Stuck Wallpaper or Desktop Pattern

J

Jeff N.

A friend of mine across states has a desktop background that cannot be
changed. I tried everything I could think of via Remote Assistance to no
avail. I merged the following into the registry to no avail.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ActiveDesktop]
"NoChangingWallPaper"=dword:00000000
"NoAddingComponents"=dword:00000000
"NoComponents"=dword:00000000
"NoDeletingComponents"=dword:00000000
"NoEditingComponents"=dword:00000000
"NoCloseDragDropBands"=dword:00000000
"NoMovingBands"=dword:00000000
"NoHTMLWallPaper"=dword:00000000

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System]
"NoDispBackgroundPage"=dword:00000000

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System]
"NoDispScrSavPage"=dword:00000000

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoActiveDesktopChanges"=hex:00,00,00,00
"NoActiveDesktop"=dword:00000000

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System]
"NoDispCPL"=dword:00000000

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoSaveSettings"=dword:00000000

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"ClassicShell"=dword:00000000

I've changed themes with no luck. Anybody got any ideas?

Thanks,
Jeff
 
M

Malke

Jeff said:
A friend of mine across states has a desktop background that cannot be
changed. I tried everything I could think of via Remote Assistance to
no
avail. I merged the following into the registry to no avail.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ActiveDesktop]
"NoChangingWallPaper"=dword:00000000
"NoAddingComponents"=dword:00000000
"NoComponents"=dword:00000000
"NoDeletingComponents"=dword:00000000
"NoEditingComponents"=dword:00000000
"NoCloseDragDropBands"=dword:00000000
"NoMovingBands"=dword:00000000
"NoHTMLWallPaper"=dword:00000000
Click to expand...
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System]
"NoDispBackgroundPage"=dword:00000000
Click to expand...
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System]
"NoDispScrSavPage"=dword:00000000
Click to expand...
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoActiveDesktopChanges"=hex:00,00,00,00
"NoActiveDesktop"=dword:00000000
Click to expand...
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System]
"NoDispCPL"=dword:00000000
Click to expand...
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoSaveSettings"=dword:00000000
Click to expand...
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"ClassicShell"=dword:00000000

I've changed themes with no luck. Anybody got any ideas?
Click to expand...

Is your friend's computer clean? If he didn't run any malware removal
tools, it probably isn't and that should be your first step.

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

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".

Check to see if these Registry entries exist:

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\GroupPolicyobject\{21A7BE9D-5027-49C1-B6F7-757B707E1C94}User\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System
If "GroupPolicyRefreshTime" and/or "GroupPolicyRefreshTimeOffset" are
there, then delete them.

HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System. If
"GroupPolicyRefreshTime" and/or "GroupPolicyRefreshTimeOffset" are
there, then delete them and then run the reg fix from Kelly's page.

A default wallpaper called wp.bmp may be set in
HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System created by the
smitfraud.c virus. Remove that and you will be able to choose different
wallpapers.

I really do not think you are going to be able to properly help your
friend with this issue remotely. Your friend should take his/her
computer to a professional computer repair shop, not the local version
of BigStoreUSA.

Malke
 
J

Jeff N.

Thanks, I tossed a couple reg keys that I was pretty sure was where her
background was coming from. After a reboot she got the Active Desktop
Recovery screen, so I assume that's the problem. I thought about that, but
forgot where it was and wasn't sure if XP bothered to implement that. I
instructed her to turn it off and have yet to hear if that was the problem.
Her computer is clean, for I make sure of that!

Thanks,
JJ
Jeff said:
A friend of mine across states has a desktop background that cannot
be changed. I tried everything I could think of via Remote
Assistance to no
avail. I merged the following into the registry to no avail.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ActiveDesktop]
"NoChangingWallPaper"=dword:00000000
"NoAddingComponents"=dword:00000000
"NoComponents"=dword:00000000
"NoDeletingComponents"=dword:00000000
"NoEditingComponents"=dword:00000000
"NoCloseDragDropBands"=dword:00000000
"NoMovingBands"=dword:00000000
"NoHTMLWallPaper"=dword:00000000
Click to expand...
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System]
"NoDispBackgroundPage"=dword:00000000
Click to expand...
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System]
"NoDispScrSavPage"=dword:00000000
Click to expand...
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoActiveDesktopChanges"=hex:00,00,00,00
"NoActiveDesktop"=dword:00000000
Click to expand...
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System]
"NoDispCPL"=dword:00000000
Click to expand...
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoSaveSettings"=dword:00000000
Click to expand...
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"ClassicShell"=dword:00000000

I've changed themes with no luck. Anybody got any ideas?
Click to expand...

Is your friend's computer clean? If he didn't run any malware removal
tools, it probably isn't and that should be your first step.

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

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".

Check to see if these Registry entries exist:

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\GroupPolicyobject\{21A7BE9D-5027-49C1-B6F7-757B707E1C94}User\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System
If "GroupPolicyRefreshTime" and/or "GroupPolicyRefreshTimeOffset" are
there, then delete them.

HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System. If
"GroupPolicyRefreshTime" and/or "GroupPolicyRefreshTimeOffset" are
there, then delete them and then run the reg fix from Kelly's page.

A default wallpaper called wp.bmp may be set in
HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System created by the
smitfraud.c virus. Remove that and you will be able to choose
different wallpapers.

I really do not think you are going to be able to properly help your
friend with this issue remotely. Your friend should take his/her
computer to a professional computer repair shop, not the local version
of BigStoreUSA.

Malke
Click to expand...
 
M

Malke

Jeff said:
Thanks, I tossed a couple reg keys that I was pretty sure was where
her
background was coming from. After a reboot she got the Active Desktop
Recovery screen, so I assume that's the problem. I thought about
that, but
forgot where it was and wasn't sure if XP bothered to implement that.
I instructed her to turn it off and have yet to hear if that was the
problem. Her computer is clean, for I make sure of that!
Click to expand...
Glad it all worked out. I hope your friend knows how lucky she is to
have you. ;-)

Malke
 

Ask a Question

Want to reply to this thread or ask your own question?

You'll need to choose a username for the site, which only take a couple of moments. After that, you can post your question and our members will help you out.

Ask a Question

Similar Threads

File comparison 9
Background Tab Missing from Display Properties 1
Editing Windows Registry HKCU 1
some advice on registry tweak from kellys-korner.com 4
Forcing jpg as wallpaper on all users... 11
disable taskbar tooltips 2
Need to restore Autoplay CD 2
Having problems! Please read task mgr.-Pop-ups 5

Top