WaxhawRon

Two nights ago I visited the web site Flash Fun Pages to find a joke to send to a friend who is sick with cancer. I did not end up sending anything and logged out. Yesterday, the background on my desktop was hijacked by this site. I ran Ad Aware SE and AVG both regularly and in safe mode, but did not find any viruses or malware. I also ran Trend Micro House Call but that did not find any problems either.

The problem was that the backgrounds were frozen at the end of the list, on "desktop", and could not be changed. I went on line to Downloads.com and looked under desktop display hijacked and found some freeware named Desktop Hijack Fix. This got rid of the Flash Fun Pages joke links and ads, but now my desktop display backgrounds are still frozen, although they are now frozen at the top of the list--'none'. I can choose a color, but I cannot access any of the background options, including the photo of my dog, which is my background of choice.

Interestingly, there are two users of my computer, and the other user does not have this problem. I can change the display properties backgrounds on the second user (my wife) with no problems.

How do I regain control of my desktop display properties. I will very much appreciate any help I can get.

Coolfreak

To get Expert Help with malware removal:

I recommend that you read this article… ( Simply, click on the links to be re-directed.)

"Having problems with spyware and pop-ups? First steps;
IMPORTANT - Read This Before Posting For Malware Removal Help

Please follow the instructions very carefully; then, post all the requested logs and information; as instructed, in the
HiJackThis Log Help Forum.
http://www.techsupportforum.com/secu...this-log-help/

Please ensure that you create a new thread in the HiJackThis Log Help Forum;
not back here in this one.

When carrying out The 5 Steps,
IMPORTANT - Read This Before Posting For Malware Removal Help

if you cannot complete any of them for whatever reason, just continue on with the next one until they are all completed.
However,it is extremely important to make mention of the fact that you could not complete any of the steps in your post to HiJackThis Log Help Forum.
http://www.techsupportforum.com/secu...this-log-help/

where an Analyst will assist you with other workarounds.

Once done, please be patient, as the Security Team Analysts are usually very busy; one of them will answer your request as soon as they can.

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#5 Texas Longhorns #5 Texas Longhorns 5-0

Everest ~ DBAN ~ UBCD4WIN ~ SpeedFan

WaxhawRon

I carried out the 5 steps. The only software I removed was Windows IE7 since it was the only software I run that was listed in the 26 pages. But then when I tried to go to http://www.techsupportforum.com/secu...this-log-help/, I get a message that it is an invalid forum.

What is going on?

WaxhawRon

Thank you for your help, but I figured it out. A program named "winvi" somehow not only got installed into my program files, but it got installed. This hijacked my desktop and put the flash fun pages crapola onto my desktop. I uninstalled it and got control of my desktop display properties back.

Thank you very much for your help. Problem solved!

Coolfreak

Sorry, I made a mistake. But I am glad to see you got it worked out

-Coolfreak

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#5 Texas Longhorns #5 Texas Longhorns 5-0

Everest ~ DBAN ~ UBCD4WIN ~ SpeedFan

WaxhawRon

Actually, I was a bit premature in stating that the problem was totally solved. There are two hangovers. (1) I had to re-set all of the sound properties--no problem. But (2) all of my desktop icons have opaque boxes under them, i.e. instead of white print on a transparent background, they have white print on a colored background. I have matched the Advanced Appearance settings to both my laptop and to the second identity on my desktop, but while both of those have transparent backgrounds to white lettering for the names of the desktop shortcut icons, my desktop icons have opaque backgrounds. This is quite ugly. Perhaps you can instruct me how to get the transparent backgrounds back? I would appreciate it very much. Thank you

Coolfreak

This should work.

Right click My Computer > Properties > Advanced tab > Under performance, click Settings > Then check the box Use drop shadows for icon labels on the desktop

That should fix it.

-Coolfreak

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#5 Texas Longhorns #5 Texas Longhorns 5-0

Everest ~ DBAN ~ UBCD4WIN ~ SpeedFan

WaxhawRon

Tried it last night and it did not work, but I just tried it again. The box was still checked so I unchecked it, re-booted, checked it again--still have the opaque backgrounds for the icon names. Re-booted again just to be sure, but they are still there. No change.

Coolfreak

Hmm, I'm not sure then, to be honest.

You could try to choose one of the other options right above the check boxes. I know some people that have had the same problem as you and the solution didn't fix it either. I'm not sure why it works for some people, and not for others.

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#5 Texas Longhorns #5 Texas Longhorns 5-0

Everest ~ DBAN ~ UBCD4WIN ~ SpeedFan

WaxhawRon

I appreciate your honesty. I've googled the problem and the common solution is the one you've recommended. But based on the replies in the other forums, this has not worked for too many people. It seems to be an XP problem, and one site gave a link to Microsoft that supposedly had a solution to this, but when I tried the link it was closed.

I'll obviously keep working on this because it makes for an ugly desktop, so if anything new comes to mind, please let me know. Thanks very much for trying. I appreciate it greatly.

Coolfreak

I used to have dual monitors, and when I did that, I had the same problem as you. The solution that I gave you also didn't work for me. I eventually didn't need my second monitor anymore and disconnected it, which took away my problem. You don't have two monitors do you?

Anyways, I will continue to see if I can find an answer for your problem too.

Best of luck,

-Coolfreak

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#5 Texas Longhorns #5 Texas Longhorns 5-0

Everest ~ DBAN ~ UBCD4WIN ~ SpeedFan

WaxhawRon

Good idea, but I only use one monitor. I have a laptop but don't hook it up to my desktop monitor. Thanks for racking your brain re this. It is apparently a pretty common problem with no real fix that I have found so far. Might be a valid problem to write software to fix, and sell the software if you don't believe in shareware.

Coolfreak

Alright, well, it seems this program is what we are looking for.

Only problem is, it says its only good for Windows 2000 or lower. Although, it might still work with Windows XP. You can give it a try if you wish.

Edit-- Alright, I also found this program which seems to be a lot more promising than TransText.

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#5 Texas Longhorns #5 Texas Longhorns 5-0

Everest ~ DBAN ~ UBCD4WIN ~ SpeedFan

WaxhawRon

Thank you very much for the extra effort.

Well, I tried the iconoid program you linked me to. It said I had to turn off my active desktop to make the icon backgrounds transparent. First I did Desktop Hijack Fix and restored desktop default settings. Then I went to display-desktop-customize-web and checked the box next to My Current Home Page. This is what is supposed to turn off my active desktop. But Iconoid still says my desktop is active so the program will not make the option for making the icon background transparent available to be checked.

Am I missing something?

Coolfreak

To turn off Active Desktop:

Right-click on your desktop > Properties, go to the "Desktop" tab > at the bottom click "Customize Desktop"> got to the "Web" tab. Nothing in there should have a checkmark.

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#5 Texas Longhorns #5 Texas Longhorns 5-0

Everest ~ DBAN ~ UBCD4WIN ~ SpeedFan

WaxhawRon

I guess my computer is just screwed up from that Winivi, which oddly enough was scanned by AVG, AdAware, and Trend Micro and did not show up as any sort of threat. I had the only box (My Computer was the caption next to the box) unchecked, and then checked it, and now unchecked it again. The Iconoid software still says that I have an active desktop so I can't do anything with it to make the icon descriptions transparent.

Tomorrow I'm going to do some searching about Winivi to see if thereare any forums with discussions about similar instances with other people. This is all very confusing. I was so proud of myself when I figured out that Winivi was the culprit and uninstalled it, but this last problem it caused just makes for an ugly desktop. In and of itslef I guess that's not a bad problem, but something tells me that if this is a problem, something else is lurking.

Thank you very much for your continued effort on this. Have a happy 4th of July.

Coolfreak