Can't change wallpaper 1

[wdmcmh]

I had some sort of spy/adware type program that changed the desktop background to a "You've got a virus" type thing. Somehow it also changed something that disabled the ability to set different background wall paper and if you right click on the desktop you get the properties of the file windows\screen.html.

Any ideas how to get the wall paper settings back? Right clicking on a photo in IE and setting that as a background doesn't work.

 

[wdmcmh]

PS- I meant to add that those TABS for DESKTOP, APPEARANCE,and SETTINGS is not there. XP doesn't have the old POLEDIT does it?

 

[MiggyD]

Try using: gpedit.msc

--MiggyD

--> It's a bird! It's a plane! No, it's an OS update patch! Ahh!! <--

 

[Enkrypted]

Easiest thing to do is run a search on your computer for screen.html.

Delete that and you should be able to re-access your display properties.

I had problems like that just the other day on a friends computer and that fixed it right up.

Enkrypted
A+

 

[linney]

Removing adware & spyware
faq608-4650

Microsoft (GIANT Antispyware) Beta available
Thread779-979113

Display Properties Missing a tab
thread779-621965

Tabs missing in Display Properties
thread779-914486

Desktop Wallpaper Problems
thread779-1047905

 

[wdmcmh]

None of these have worked so far, I used gpedit.msc and found no settings incorrect, I looked at the thread on elder geek, and nothing was set wrong there. I did search and delete the files screen.html but yet my desktop background is still this grey screen that when you right click and select properties it still gives the properties of a file\\c:windows\screen.html and I was looking with show all files

 

[Beowulf005]

What happens it you go into the control panel and open the display option?

 

[wdmcmh]

Well, it is spyware related. I found that the file screen.html which has become the wallpaper is limited in size to 1024x768 so if I go intro control panel and switch to a higher res I am able to find a place on the desktop not covered. I can now right click on the desktop and get to the Display properties. There is no desktop tab. I checked all through gpedit.msc and can find nothing disabled, including the PREVENT wallpaper from changing.

 

[linney]

See if these are similar?


How to remove Antivirus Gold or AVGold

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/How_to_remove_Antivirus_Gold_or_AVGold-t22397.html

AntiVirus Gold/screen.html help [RESOLVED],

http://www.geekstogo.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=42991

http://groups.google.com/group/micr...n+OR+virus+OR+malware&rnum=1#959b4d54f5c940e0

http://groups.google.com/groups?sou...n&q=screen.html+infection+OR+virus+OR+malware

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-28,GGLG:en&q=screen.html

 

[wdmcmh]

I did see signs of anti-virus gold when I first started, I will check those links. No spybot is identifying, and can't remove (thinks is can) smithfraud-c. Looking for info on it.

Thanks!

 

[wdmcmh]

I manually removed the entries that spybot identified as smithfraud-c and the machine now seems normal except for a 1024x768 white/gray box that is under the icons, but above the wallpaper. I can't figure out how to get rid of it. Changing the wallpaper doesn't seem to help, What is new when I right click on that box and click properties, I no longer get the properties of a screen.html file and only get display properties. The box goes away and shut down and seems to come back late in the boot up process, I haven't figured out what is causing it. Will try msconfig again and see what I can eliminate at startup

 

[MiggyD]

Sorry, I had read this quick and didn't realized this had happened to a client of mine (back in Jan 05--there abouts).

The following are the steps I took (as best as memory serves);

---------
I d/l AdAware on their system and ran full scan; then

I opened Control Planel -> Display Properties -> Web; then

I unticked all the web pages as well as the 'display web on active desktop'; then

I opened FOLDER OPTIONS and deactivated 'show web content on desktop' in the 'active desktop' tab (or something there abouts); then

I went and resetted desktop image; then

I searched for and deleted screen.html (I think that file was located in WINDOWs folder...just like your's); THEN

[red]*[/red] I rebooted (making sure their DSL was disconnected).
---------

After reboot I ran another AAW scan an removed VX2 (that one is so nasty); and rebooted again.
---------

Then everything was back to normal. I haven't heard boo from them so I believe everything is still ok.

Try the above steps; you might have to have to do this in everyone else's profile before the first reboot which is indicated by the red star ([red]*[/red]). Write back and let us know if this works or not.
--MiggyD


--> It's a bird! It's a plane! No, it's an OS update patch! Ahh!! <--

 

[linney]

MiggyD's" post reminds me of this further information.

Lavasoft have just updated their VX2 removal tool (comprehensively) it might be a good idea to give that a run.

You can download the file (vx2cleaner.zip) from Lavasoft.

http://www.lavasoft.com/

http://www.lavasoft.com/software/addons/vx2cleaner.shtml