Friends desktop is blank

[andre477]

Hi. My friend recently had computer problems and told me he was searching sites he shouldn't be searching and clicked on a fake spyware ad. I think that spyware messed up his computer. I ran spyware doctor and cleaned up about 39 infections.

The problem now is, after I ran spyware doctor and deleted the program that he installed, no picture on the background desktop will show. He originally had a picture as the background desktop. Now the computer won't let him put any picture at all as the background desktop. It will only let me change the color of the background but no picture shows. He's using windows vista. Does anyone know what to do? Thanks.

[budz]

go to trendmicro.com and use their free online virus scanner.

[Bjs]

Some infections require the system restore to be disabled , in order to clear the infections completely , otherwise the system can be reinfected later .

Go into windows explorer , tools , folder options , view , sellect "show" hidden files and folders , and uncheck those "hide" below it , apply , ok .

Go to documents and settings , normal users account (as shown on login) , local settings , gut the temp folder , and the temporaray internet folder , delete everything in these two folders , then close windows explorer .

NOW , proceed with clean out of the problem .

There shouldnt be any major problems with these tools under vista , as I have used them already .

Adaware se , install , update , scan , quaranteen all found items , click lock , delete backups , done .
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/products/ad-aware_se_personal.php

Avgfree , install , update , scan , dont forget to empty the virus vault , or internet may not be accesible .
http://free.grisoft.com/freeweb.php/doc/5390/lng/us/tpl/v5

Hijackthis , download , run scan , check unwanted items , allow fix , reboot pc .
http://www.merijn.org/files/HiJackThis_v2.exe

Hijackthis is a handy tool for clearing items from the startup , which may otherwise slow the startup of the pc .

Disable quicktime , messenger , incredimail , printer utilities , adobe gamma (idiot) , anything refering to itself as background update .

The os will call these when you activate them , and they should not be part of the startup of the system , ever .

Some info about policies under vista concerning desktop : http://support.microsoft.com/kb/934008

Id be looking at vista policies , as they could have changed , and be the first item to suspect after an infection .