cannot update desktop

[sharon]

Some type of spyware program has taken over my wallpaper
and when i try to update desktop by right clicking on my
desktop and click on properties, i only get a general tab
and nothing else. If i try to go to the control panel
there are no options to change wallpaper either. Can
anyone help?

Thanks.
Sharon

 

[Bob I]

Ad-awareSE free version and Spybot S&D free versions are available to
deal with this kind of pest

http://www.lavasoftusa.com/support/download/
and
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

Hi Sharon,

This is most likely a desktop item set by a trojan / malware. Try this:

Start Regedit.exe and navigate to:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System]
and
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE_\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System]

In the right-pane, delete the following values (if exists)

- NoDispBackgroundPage
- NoDispScrSavPage
- NoDispSettingsPage
- NoDispAppearancePage

Don't forget to check both of the above registry keys.

Remove the Desktop wallpaper / web item:
--------------------------------------------

Open Control Panel, double-click Display.
Click the Desktop tab, and choose "Customize Desktop".
Select the "Web" tab
Delete all the items except "My current Home page"
Uncheck "My current Home page"
Click OK, and now select (None) as your Desktop background
Click OK and close the dialog.

Follow-up with a thorough malware cleanup. Begin with the stand-alone
scanner from Trend Micro, named "Sysclean" package. Trend Micro's Sysclean
package (free), it's capable of eliminating keyloggers, trojans etc. Full
instructions at:

Trend Micro Sysclean package
http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?t=10820

The Parasite Fight - Quick Fix Protocol:
http://aumha.org/a/quickfix.php