

PS : it should look something like https://www.google.com.au/search?q=l...c8PguaLPU6E%3D

You take all the time you need. We'll be 'here'.

Well, the laptop is working now and the desktop is back to normal, and for the life of me, I don't know what I did.

I was trying everything again and again when a DOS type screen popped up that said "Repair Something" and by this time I was so pissed and at my wit's end, so for "S & G" I hit the ENTER key and it took off with line after line of commands and several minutes later it was through.

Then it gave me an option to do a "Normal Re-Boot" so I hit the ENTER key again and several minutes later, my desktop was back to normal, all my icons were normal and I could close my open programs out, in retrospect, I probably, by accident, did just what you suggested, but I did not know it then.

I'm still somewhat new to Linux (after years of WIN-Doze) but with your patience and kind understanding, my questions will be fewer and fewer, and I hope to better learn Linux and I'm also trying to learn it's Cousin "Android", anything to keep my old brain active.

I wish to thank everybody who suggested fixes, your help was greatly appreciated very much.

Glad it worked out!