please help: backgrounds locked

Discussion in 'Malware Help (A Specialist Will Reply)' started by vladdy, May 5, 2006.

  1. vladdy

    vladdy Private E-2

    hi there,

    i recently had a bout with some spyware, which ad-aware successfully weeded out for me.

    unfortunately i'm still stuck with an annoying byproduct: my background desktop image has been replaced with gray, and i've been "locked out" of background options in my display options... none of them are clickable.

    i am running XP home edition. i searched this forum and others for answers and this sounds like a common nuisance but i have yet to find a solution that works for me.

    i went into regedit to check out the "nochangingwallpaper" entry in policies/active desktop and changing it to either "1" and "0" seemed to have no effect.

    i downloaded wallpaperdisable.reg from kellys-korner.com and this did not seem to change anything, either.

    does anyone have any ideas or experience with this? it's getting real annoying having a gray desktop

    thanks!
     
    vladdy, May 5, 2006
    #1
  2. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    Welcome to Majorgeeks!

    You may still have components of the malware on your PC. I'll give you to quick things to try but if they do not work, you will need to run our full cleaning procedures that I will post at the end.

    First run ONLY step 8 from this link: SpySheriff (aka SpywareNo) Removal

    Then if still having problems do the following:

    Right click on your Desktop and select Properties. Then click the Desktop tab and then the Customize Desktop button. Now in the next window that comes up click the Web tab. Make sure at the bottom that Lock desktop items is unchecked. Then in the Web pages: box delete all items but My Current Home Page and make sure it is unchecked too. Then click OK. Apply. OK.



    If the above does not help, please follow our standard cleaning procedures which are necessary for us to provide you support. Also there are steps included for installing, running, and posting HijackThis logs as attachments.
    • Run ALL the steps in this Sticky thread READ & RUN ME FIRST Before Asking for Support
    • Make sure you check version numbers and get all updates.
    • Very Important: Make sure you tell us the results from running the tutorial...was anything found? Were you unable to complete any of the scans?...Were you unable to download any of the tools?...Did you do the on-line scans as suggested? etc.
    • After doing ALL of the above you still have a problem make sure you have booted to normal mode and run the steps in the below link to properly use HijackThis and attach a log:
    • When you return to make your next post, make sure you attach the following logs and that you have run these scans in the following order too (these scans are covered in steps 6 & 7 of the READ & RUN ME sticky)
      • Bitdefender
      • Panda Scan
      • HijackThis
    .
     
    chaslang, May 5, 2006
    #2
  3. vladdy

    vladdy Private E-2

    step 8 worked like a charm! thanks a million for the help :)
     
    vladdy, May 5, 2006
    #3
  4. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    You're welcome!

    Make sure you read thru the below too:

    How to Protect yourself from malware!
     
    chaslang, May 5, 2006
    #4

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