My XP setup has been working OK but now it doesn't start with my proper desktop display settings. I have Windows Classic theme selected for the display properties but lately when I start Windows I get a desktop that is Windows Classic but with XP "windows and buttons" (Appearance tab). Each session I change back to Windows classic style "windows and buttons" but next time I start up the system comes up with XP "windows and buttons" with Display Properties>Appearance setting shown as XP "windows and buttons". Any Ideas why my Windows Classic Style is not being saved.

Have you tried this?

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555512

Thanks for the post but everything was already set correctly - nothing was stopping me change the display settings but, once again, when I started my system the "windows and buttons" was set to XP after I had set it to Classic before closing down. The system lets me change to Classic but aways starts up set to XP.

You could try setting up a new account and setting that up as you want then reboot and log-on to that account. If all works well then, just delete your old account and use the new one. If that will not work, we will have to look further.

Thanks. I tried that (setting up a new account), and it worked correctly - I changed to Windows Classic, restarted the machine and the new account came up with Windows Classic - great. Thanks for your help but if anyone does know what was the original problem, please let me know.

Following on from my last post, after I had created a new user, the original user started behaving correctly so it looked as though everything was solved. Last night I deleted the new user I had set up (as I didn't now need it) and this morning the original user came up but back with the old problem - XP windows and buttons instead of Classic!!!! It seems the new user, set to Windows Classic was keeping the original user correct??? Weird, any comments would be useful.

It is normally caused by a virus but it can be Windows just missbehaving.
Set up a new user again and run these:=

On-line Virus Scan

Go to one or all of these sites and do an online virus scan.

housecall.trendmicro.com

security.symantec.com

us.mcafee.com/root/mfs/default.asp

Check Malware

Go to http://www.besttechie.net/tools/mbam-setup.exe
and download and run Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware.

Check Spyware

Go to www.safer-networking.org and download and run Spybot

i had the same issue then ran the 'sfc / scannow' function to re-copy my XP SP2 cd files in case any dll's etc had corrupt. I then went to microsoft to download all the latest patches again. All fine for me.

Start > Run > (type) sfc / scannow (put your CD in tray and let it do its stuff)

Hope that works for you also

Thanks guys. I've already run a virus check (Avast), a spyware check (Spybot) and the "sfc / scannow" but they didn't help. I'll try the other suggestions. BTW as soon as I re-created a second user (after deleting it) the display in my original user came right again with the correct settings. Very strange.

Go to http://www.besttechie.net/tools/mbam-setup.exe
and download and run Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware.