XP Desktop theme

[Bob]

I just upgraded from Windows 98SE to Windows XP Pro. I
have also added service pack 1. Five minutes after I start
Windows, I hear a slide whistle sound from the computer
speaker (not the sound card speakers). The task bar then
turns black for a couple of seconds, and the desktop icon
font changes from the custom color that I have set. In
addition, if Netscape 7.1 e-mail is minimized, the window
or program that I am in minimizes and the e-mail window opens.

Any ideas on how to eliminate this will be appreciated.

 

[Guest]

Sounds interesting. Have you scanned for virus? Also, download and/or run
Ad-Aware, it is free - you may have picked up some malware while surfing the
Internet:
Ad-aware - Download.com - shareware
http://download.com.com/3000-2094-10045910.html?legacy=cnet

 

[Hilary Karp]

Bob, check for spyware/adware/malware and viruses:

Run the following, in order. Make sure you update them first after
installing them, then boot into safe mode to run them.

Cwshredder http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/files/cwshredder.zip
Ad-aware http://www.lavasoftusa.com
Spybot Search and Destroy http://www.safer-networking.org

After that you can run the following to keep your system clean:

Spywareblaster www.javacoolsoftware.com/sbdownload.html
IE-SPYAD http://www.staff.uiuc.edu/~ehowes/resource.htm

These last two are a bit more advanced. Use them if you don't have any
success cleaning your sytem with the first three:

ToolbarCop http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k/toolbarcop.htm
HijackThis http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=3155

For viruses there are several online scanning engines that run from a
web site:

http://www.bitdefender.com/scan/license.php
http://security.symantec.com/ssc/home.asp
http://housecall.antivirus.com/housecall/start_corp.asp
http://us.mcafee.com/virusInfo/default.asp?id=stinger
http://www.mcafee.com/myapps/mfs/default.asp

Here is a good site with info on parasites:

http://aumha.org/a/parasite.htm

Lastly here are some oneline security checkers. They scan your system
and report on security holes and problems:

http://www.jasons-toolbox.com/BrowserSecurity/
http://bcheck.scanit.be/bcheck/
https://testzone.secunia.com/browser_checker/

 

[Kelly]

Hi Bob,

This has to do with the Accessibility Wizard, make your changes there.