Windows background wallpaper

[cfarrah]

I recently had either a virus or spyware that placed a terrible background wallpaper on my pc.  I cannot change it.  I cannot delete it.  I have tried everything I know to get rid of it.  My computer runs great except for this.  As far as I know I have no viruses now.  In control panel, I cannot change the background or even scroll up or down for any other selection...I even went to the internet to set a picture as my background and this does not work either...The background filename was wp.  I searched for files named wp, then went and deleted this file.  This did not work either.  Any help would be appreciated...

[Windows98]

is it a web object where you drag and drop on desktop? did you check to see if its that? Maybe thats y its on the desktop. If it was spyware or virus im sure they would of found it and delete it allready. What wallpaper u using anyways?

[patio]

did you try disabling Active Desktop yet and if so is the problem still there ? ?

patio.

[cfarrah]

I tried to reset active desktop, but it is greyed out like it is not an option.
I usually just use one of the standard windows backgrounds.  This background is solid black with "warning, your computer can be infected with spyware ect..." writen in yellow.  This is all over the desktop.  I dont know how it got there or how to get it off.  I have run virus scans and spyware programs...nothing seems to work.

[merlin_2]

Is this a shared pc?.......

[Fed]

Did you re-boot after deleting it?

[Raptor]

Virus scanners
AVG Free
-- Anti virus scanner
Trend Micro Housecall
-- Online anti virus scanner.

Anti spy/malware
Microsoft Antispyware
-- Anti spyware scanner. Windows XP Home and Professional only.
Spybot Search & Destroy
-- Anti spyware scanner
Adaware SE Personal
-- Anti spyware scanner

Firewalls
Use both a hardware and software firewall.
Be advised as dual software firewalls may cause problems

ZoneAlarm Free
-- Free firewall - more user friendly
Sygate Personal
-- Free firewall - more configuration options

Removal tools
The following files are not substitutes for the ones described above.
They are either diagnostic tools or removal tools for malware of a certain kind

HijackThis
-- Manual malware remover. Post the HijackThis log generated only if requested!
McAfee Stinger
-- Virus removal tool. No substitute for a fully functional virus scanner!
CWshredder
-- CoolWebSearch removal tool. Widely known and persistant Hijacker.

[GX1_Man]

Try some of Raptor's Tips and then let us know. Be careful of what you download and keep those systems up to date!!



You could have my dog on your desktop. Is that worse?

[queball]

passing on something i got from here, check out postings dated 11/20 in this section. i had similar problem. tried al the usual run anti spyware, spybot, spysweeper, ccleaner, anti virus. not much luck until someone (Fed) said to go to control panel and open "appearances and settings" (in my case it was display; xp pro) and in the display properties click on desktop tab.  then click on customize desktop. click on web and delete the "security"