Please tell me this can be fixed

[Jade Tigress]

I don't wanna have to bring my laptop in somewhere to be "debugged".

A few weeks ago I let my son use my laptop. We went on myspace and followed a link to a game. The computer was working funny after that but I got everything set so it was *normal*. I forgot about it.

Yesterday he was over again and wanted to go on myspace. He's new to it and my daughter was here too and helped him log on and stuff. I believe all he did was look at some comments his friends posted. He doesn't do much on computers without help.

Anyway, when he was done he logged off and shut the laptop. When I tried using it later that night, my wallpaper was gone and in it's place I have a small image that says "Express your love with Myspace apps" and a "click here" button. I can't get it to go away. I tried restarting the computer and I got the blue screen that said it wanted to scan one of the disks for problems or whatever. So I let it run. It took a long time and when it was nothing changed.

I tried to restore the computer to an earlier time and when it was done the system restore said it couldn't restore to that date. I tried an earlier one (I have lots of checkpoints set). I got the same thing.

The computer *seems* to be working fine. But I something is not right and I want my wallpaper back.

Anyone know what happened or how to fix it? I run the latest AVG free edition, I have Spybot S&D, AdAware, and ZoneAlarm installed and running.

Thanks.

 

[Sukerkin]

Assuming that you have run the thorough checks of the system using your 'defensive' software, a thing to look at for clues is to right-click on the desktop, go to properties/desktop and see what is listed as your background picture.

If the picture listed is the right one, then something may well be hijacking or corrupted part of the system. So bring up the Task List and check all the tabs for suspicious activity. The Processes list is often a good place to find intrusive elements. Also, check that your internet properties have not been changed (social sites are notorious for hijacking homepages, adding toolbars etc).

Do be sure before digging deeper tho' that you have done a thorough scan of the entire system for spywear et al. Also, have a look in the Add/Remove Programmes application - sometimes you can find things that have added themselves, unbeknownst to you, that are legitimte but unwanted.

 

[fireman00]

Couple of things... MySpace has an application suite they're launching - he could have installed that. Second, hat Operating System are you using?

First just to make sure there are no nasty surprises on your system I'd run the "update" option for Ad-Aware, AVG and Spybot to ensure they're up to date. Next run the scan feature for each app. Overkill but it never hurts to be cautious.

If nothing is found then I'd lean towards Jr. pulling something down off MySpace that changed your background or possibly installed their app. I believe you have to log onto his page to remove the apps by clicking on the Profile tab, then click My Apps, then save the changes.

You can also check under "Add/Remove Programs" to see if there are any myspace entries and remvoe them.

Last, if you right click on the desktop you should see and option for "Properties" or "Personalized" (depending on your OS). Click the appropriate option then from the tabs look for background. You can navigate to where your background picture is, reselect it and click OK.

If that doesn't work post again with what happened.

 

[Jade Tigress]

Thanks guys, I'll try all of the above and let you know what happens.
I'm running Windows XP.

 

[Kacey]

I think the previous posters are probably right - your son clicked "yes" to something without realizing what it was, and it installed itself.

If Add/Remove doesn't work (and it may not) then you may have to search your program files manually. You can sort the files by date, which should show you what was installed last - then (being really, really sure that you have a program you don't want) delete it. This is not as clean as uninstalling using the Add/Remove program, and you'll have to search for and manually remove bits and pieces. You can also have your computer search for new items - go to Start / Search / All files and folders, the put *.* in the search box, and then click on "When was it modified". You can either go with the default "one week" or put in a date you know was before this was installed, and see what it comes up with.

Worst case scenario - back up all your data to an external source, and reinstall your operating system. It sucks - but it's generally pretty effective.

 

[Jade Tigress]

Thanks Karen. I'm still in the process of updating and running my programs. Updated and did a full system scan with AVG. It found nothing. Spybot is running now.

I did right click the desktop and checked properties. The wallpaper I had downloaded does not appear on the list at all, nor does anything other than the regular Windows wallpaper options.

I checked add/remove programs and saw nothing out of the ordinary.

I sooooo hope one of these suggestions works. I am trying them ALL.

Thanks again everyone. Any more suggestions, please let me know. :asian:

 

[Kreth]

Try your scans from safe mode. A lot of malware run processes to reinstall themselves. If you boot to safe mode, you'll only have the bare-bones Windows processes running.

 

[Sukerkin]

Good point, Jeff.

Re-installers are a royal pain. My network machine at work got infected once {due to Outlooks New Mail pop-up having no content information :grr:} with a 'chameleon' style re-installer and we could not get rid of it. I ended up having to backup all my data and nuke the OS flat. Evil things.

 

[Sukerkin]

:lol:

Well, this must be Bad News Sunday as my missus' laptop has just been trojan'd - AVG riding to the rescue as we speak. Let's just hope it hasn't leached off any bank details etc.

 

[Kacey]

Try your scans from safe mode. A lot of malware run processes to reinstall themselves. If you boot to safe mode, you'll only have the bare-bones Windows processes running.

Always a good point... maybe I should go back to just a little soda in the morning; didn't even think of that, and I should have - I had to do it to my father's computer too many times.

:lol:

Well, this must be Bad News Sunday as my missus' laptop has just been trojan'd - AVG riding to the rescue as we speak. Let's just hope it hasn't leached off any bank details etc.

That's why my banking data is all on an external hard drive... and unplugged when not in use!

 

[Sukerkin]

A nice idea to hold the data seperately, Karen.

The bit you can't avoid is the data trail that the sites you use your banking details on leave or the lovely 'helpful' copies of everything that Windows holds in it's caches .

 

[Xue Sheng]

Right click desktop

Select properties

Select the Desktop Tab

Click the “Customize Desktop” Button

Click the Web Tab

See if anything is there and checked and appears to be associated with what is currently on your desktop. If it is uncheck it and it should go away

This is of course assuming you are running XP and I understand what you are saying.

 

[Kacey]

Right click desktop

Select properties

Select the Desktop Tab

Click the “Customize Desktop” Button

Click the Web Tab

See if anything is there and checked and appears to be associated with what is currently on your desktop. If it is uncheck it and it should go away

This is of course assuming you are running XP and I understand what you are saying.

Huh... never even looked in there before; not sure I knew it was there - thanks! I'll remember that should I ever have a similar problem.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Huh... never even looked in there before; not sure I knew it was there - thanks! I'll remember that should I ever have a similar problem.

I have no idea how they do it but it seems like the users in my depertment are very good at accomplishing the mysterious "I have no idea how it got there" icon thingy that will not go away.

 

[Sukerkin]

Good call, Xue. Because I despise and ignore (aka lockout) anything Microsoft does to prettify and control my interface I too would have never thought to see of someone had clicked the 'display web-page on desktop' option :sensei techno rei:.

 

[Jade Tigress]

Well, I had some obligations to tend to yesterday so am still working my way through the list. So far, no luck.

Right click desktop

Select properties

Select the Desktop Tab

Click the “Customize Desktop” Button

Click the Web Tab

See if anything is there and checked and appears to be associated with what is currently on your desktop. If it is uncheck it and it should go away

This is of course assuming you are running XP and I understand what you are saying.

The only thing that shows is "my current home page".

Try your scans from safe mode. A lot of malware run processes to reinstall themselves. If you boot to safe mode, you'll only have the bare-bones Windows processes running.

I'll try that tonight. It's been so long since I've seen safe mode, I'll be back if I don't see the option on start up.

 

[Kacey]

I'll try that tonight. It's been so long since I've seen safe mode, I'll be back if I don't see the option on start up.

As the computer boots, hold down the F8 key - then choose "safe mode" from the list of options using the arrow and enter keys.

 

[donna]

As the computer boots, hold down the F8 key - then choose "safe mode" from the list of options using the arrow and enter keys.

on some laptops it is the f2 key so you might have to try that if f8 dosnt work.

 

[Kreth]

on some laptops it is the f2 key so you might have to try that if f8 dosnt work.

You're probably thinking of the BIOS, which can be F1, F2, F11, ESC, DEL, and so on; depending on the vendor. The Windows boot options menu is F8.

 

[Sukerkin]

Beat me to it, Jeff .