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Desktop icons are highlighted-why?

It just done this the other day. I can't seem to figure out why it did it and how to fix it. Thanks

mvvette97
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Can you describe "highlighted" in a bit more detail, please?

DMR
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Can you describe "highlighted" in a bit more detail, please?

All of the icons have a blue highlight around every icon. It's like a square blue box covering each icon.

mvvette97
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All of the icons have a blue highlight around every icon. It's like a square blue box covering each icon.

If they are highlited in the real meaning of the word ,when reffering to a desktop icon, then when you click on one to open the program , they would all try and open there respected programs , does this happen to you .

caperjack
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IN Windows under display (i think its effects button or so metging) there is a thing where u tell windows how much eye candy you want. One of these, when off makes a box around the icons name the colour of the desktop rather than being transpapernt

jbennet
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IN Windows under display (i think its effects button or so metging) there is a thing where u tell windows how much eye candy you want.

I thought the same thing, but I can't find that settinganywhere... :?:

DMR
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System Properties>Advanced tab, under performance, click settings. In the Performance Options dialog box, check the second last option (Use drop shadows for icon labels on the desktop). This will get rid of your "Highlighted Icons"

goldeagle2005
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System Properties>Advanced tab, under performance, click settings. In the Performance Options dialog box, check the second last option (Use drop shadows for icon labels on the desktop). This will get rid of your "Highlighted Icons"

Thanks , I'll give it a try.

mvvette97
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For some really dumb reason in XP Home the menu is under the system applet in control panel -> click on the advanced tab-> click performance button

jbennet
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The system applet is the system properties. The same as right clicking My Computer and choosing Properties fraom the menu

goldeagle2005
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It sounds like what you are describing is not that icons are highlighted but that the desktop icons lost transparency. Meaning that background behind the text of the icon is different colour than the desktop background (it could be white or blue in colour). Depending on your desktop background colour, it could make it appear that all your desktop icons are highlighted.

Was the icons on your pc working correctly before and have just started looking funny. If so I suspect this is the case. Also did you recently remove the Spy Sherriff virus from your pc?

I had a variant of the Spy Sherriff virus. One of the symptoms was my desktop background changed to an all white background and I was not able to change it. The other symptom was my desktop icons lost transparency (as described above). I found the following link was very helpful in resolving the first symptom.

http://www.delphifaq.com/faq/windows_user/f850.shtml

If the second symptom I described sounds like the problem you are experiencing, I
resolved the second sympton as follows:
1. Go into the registry by starting RegEdit.exe from the start button.
2. Look for this key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer and delete this branch.
3. Restart your system and this should resolve your problem.

eds_pro
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It just done this the other day. I can't seem to figure out why it did it and how to fix it. Thanks


can you help me in finding a solution to my problem with the icons being highlighted, thanks redletters.

redletters
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do what i said

jbennet
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can you help me in finding a solution to my problem with the icons being highlighted, thanks redletters.



I had the same problem few days ago and found the solution. Here's what you should do:
Right click desktop and click properties> click desktop>customize desktop>then web, there was a webpage selected that was apparently added by adware and when you delete it the icons should revert back to normal. Hope this helps. :)

jamdorj
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1 post since Mar 2007
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I had the same problem few days ago and found the solution. Here's what you should do: Right click desktop and click properties> click desktop>customize desktop>then web, there was a webpage selected that was apparently added by adware and when you delete it the icons should revert back to normal. Hope this helps. :)



This is how I fixed mine: right-click on the desktop, go to Arrange Icons By and make sure Lock Web Items on Desktop is not checked.

My 1 year old had pushed some buttons on my keyboard and made the icons highlight in blue. It took me three days to figure out how to fix it.

Christina2
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System Properties>Advanced tab, under performance, click settings. In the Performance Options dialog box, check the second last option (Use drop shadows for icon labels on the desktop). This will get rid of your "Highlighted Icons"

I was just going to say that. Completely works.

TapouT
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5 posts since Apr 2007
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Thank you jamdorj! That fixed it.

ernestww
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1 post since Nov 2007
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this highlight problem happened to me too. I was trying to copy and paste an image from MSWord to my desktop.

It's fixed now thanks to your advice.
I don't really think it was adware..here's what I did:
properties> click desktop>customize desktop> then pick another image, and then go back to the image I was using.

thanks again! :)

I had the same problem few days ago and found the solution. Here's what you should do: Right click desktop and click properties> click desktop>customize desktop>then web, there was a webpage selected that was apparently added by adware and when you delete it the icons should revert back to normal. Hope this helps. :)
Persephone2
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3 posts since Jul 2008
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:$ Wow! That got it done. I had the same problem with my computer. I got that shadows thing checked and it got rid of the blue highlight.

cryshnon
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7 posts since Dec 2007
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thank you jamdorj that helped me thanks man

rayzalloyd
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1 post since May 2009
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This article has been dead for over three months

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