Appearance & Themes in Control Panel not working

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
  • Start date Start date
G

Guest

Hello,
I have been trying to change the desktop background on my pc. When I
bring up the control panel, and click on appearance and themes, the page come
up fine. When I click on any task on the page, or any icon for that matter,
nothing happens. This may be part of a bigger problem, as my pc is running
dreadfully slow the last 2 days. I have already run virus scans, adware
scans, and contacted Dell support, but still the problem persists. Any help
would be appreciated.
 
Try this to change the desktop background...
Right click the Desktop | Properties | Desktop tab

If you're having problems with right clicking, see these...

Right-click is slow or weird behavior caused by context menu handlers
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/slowrightclick.htm

Right-click is extremely slow only when Network is enabled
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/rcdelay.htm


Additional info...

How to Change the Font, Size, and Colors of Desktop Items
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;310543

How to configure Desktop Themes in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307855

HOW TO: Use the Windows Classic Theme in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/294309

HOW TO: Enable or Disable the New Interface Components in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/288186
--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
Hi Wesley (or anyone else reading this)
I have been able to access the display properties window.
BUT, when I click on desktop tab, it hangs. no response. When I exit, I get
a "end program" window for rundll32.exe. I have been seeing this when I shut
down the last few days. But now i see it when the display props crash. I
have sent the error report to microsoft, many times already. How does one go
about fixing a dll? I have already done a run/cmd/chkdsk, on the advice of
Dell.
Thanks
 
Manny,

If you're seeing rundll32 errors when shutting down this is a good
indication that you may have spyware or other malware.

Update your antivirus software and run a full system scan.

Update whatever anti-spyware applications that you have and run scans with
them also.

Also see this...
What's the suspicious Rundll32.exe process
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k/rundll32.htm

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
Hello again,
Thanks for responding again. I have run my own (McAfee)
anti-virus program. It updates automatically. I did a scan with AdAware. I
also did a full scan with a Trend Micro house Call (suggested by Dell). No
viruses found. Some spyware was found from Trend Micro, which i deleted
through that app. rundll32.exe still shows up. I tried the link you gave, but
couldn't run the commands advised. Tasklist is not available with XP Home Ed.
The WMIC.... was not recognized. It was supposed to give me a process list.
Also, through Automatic Updates there is a malware removal tool, which
updates monthly. I don't know if I have to manually run that or if its
automatic. On the plus side, I did figure a way to change my desktop image,
through Dell Expert Image App. But that still doesn't solve the dll32.exe
problem. Dell seems to think it's just a faulty dll. Could that be all there
is to it?
Thanks again.
 
Hi Manny,

Try running System File Checker (sfc.exe).

[[If System File Checker discovers that a protected file has been
overwritten, it retrieves the correct version of the file from the cache
folder (%Systemroot%\System32\Dllcache) or the Windows installation source
files, and then replaces the incorrect file. ]]
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=310747

Load your XP CD in your CD drive.

Start | Run | Typeor paste: sfc /scannow | Click OK

It should take a while to run.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
Hello Wes,
I tried to run the sfc before. I read about it in one of
the newsgroups here, but was unable to. It didn't say to install the XP cd,
or to type in sfc /scannow in the run box. I typed it in the run/cmd box. It
said it was not recognized. But I did as you wrote, and it seems to have
done the trick. I can access everything through the control panel again. And
I have not seen the rundll error. I even rebooted to make sure it wasn't
there at shutdown. Thank you so much for your help. I wish now that I came
here first, it would have saved me the $99.00 dell charged for the call. (And
gave me no solutions). Thanks again!

Wesley Vogel said:
Hi Manny,

Try running System File Checker (sfc.exe).

[[If System File Checker discovers that a protected file has been
overwritten, it retrieves the correct version of the file from the cache
folder (%Systemroot%\System32\Dllcache) or the Windows installation source
files, and then replaces the incorrect file. ]]
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=310747

Load your XP CD in your CD drive.

Start | Run | Typeor paste: sfc /scannow | Click OK

It should take a while to run.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
Manny Ortiz said:
Hello again,
Thanks for responding again. I have run my own (McAfee)
anti-virus program. It updates automatically. I did a scan with AdAware.
I also did a full scan with a Trend Micro house Call (suggested by Dell).
No viruses found. Some spyware was found from Trend Micro, which i deleted
through that app. rundll32.exe still shows up. I tried the link you gave,
but couldn't run the commands advised. Tasklist is not available with XP
Home Ed. The WMIC.... was not recognized. It was supposed to give me a
process list. Also, through Automatic Updates there is a malware removal
tool, which updates monthly. I don't know if I have to manually run that
or if its automatic. On the plus side, I did figure a way to change my
desktop image, through Dell Expert Image App. But that still doesn't
solve the dll32.exe problem. Dell seems to think it's just a faulty dll.
Could that be all there is to it?
Thanks again.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Glad you got it worked out, Manny!

See this about why sfc.exe didn't work in the command prompt. Probably your
Path.

Why don't my commands work?
http://internet.cybermesa.com/~bstewart/cmdprompt.html#6

Keep having fun. :-)

By the way, I do accept cash. LOL

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
Manny Ortiz said:
Hello Wes,
I tried to run the sfc before. I read about it in one of
the newsgroups here, but was unable to. It didn't say to install the XP
cd, or to type in sfc /scannow in the run box. I typed it in the run/cmd
box. It said it was not recognized. But I did as you wrote, and it
seems to have done the trick. I can access everything through the control
panel again. And I have not seen the rundll error. I even rebooted to
make sure it wasn't there at shutdown. Thank you so much for your help. I
wish now that I came here first, it would have saved me the $99.00 dell
charged for the call. (And gave me no solutions). Thanks again!

Wesley Vogel said:
Hi Manny,

Try running System File Checker (sfc.exe).

[[If System File Checker discovers that a protected file has been
overwritten, it retrieves the correct version of the file from the cache
folder (%Systemroot%\System32\Dllcache) or the Windows installation
source files, and then replaces the incorrect file. ]]
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=310747

Load your XP CD in your CD drive.

Start | Run | Typeor paste: sfc /scannow | Click OK

It should take a while to run.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
Manny Ortiz said:
Hello again,
Thanks for responding again. I have run my own (McAfee)
anti-virus program. It updates automatically. I did a scan with
AdAware. I also did a full scan with a Trend Micro house Call
(suggested by Dell). No viruses found. Some spyware was found from
Trend Micro, which i deleted through that app. rundll32.exe still shows
up. I tried the link you gave, but couldn't run the commands advised.
Tasklist is not available with XP Home Ed. The WMIC.... was not
recognized. It was supposed to give me a process list. Also, through
Automatic Updates there is a malware removal tool, which updates
monthly. I don't know if I have to manually run that or if its
automatic. On the plus side, I did figure a way to change my desktop
image, through Dell Expert Image App. But that still doesn't solve the
dll32.exe problem. Dell seems to think it's just a faulty dll. Could
that be all there is to it? Thanks
again.

:

Manny,

If you're seeing rundll32 errors when shutting down this is a good
indication that you may have spyware or other malware.

Update your antivirus software and run a full system scan.

Update whatever anti-spyware applications that you have and run scans
with them also.

Also see this...
What's the suspicious Rundll32.exe process
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k/rundll32.htm

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In Manny Ortiz <[email protected]> hunted and pecked:
Hi Wesley (or anyone else reading this)
I have been able to access the display properties
window. BUT, when I click on desktop tab, it hangs. no response. When
I exit, I get a "end program" window for rundll32.exe. I have been
seeing this when I shut down the last few days. But now i see it when
the display props crash. I have sent the error report to microsoft,
many times already. How does one go about fixing a dll? I have
already done a run/cmd/chkdsk, on the advice of Dell.

Thanks


:

Hello,
I have been trying to change the desktop background on my pc.
When I bring up the control panel, and click on appearance and
themes, the page come up fine. When I click on any task on the
page, or any icon for that matter, nothing happens. This may be
part of a bigger problem, as my pc is running dreadfully slow the
last 2 days. I have already run virus scans, adware scans, and
contacted Dell support, but still the problem persists. Any help
would be appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Back
Top