Missing wallpaper

[silas]

Hi. I'm trying to help a friend. He told me his wallpaper has disappeared
and he can't get it back. He has a blank blue desktop. When he right-clicks
and selects Properties/Desktop he's unable to highlight any of the
Backgrounds listed. The Browse button is also inactive. The only thing he
can change is the color.

Could this be the result of some kind of virus?

Thanks for any help.

silas

 

[WALK10]

hope he doesn't have the dreaded spyaxe-check for it

 

[Malke]

Hi. I'm trying to help a friend. He told me his wallpaper has
disappeared and he can't get it back. He has a blank blue desktop.
When he right-clicks and selects Properties/Desktop he's unable to
highlight any of the Backgrounds listed. The Browse button is also
inactive. The only thing he can change is the color.

Could this be the result of some kind of virus?

Of course it could be malware. Since we don't know anything about your
friend's machine, he should check for malware:

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

Otherwise, he should 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.

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".

If you need more help, please post back with more details about your
friend's machine. Here is a link to help you with what information you
should include in your post:

http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm

Malke

 

[bathgate]

Use this tool

AntiPuper v1.1 by secured2k
http://secured2k.home.comcast.net/tools/AntiPuper.exe

This tool unlocks the ability to change or disable the desktop background
image or active web desktop background. You will need to manually change
your desktop background.

Go to Control Panel > Display > Desktop Tab > Customize Desktop > Web Tab.
If you see any entries that are checked, uncheck them. Click OK.