Member Avatar for jayx9

I had some spyware on my comp, and not that I got it out with a few spyware and virus scanners, I cant change my background wallpaper. When I go to display settings, all I have is Screen saver and settings tabs, the others arent there... Can anyone help me get my other tabs back?

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by PCLicious

Dani AI

Generated

Missing Desktop/Appearance tabs after spyware removal is a common residue problem. The HijackThis entries in this thread include StyleXP, which supports ’s point: theming/skin utilities or lingering policy/registry flags left by malware are the usual causes. The replies later in the thread offer one‑click registry restores that often work, but occasionally extra troubleshooting is needed when the display control panel file itself is damaged or profile settings remain corrupted.

Practical checklist (in order of least to more invasive):

  • Create a new local user account and log in. If the tabs appear there, the problem is limited to the original user profile.
  • Boot to Safe Mode and check Display Properties; Safe Mode disables most third‑party shell items.
  • Perform a clean boot (use msconfig) or uninstall any theming tool (StyleXP or similar) shown in the HijackThis log.
  • Verify the native Display CPL exists in the System32 folder (desk.cpl / display.cpl) and try opening it directly (for example with control desk.cpl).
  • Run System File Checker (sfc /scannow) with the XP install media handy to repair missing or corrupt system files.
  • On XP Pro, inspect local Group Policy (gpedit.msc) for any display/background restrictions and confirm the Themes service is not disabled.

If those steps fail, replacing the Display CPL from an identical, service‑pack matched copy or applying a registry restore (the fixes later in this thread were reported successful by , , and ) is a practical next step. Always export any registry branch before editing, create a System Restore point, and scan any .reg file before importing. When the CPL file is missing or SFC cannot repair it, a restore from backup or repair install is the safest fallback.

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Member Avatar for jayx9

I got rid of all my spyware, but there is still one problem. In my display settings all I have is Settings and screensavers, I cant customize my desktop or change my wallpaper. I dont know how to get them back.

Heres a Hijack this log just incase it might help:

Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.1
Scan saved at 9:40:59 AM, on 4/17/2005
Platform: Windows XP (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 (6.00.2600.0000)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\Ati2evxx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\Program Files\Logitech\iTouch\iTouch.exe
C:\Program Files\Ray Adams\ATI Tray Tools\atitray.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\ctfmon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\wuauclt.exe
C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
C:\Program Files\AIM\aim.exe
C:\Jays Stuff\HijackThis1991.exe

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://yahoo.com/
R3 - Default URLSearchHook is missing
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHlprObj Class - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 7.0\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [DAEMON Tools-1033] "C:\Program Files\D-Tools\daemon.exe" -lang 1033
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [DeadAIM] rundll32.exe "C:\PROGRA~1\AIM\\DeadAIM.ocm",ExportedCheckODLs
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [CTStartup] C:\Program Files\Creative\SBAudigy\Program\CTEaxSpl.EXE /run
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [zBrowser Launcher] C:\Program Files\Logitech\iTouch\iTouch.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [STYLEXP] C:\Program Files\TGTSoft\StyleXP\StyleXP.exe -Hide
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [AtiTrayTools] "C:\Program Files\Ray Adams\ATI Tray Tools\atitray.exe"
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\System32\ctfmon.exe
O8 - Extra context menu item: &NeoTrace It! - C:\Program Files\NeoTracePro\NTXcontext.htm
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~1\OFFICE11\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\msjava.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\msjava.dll
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {4528BBE0-4E08-11D5-AD55-00010333D0AD} - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Messenger\yhexbmes0411.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Yahoo! Messenger - {4528BBE0-4E08-11D5-AD55-00010333D0AD} - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Messenger\yhexbmes0411.dll
O9 - Extra button: Research - {92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~1\OFFICE11\REFIEBAR.DLL
O9 - Extra button: AIM - {AC9E2541-2814-11d5-BC6D-00B0D0A1DE45} - C:\Program Files\AIM\aim.exe
O9 - Extra button: NeoTrace It! - {9885224C-1217-4c5f-83C2-00002E6CEF2B} - C:\Program Files\NeoTracePro\NTXtoolbar.htm (HKCU)
O16 - DPF: Yahoo! Backgammon -
O16 - DPF: Yahoo! Literati -
O16 - DPF: Yahoo! Pool 2 -
O16 - DPF: Yahoo! Reversi -
O16 - DPF: {0E5F0222-96B9-11D3-8997-00104BD12D94} (PCPitstop Utility) -
O16 - DPF: {39B0684F-D7BF-4743-B050-FDC3F48F7E3B} (FilePlanet Download Control Class) - http://www.fileplanet.com/fpdlmgr/cabs/FPDC_1_0_0_44.cab
O16 - DPF: {41F17733-B041-4099-A042-B518BB6A408C} - http://a1540.g.
O16 - DPF: {4C39376E-FA9D-4349-BACC-D305C1750EF3} (EPUImageControl Class) -
O16 - DPF: {6414512B-B978-451D-A0D8-FCFDF33E833C} (WUWebControl Class) -
O16 - DPF: {74D05D43-3236-11D4-BDCD-00C04F9A3B61} (HouseCall Control) - http://a840.g.
O16 - DPF: {90C9629E-CD32-11D3-BBFB-00105A1F0D68} (InstallShield International Setup Player) -
O16 - DPF: {D1E7CBDA-E60E-4970-A01C-37301EF7BF98} (Measurement Service Client v.3.4) -
O16 - DPF: {F54C1137-5E34-4B95-95A5-BA56D4D8D743} (Secure Delivery) -
O16 - DPF: {FAE74270-E5EE-49C3-B816-EA8B4D55F38F} (H2hPool Control) - http://mirror.worldwinner.com//games/v45/h2hpool/h2hpool.cab
O16 - DPF: {FE5D6722-826F-11D5-A24E-0060B0F1A5AE} (Tukati Launcher) - http://3dgamers.tukati.com/tukati/1.7.20.20/tukati.cab
O23 - Service: Adobe LM Service - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe Systems Shared\Service\Adobelmsvc.exe
O23 - Service: Ati HotKey Poller - ATI Technologies Inc. - C:\WINDOWS\System32\Ati2evxx.exe
O23 - Service: ATI Smart - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\ati2sgag.exe
O23 - Service: DNS Server DNS Server (DNS) - Unknown owner - c:\winnt\microsoftdrivers\etc\FireDaemon.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: Indexing Server indexing Server (indexing) - Unknown owner - c:\winnt\microsoftdrivers\etc\FireDaemon.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: iPod Service (iPodService) - Apple Computer, Inc. - C:\Program Files\iPod\bin\iPodService.exe
O23 - Service: Macromedia Licensing Service - Macromedia - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Macromedia Shared\Service\Macromedia Licensing.exe
O23 - Service: MSTCS - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\pchealth\Service.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: StyleXPService - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\TGTSoft\StyleXP\StyleXPService.exe
O23 - Service: TskHlp - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\pchealth\taskmgr.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: Windows Login Windows Login (Wlogin) - Unknown owner - c:\winnt\microsoftdrivers\etc\FireDaemon.exe (file missing)

Member Avatar for caperjack

it maybe gone because you are using style xp ,as indicated here .
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [STYLEXP] C:\Program Files\TGTSoft\StyleXP\StyleXP.exe -Hide

Member Avatar for jayx9

No Style XP isnt it, it was on my comp before the spyware hit and messed the stuff up.

Does anyone know a way to manually make the tabs show up through registry or something?

Member Avatar for jayx9

anyone? any help at all..

Member Avatar for Angramarcal

anyone? any help at all..

I am brazilian, but i want to help, another post help me and will help you too ! (sorry, i don't speak english ! =) :mrgreen:

Make a registry file with this inside: :mrgreen:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoActiveDesktopChanges"=hex:00,00,00,00
"NoActiveDesktop"=dword:00000000
"NoSaveSettings"=dword:00000000
"ClassicShell"=dword:00000000
"NoThemesTab"=dword:00000000

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System]
"NoDispAppearancePage"=dword:00000000
"NoColorChoice"=dword:00000000
"NoSizeChoice"=dword:00000000
"NoDispBackgroundPage"=dword:00000000
"NoDispScrSavPage"=dword:00000000
"NoDispCPL"=dword:00000000
"NoVisualStyleChoice"=dword:00000000
"NoDispSettingsPage"=dword:00000000
"NoDispScrSavPage"=dword:00000000
"NoVisualStyleChoice"=dword:00000000
"NoSizeChoice"=dword:00000000
"SetVisualStyle"=-

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ActiveDesktop]
"NoChangingWallPaper"=dword:00000000

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ThemeManager]
"ThemeActive"="1"
"DllName"=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,\
74,00,25,00,5c,00,72,00,65,00,73,00,6f,00,75,00,72,00,63,00,65,00,73,00,5c,\
00,54,00,68,00,65,00,6d,00,65,00,73,00,5c,00,6c,00,75,00,6e,00,61,00,5c,00,\
6c,00,75,00,6e,00,61,00,2e,00,6d,00,73,00,73,00,74,00,79,00,6c,00,65,00,73,\
00,00,00

Member Avatar for labber

Download the following file and double click to run it. Set a system restore point first!!
The file is for Windows XP only!!

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/regs_edits/desktoptab.reg

I'm having the same problem, the background tab and effects tab are missing from the Display Properties. I'm running on Win2000, is there some way I can get these tabs back on my computer? Please help! Thanks!

Member Avatar for jcdees24

this worked for me

1) click 'start' then 'run'

2) type in 'regedit'

3) a scary looking thing loads, on the left there is a few folders named HKEY somethingorother, click HKEY_CURRENT_USER, then 'software', then 'microsoft', then 'windows' then 'currentversion', then click 'policies', and finally click 'system'

4) 5 icons should now have appeared on the right (see pic here: )

5) double click the files NoDispBackgroundPage and NoDispAppearancePage and change their value from 1 to 0

Member Avatar for BoomerUK

Download the following file and double click to run it. Set a system restore point first!!
The file is for Windows XP only!!

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/regs_edits/desktoptab.reg

At the time I had my problem I was buying dvd's & thought that the message I got was
back to front needles to say like an idiot I opened an Email from UPS parcels with an attch
& the instant I opened it I was hit with all manner of madness...

I did all the scans you could imagine, thinking I was still infected then I found this site & the
above link now my world is back where it should be...

Thank you very much Crunchie!! I know its an old post but it worked for me :)

Member Avatar for crunchie

Glad the link helped you :)

Member Avatar for PCLicious

While running the registry file found on Kellys Korner "restorealldisplaytabs.reg" does work, for some (such as myself) they may need extra steps to for full restoration. Please view this clear video tutorial on how to restore your tabs:

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