Appearance & Themes in Control Panel not working

[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.

 

[Wesley Vogel]

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

 

[Guest]

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

 

[Wesley Vogel]

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

 

[Guest]

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.

 

[Wesley Vogel]

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

 

[Guest]

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!

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 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.

 

[Wesley Vogel]

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

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!

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 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.