Desktop Problems

[Bill]

Hi, I'm having a couple of issues I was hoping someone could help me
with....First thing, all my dekstop backgrounds have the pre-Windows XP look
to them, where underneath the icon name the actual desktop color shows
through around the names. I've checked all related settings I can think of,
but some desktop backgrounds will do this and some won't, it seems pretty
random. Even some of the default XP backgrounds do this and they didn't do
it before, I really don't know when it started. Also when logging off or
shutting down there is a previously used background that shows after my
current background disappears before the system actually performs the
logoff/shutdown. I checked the Wallpaper DWORD entry under
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop and removed the path to this
previous background but it still persists.

The 2nd problem is that in the display control panel applet > Desktop
tab > Customize Desktop button the desktop cleanup wizard is completely
missing from this properties page, just a big blank area where it should be.
I don't use the wizard anyways, but it's puzzling how it might disppear. Any
ideas are greatly appreciated.


TIA
Bill

 

[Guest]

You could try using software such as

Style XP
Theme XP

Alternativly right click on the desktop and click properties. Then click
"Windows XP" and apply it. Currently i think it would say 'modified theme' or
the like

I hope that helps

Cheers

Quintin

 

[Bill]

I've narrowed the icon problem down to .jpg files as backgrounds. .bmp files
don't exhibit this behavior. I did try resetting the theme back to the
default XP theme and it does not help. The customize desktop thing only
happens to my account (Admin privileges XP Pro), everything else is
system-wide. Any other suggestions?

 

[Peter Foldes]

Quintin try and read between the lines before you post your answers

 

[Kelly]

Hi Bill,

1. Start/Control Panel/System/Advanced/Performance/Settings/ Visual
Effects/"Use drop shadows for icon labels on the Desktop"

Also:

Right click the desktop and select Arrange Icons by. Towards the bottom of
that list, uncheck "Lock web items on the desktop."

2. Go to Start/Run and type in: regsvr32 /i mshtml.dll

If the above doesn't help and should, run the edit on line 4:
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

3. This is generally caused by having third party desktop enhancers
installed. Try line 285
(right hand side): http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

--
In memory of our dear friend, MVP Alex Nichol: http://www.dts-l.org/

All the Best,
Kelly (MS-MVP)

Troubleshooting Windows XP
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com

 

[Bill]

Believe it or not none of this worked. The drop shadows were already
enabled, the only time that they are not in effect is if I have a .jpg as a
background image, .bmp files are fine. The lock web items was already
unchecked. I ran the regsvr command and it said it succeeded. Ran and added
the reg edits from Line 4 and 285 of your site. I still have these
annoyances. Any other ideas?

 

[Bill]

BTW I am clean of spyware and viruses. Confirmed by NAV 2005 2 days ago, MS
Antispyware constantly running with weekly full scans and Spybot S&D.

 

[Kelly]

Hi Bill,

Sorry to hear that. As per this post, don't rely on those two alone. Won't
speak for Norton and MSA is beta. In the meantime, run this combo:

Run Ad-Aware SE, Spybot, CWShredder and HijackThis:
http://www.majorgeeks.com/downloads31.html

Note: Update the first two programs, once installed, before running.

Free Online Virus Scan
http://housecall.trendmicro.com/housecall/start_corp.asp

Good luck and keep us posted!

--

All the Best,
Kelly (MS-MVP)

Troubleshooting Windows XP
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com