XP Home > reverts to Windows Classic Style on reboot

[James Hurrell]

Have a Win XP Home PC on SP3 that has just started to revert to the
Windows Classic Style on reboot. In addition, the screen resolution is
shrunk from 1024x768 to 640x480. Not life threatening, but annoying
nonetheless.

I have googled the Windows Class problem and it seems I'm not alone. I
have specifically tried the solution listed here:

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/top10faqs.htm

i.e edit the registry using the reg file 214 and all "other checkpoints"
are verified OK.

However, on reboot the problem persists... can anyone point me in the
right direction?

Many thanks.

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

One or more options/settings in an ever-growing number of third-party
applications may be disallowing the changes from "sticking." These include
anti-spyware applications (e.g., Ad-aware's Ad-Watch, Spybot Tea Timer,
SpywareBlaster, SpySweeper, Spyware Doctor, CounterSpy, WinPatrol, etc),
anti-virus applications & security suites (Norton, McAfee, ESET/NOD32,
Kasperky, Trend Micro, etc.), and third-party firewalls (e.g., Zone Alarm,
etc.).

Note that temporarily disabling the application(s) or rebooting into Safe
Mode may not disable the application's system protections.
One or more options/settings in an ever-growing number of third-party
applications may be disallowing the changes from "sticking." These include
anti-spyware applications (e.g., Ad-aware's Ad-Watch, Spybot Tea Timer,
SpywareBlaster, SpySweeper, Spyware Doctor, CounterSpy, WinPatrol, etc),
anti-virus applications & security suites (Norton, McAfee, ESET/NOD32,
Kasperky, Trend Micro, etc.), and third-party firewalls (e.g., Zone Alarm,
etc.).

Note that temporarily disabling the application(s) or rebooting into Safe
Mode may not disable the application's system protections.

 

[James Hurrell]

One or more options/settings in an ever-growing number of third-party
applications may be disallowing the changes from "sticking." These
include anti-spyware applications (e.g., Ad-aware's Ad-Watch, Spybot Tea
Timer, SpywareBlaster, SpySweeper, Spyware Doctor, CounterSpy,
WinPatrol, etc), anti-virus applications & security suites (Norton,
McAfee, ESET/NOD32, Kasperky, Trend Micro, etc.), and third-party
firewalls (e.g., Zone Alarm, etc.).

Note that temporarily disabling the application(s) or rebooting into
Safe Mode may not disable the application's system protections.
One or more options/settings in an ever-growing number of third-party
applications may be disallowing the changes from "sticking." These
include anti-spyware applications (e.g., Ad-aware's Ad-Watch, Spybot Tea
Timer, SpywareBlaster, SpySweeper, Spyware Doctor, CounterSpy,
WinPatrol, etc), anti-virus applications & security suites (Norton,
McAfee, ESET/NOD32, Kasperky, Trend Micro, etc.), and third-party
firewalls (e.g., Zone Alarm, etc.).

Note that temporarily disabling the application(s) or rebooting into
Safe Mode may not disable the application's system protections.

Thanks for your reply. Will check this out, but FYI, this machine was
re-installed from scratch only 3 weeks ago. There are no anti-spyware
applications installed. Anti-Virus is AVG Free.

Thanks

 

[Elmo]

Have a Win XP Home PC on SP3 that has just started to revert to the
Windows Classic Style on reboot. In addition, the screen resolution is
shrunk from 1024x768 to 640x480. Not life-threatening, but annoying
nonetheless.

I have Googled the Windows Class problem and it seems I'm not alone. I
have specifically tried the solution listed here:

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/top10faqs.htm

i.e edit the registry using the reg file 214 and all "other checkpoints"
are verified OK.

However, on reboot the problem persists... can anyone point me in the
right direction?

Many thanks.

Maybe this one:

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm
Line 30. Windows XP Doesn't Save User Settings

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Thanks for your reply. Will check this out, but FYI, this machine was
re-installed from scratch only 3 weeks ago. There are no anti-spyware
applications installed. Anti-Virus is AVG Free.

Did a Norton or McAfee free trial come preinstalled on the computer when you
bought it?

Has WinXP SP3 been installed and is the computer fully-patched at Windows
Update?

 

[James Hurrell]

Did a Norton or McAfee free trial come preinstalled on the computer when
you bought it?

No, it's a fresh retail (non OEM) copy of XP (obtained from MS)
installed on a brand new HDD.

Has WinXP SP3 been installed and is the computer fully-patched at
Windows Update?

I believe so. I will double check - the machine is not with me currently.

Thanks again.

 

[James Hurrell]

Maybe this one:

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm
Line 30. Windows XP Doesn't Save User Settings

Thanks will try that too.