Interesting Logon Issue with Active Desktop

[Guest]

I have several users whom when they log onto Windows XP machines they get an
error message that says:

"Internet Explorer cannot find the Active Desktop HTML file. This file is
needed for your Active Desktop. To turn off Active Desktop, click OK."

Additiionally a large bar shows up on the left side of the screen with
common folder tasks on the left.

I'm not sure how to fix this, any advice you can offer would be greatly
appreciated.

Thanks
Dan

 

[Malke]

I have several users whom when they log onto Windows XP machines they get an
error message that says:

"Internet Explorer cannot find the Active Desktop HTML file. This file is
needed for your Active Desktop. To turn off Active Desktop, click OK."

Additiionally a large bar shows up on the left side of the screen with
common folder tasks on the left.

I'm not sure how to fix this, any advice you can offer would be greatly
appreciated.

Active Desktop (discontinued in Vista because it is a security risk)
allows one to set a "live" html page as the Desktop background.
Apparently your users have set a page that no longer exists. Have them
disable Active Desktop:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/190228

As for the Common Tasks bar, you can show it or not. MVP Doug Knox has a
script that makes it very easy to remove:

http://www.dougknox.com/xp/scripts_desc/xp_commtask_desktop.htm


Malke

 

[Guest]

Hi

I tried the KB article, but none of the options that MS lists are available
to me. For example, Active Desktop isn't turned on and the Web tab isn't
available in the Displays control.

I also tried Doug Knox's vbs fix and that didn't work either.

-Dan

 

[Malke]

Hi

I tried the KB article, but none of the options that MS lists are available
to me. For example, Active Desktop isn't turned on and the Web tab isn't
available in the Displays control.

I also tried Doug Knox's vbs fix and that didn't work either.

If Active Desktop isn't turned on, then it is probable that either 1)
the workstations are infected with some variant of the Smitfraud trojan;
2) the workstations were infected but you subsequently cleaned them,
leaving the startup entries.

Since you've told us nothing about the computers, your network
(workgroup vs. domain, are you the IT admin or do you have one, the
malware status of the machines and the protection you use, etc.) that's
all I can say.

General troubleshooting:

1. The First Question Of Troubleshooting: what changed between the time
things worked and the time they didn't?

2. The Second Question of Windows Troubleshooting: what is the
malware/virus status of the machine? If you think it is clean, what
programs (and versions) did you use to determine this?

Be sure the computer is clean:
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Removing_Malware

3. If this is on a domain and you have an IT Dept. contact them. If a
domain and you are the IT person, check Group Policy settings.

4. If this is a Workgroup (or a domain for that matter) and you don't
have an official IT admin (small business with someone simply designated
as the "tech person"), consider having a professional come on-site. This
will not be someone from your local version of
BigComputerStore/GeekSquad. Get recommendations from friends,
colleagues, etc.


Malke

 

[Elmo]

I have several users whom when they log onto Windows XP machines they get an
error message that says:

"Internet Explorer cannot find the Active Desktop HTML file. This file is
needed for your Active Desktop. To turn off Active Desktop, click OK."

Additionally a large bar shows up on the left side of the screen with
common folder tasks on the left.

I'm not sure how to fix this, any advice you can offer would be greatly
appreciated.

Thanks
Dan

Turn of Active Desktop.

Remove Common Tasks from Desktop
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/scripts_desc/xp_commtask_desktop.htm

 

[none]

Active Desktop isn't turned on and the Web tab isn't
available in the Displays control.

Is anybody reading past this line? To turn off active desktop one needs
to have active desktop!

Daniel said the WEB TAB is *NOT* available in the Displays "control" (do
you mean Display Properties?)

The exact location for which the WEB TAB should reside is
- Display Properties (right click desktop, properties)
- Desktop tab
- Customize Desktop
bringing you to Desktop Items

On my PC there is a GENERAL TAB. There *SHOULD* be a web tab but none
exists on mine! Wrote a question to this group asking how to restore
that tab and nobody could answer. I've still not figured out how to
enable the active desktop (opposite issue from Daniel's).

Wish I could help Daniel ... seems the opposite dilemma exists here!

 

[Vic]

Daniel, found this web page which explained how to restore the WEB TAB:
http://www.winxptutor.com/webtab.htm

There is a little more there including a brief on the Group Policy
editor.
Perhaps with their info. you will be able to correct your situation
___