screen backgrounds unselectable after virus removal

  • Thread starter Thread starter abrtlt@yahoo.com
  • Start date Start date
A

abrtlt@yahoo.com

After having removed a virus, I am unable to select the screen
background. The background files are present in the Screen Properties
list but greyed out. The .bmp files do exist on the disk, but I can
only select a background color.
This does seem to be linked to the specific user as upon login/logout
the custom background I had formerly does appear for a few seconds
before the Windows login/logout screen.
Is there a way to restore background selection? I presume it is linked
in the registry with the specific user profile.
Thanks!

Andrew
 
abrtlt@yahoo.com wrote:
> After having removed a virus, I am unable to select the screen
> background. The background files are present in the Screen Properties
> list but greyed out. The .bmp files do exist on the disk, but I can
> only select a background color.
> This does seem to be linked to the specific user as upon login/logout
> the custom background I had formerly does appear for a few seconds
> before the Windows login/logout screen.
> Is there a way to restore background selection? I presume it is linked
> in the registry with the specific user profile.
> Thanks!

If you are really sure the computer is clean, 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 aren't sure the computer is clean first:

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


Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
 
On Jul 17, 5:01 am, "abr...@yahoo.com" <abr...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> After having removed a virus, I am unable to select the screen
> background. The background files are present in the Screen Properties
> list but greyed out. The .bmp files do exist on the disk, but I can
> only select a background color.
> This does seem to be linked to the specific user as upon login/logout
> the custom background I had formerly does appear for a few seconds
> before the Windows login/logout screen.
> Is there a way to restore background selection? I presume it is linked
> in the registry with the specific user profile.
> Thanks!
>
> Andrew

Hello Andrew,

Try this:

Copy the text below between the dotted lines, but not the dotted lines
themselves. Open Notepad and paste it in. Save the result in a
suitable location as wallpaper.reg - making sure that the default .txt
extension doesn't appear in the file name.
Double-click on the saved .reg file to merge the contents.
Restart.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies
\ActiveDesktop]
"NoChangingWallPaper"=dword:00000000

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies
\ActiveDesktop]
"NoChangingWallPaper"=dword:00000000

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies
\Explorer]
"NoActiveDesktopChanges"=dword:00000001

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies
\System]
"NoDispBackgroundPage"=dword:00000000
"Wallpaper"=-

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
I know you can manually enter it here:
HKCU\Control Panel\Desktop\Wallpaper

Google:
cannot change desktop wallpaper


If all fails, use this:
http://desktop-lock.toplang-software.qarchive.org/

On Jul 17, 4:01 am, "abr...@yahoo.com" <abr...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> After having removed a virus, I am unable to select the screen
> background. The background files are present in the Screen Properties
> list but greyed out. The .bmp files do exist on the disk, but I can
> only select a background color.
> This does seem to be linked to the specific user as upon login/logout
> the custom background I had formerly does appear for a few seconds
> before the Windows login/logout screen.
> Is there a way to restore background selection? I presume it is linked
> in the registry with the specific user profile.
> Thanks!
>
> Andrew
 
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