Opaque rectangles behind desktop icons

[Mark Tangard]

Searching on this issue brings up many mentions of it, but often-offered
solution isn't working for us.

The labels on one of my user's desktop icons have acquired a white
rectangular background. Tried unchecking 'Lock Web Items...' in Arrange
Icons, and unchecking 'Use Drop Shadows' in System Performance Visual
Effects. No change. What could be the cause? Any clues appreciated. This
is a WinXP system with SP3, nothing recently installed or removed.

MT

 

[Shenan Stanley]

Searching on this issue brings up many mentions of it, but
often-offered solution isn't working for us.

The labels on one of my user's desktop icons have acquired a white
rectangular background. Tried unchecking 'Lock Web Items...' in
Arrange Icons, and unchecking 'Use Drop Shadows' in System
Performance Visual Effects. No change. What could be the cause? Any
clues appreciated. This is a WinXP system with SP3, nothing
recently installed or removed.

You want the "Use Drop Shadows" checked, not unchecked. ;-)

 

[Alan Edwards]

Four things are required for transparent icon backgrounds:

1.Control Panel-System-Advanced-Performance Settings.
Check "Use drop shadows for icon labels on the desktop" on the Visual
Effects tab.

2.Right-click on Desktop - "Arrange Icons by" and ensure Lock Web
items is cleared.

3.Transparency will not work if you have web content on your desktop,
Control Panel - Display Properties - Desktop tab - Customize Desktop -
Web tab. Clear all check boxes.

4. Ensure the Wallpaper is an image file not HTML.

....Alan

 

[Jose]

Searching on this issue brings up many mentions of it, but often-offered
solution isn't working for us.

The labels on one of my user's desktop icons have acquired a white
rectangular background. Tried unchecking 'Lock Web Items...' in Arrange
Icons, and unchecking 'Use Drop Shadows' in System Performance Visual
Effects. No change. What could be the cause? Any clues appreciated. This
is a WinXP system with SP3, nothing recently installed or removed.

MT

Same as Alan said, and then when you get done run some respectable
scans for malicious software:

There are a few things that can cause this and things to check.

Right click an empty area on the desktop, choose Arrange Icons By,
uncheck Lock Web Items on Desktop.

Right click an empty area on the desktop, choose Properties, Desktop,
Customize Desktop, display the Web
tab information.

If there is a web page listed and you did not add it, your computer is
now or was infected with malware.

The default desktop web page shows an unchevked entry called "My
Current Home Page". If "My Current Home
Page" is checked, uncheck it.

Delete any other web page entries you did not add or set yourself on
purpose. The wallpaper cannot be
an HTML file.

Right click My Computer, Properties, Advanced, Performance Settings,
Visual Effects, scroll down in the list
and put a check in the "Use drop shadows for icon labels on the
desktop" box, click OK.


Download, install, update and do a full scan with these free malware
detection programs:

Malwarebytes (MBAM): http://malwarebytes.org/
SUPERAntiSpyware: (SAS): http://www.superantispyware.com/

They can be uninstalled later if desired.

 

[Mark Tangard]

Many thanks, Shenan/Alan/Jose, for the help. I did notice conflicting advice in
posts re the Drop Shadow box, but neither setting helped. However, the user now
says he noticed some web thingie (didn't elaborate & I'm not there), removed it,
and has a rectangle-free desktop. Thanks again.

MT

 

[Jose]

Many thanks, Shenan/Alan/Jose, for the help.  I did notice conflicting advice in
posts re the Drop Shadow box, but neither setting helped. However, the user now
says he noticed some web thingie (didn't elaborate & I'm not there), removed it,
and has a rectangle-free desktop. Thanks again.

MT

Good job and I fixed my copy/paste instructions typo.

I would still run MBAM and SAS - if you didn't change this, something
else did.

 

[Twayne]

In

Many thanks, Shenan/Alan/Jose, for the help. I did notice
conflicting advice in posts re the Drop Shadow box, but neither
setting helped. However, the user now says he noticed some web
thingie (didn't elaborate & I'm not there), removed it, and has a
rectangle-free desktop. Thanks again.
MT

For one thing, you only hear from people with problems. People without
problems have no reason in general to be posting, so you're not likely to
see many of the happy users, who vastly outnumber the unhappy users by
millions.
You don't go into a new car dealer to buy a used car. So the new car
dealer doesn't see the people who want used cars.

 

[Unknown]

..

You don't go into a new car dealer to buy a used car. So the new car
dealer doesn't see the people who want used cars.

Of course you do. That's the only 'safe' place to by a used car.
What on earth are you thinking?

 

[mm]

You don't go into a new car dealer to buy a used car. So the new car
dealer doesn't see the people who want used cars.

I do. 4 6o 7 years in advance. They seem to be able to tell I'm not
going to buy now, and one guy didn't seem to like it.