Desktop being difficult...

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

Guest

Hi, I am not new to XP but for once I have a problem that I cannot muddle
through on my own. My desktop will not allow me to use the display
properties the way I would normally. When I go to change the wallpaper, it is
directing me to a oddball file with icons in it instead of my pictures or my
backgrounds file as it would normally. This isn't usually a problem because
normally you can have it select any image and make it your wallpaper. It
won't let me do it, doesn't matter if I change the file type to background or
any image type, doesn't matter where I go to get the images either..no go :o{
I CAN change the desktop by right clicking the image in the original file,
but that does not give the same results as when you go to the display
properties ( can't center or tile etc). This problem is certainly not the
end of the world, but it IS frustrating and I fear that there may be some
malware or spyware involved. I have really good spyware programs installed
and at one point I DID see an entry for something to do with desktop HTML but
I have run both programs several times and both are telling me that my system
is free of both spyware and malware. I am worried there is something going
on in the background. I have done a reboot, have reinstalled windows and
also used system restore...still no go....anyone care to have a go at this?!?
Maybe there is some kind of tool, I still have this sinking feeling it was
spyware that made it happen somehow...I appreciate your time and expertise
all...*crosses fingers*
 
PoohsHunnyBee said:
Hi, I am not new to XP but for once I have a problem that I cannot
muddle
through on my own. My desktop will not allow me to use the display
properties the way I would normally. When I go to change the
wallpaper, it is directing me to a oddball file with icons in it
instead of my pictures or my
backgrounds file as it would normally. This isn't usually a problem
because
normally you can have it select any image and make it your wallpaper.
It won't let me do it, doesn't matter if I change the file type to
background or any image type, doesn't matter where I go to get the
images either..no go :o{
I CAN change the desktop by right clicking the image in the original
file,
but that does not give the same results as when you go to the display
properties ( can't center or tile etc). This problem is certainly not
the end of the world, but it IS frustrating and I fear that there may
be some
malware or spyware involved. I have really good spyware programs
installed and at one point I DID see an entry for something to do with
desktop HTML but I have run both programs several times and both are
telling me that my system
is free of both spyware and malware. I am worried there is something
going
on in the background. I have done a reboot, have reinstalled windows
and also used system restore...still no go....anyone care to have a go
at this?!?
Click to expand...

Make sure your computer is clean by going through at least a few of the
general removal steps at the first link below. Do all the preparatory
work. You might also want to run Method 1 at the second link.

http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Removing_Malware
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Smitfraud_Trojan

Here is more information about repairing Desktop hijacking. You might
not have the Desktop message referred to, but the method of repair will
be similar:

Here's how to get rid of the desktop warning being displayed by malware.
Go to the Display applet in Control Panel and look on the Desktop tab.
Click on Customize Desktop, and then click on the Web tab. You will see
that there are checkmarks next to "My Current Home Page" and probably
"Lock Desktop Items". Uncheck these. By highlighting the "My Current
Home Page" and clicking on the Properties button, you will be able to
determine the name of the file that is the message. It might be called
something like "security.html" or the like.

Click Apply and OK out when you've made your changes. Then you want to
find the *.html malware file and delete it.

If you can't enable desktop backgrounds after a virus, MVP Kelly Theriot
has a fix. Look under Wallpaper-Desktop-Disable Changing here:

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_w.htm

If Display tabs are missing, run Kelly's registry edit on line 285,
right-hand side "Restore all display tabs".

Malke
 
HI, after completing a great number of these steps (fortunately I had done
these prior to reading so it has helped speed things up) I got to the link
you offered for Kelly's Korner. The tip you provided was not exactly the one
that fixed it, but it directed me where to look in the registry and something
had changed the value for allowing HTML wallpaper, knowing I could change it
back if necessary I changed the value to allow it; lo and behold..it worked!
Thanks for your help, it's appreciated :o}
 
Back
Top