Calling All

[Voodoo]

Hey everyone, my computer hasn't ever treated me bad until today. So I get on the computer and notice that my desktop background picture is gone and it replaced with just a blank screen. All of my icons are there, everything else is working perfectly, but no picture. So I go into the "Control Panel" to "Display" then into "Desktop". It will allow me to change the background color, or go into the "Customize Desktop" area, but it won't allow me to pick a picture from the list on the left

: I can right or left click, but nothing happens. So I figure I'll just outsmart it and go into "My Pictures" right click on the picture I want and set it as the desktop item, no deal. I click and nothing happens, I can right click on the desktop itself and hit refresh, still no background picture

: It's really got me everyone. I have a Gateway XP like 2002 (I think) model. If anyone has a suggestion that would be great

:

 

[Cheerio Girl]

Aren't computers great?

Sorry no suggestions but consider yourself lucky. My last computer died and took everything down with it.

 

[JO~*]

Restart it? I'm sure you have tried that but I threw it up anyway.

 

[MiniforFaith]

Hello, can you go under system tools and do a system restore to an earlier date? I run window's xp, not sure how much different it is. But click on start, all programs and if you have accessories, look under system tools. In system tools you should see system restore. It has a calender of dates that you can go back and click on to reset it too. It isn't hard to do, and you don't loose any info or emails. I've done it and it sometimes fixes mine... Worth a try...

:

 

[Marty]

First you get a bucket of grain so it follows you into the shute.

If it doesn't, then you have to rope it.

Once you got it, put a halter on it. Then saddle it up. Bridle.

Then use a little spur and give it plenty of rein.

You have to show it you mean business.

:

:

:

 

[Voodoo]

I have tried restarting it with no success

and I tried the system restore as well. That didn't work at all, I picked a date and it went through the process of restoring, restarted the computer and everything, then it says sorry we could not restore your system to that date and time please try again. I got that message four times

: .

Marty I'm beginning to think your idea is the best, at least I can understand that

: Maybe if I drop kick it out the window that will knock some sense into it :bgrin

 

[MiniforFaith]

:no: Sorry, I thought that might help.. I've been trying things on my to try to help, but what you did already is what changes desktop.. I'll keep thinking for ya...

:

 

[momtotwo]

Hi Voodoo, When I got in this evening, my computer screen was gray with all the icons showing. I did the one and only thing I know how to do--clicked on turn off the computer then on the button that says to restart the computer and it worked. Don't know what was going on there. A few minutes ago the scroll thing on the mouse quit working and the box that appears when you right click kept popping up. It finally hit me that my, ummm, left breast

: was hitting the space bar. When I sat upright like a human being the problem went away!

oops! I thought that was an embarassed face not one with hearts!

 

[Voodoo]

Well, I can always try actually restarting it, I turned it off, let it set, and then back on, but no restart. Maybe that would be enough different that it would work

: . I guess I'll go find out. Thanks for the suggestions everyone :saludando:

 

[kaykay]

for sure sounds like you picked up a virus. do a complete virus scan asap

 

[Voodoo]

Kay, I did a complete virus, adaware, and spyware scan with Norton anti-virus as well as Lavasoft. They found nothing, do I need to take it in to see the computer doctor?

 

[kaykay]

have your virus programs been updated lately?? you can go to that virus site and see if any of the new viruses match what your computer is doing. If you cant find it i would get it in to the dr

some of these new viruses are horrible. sounds to me like you have one that took over control of your computer. this is why you restore wont work

heres the site where you can match up viruses with computer problems

http://softwaremart.biz/virus/threats/

 

[shminifancier]

There is a lot faster way to bring that prompt up where you change the desktop and set the screen saver. Just Right Click on the desktop a little pop up will show go to Properties And there is the Prompt for making these changes. I never to into the control panel to make small changes like that .. Just do the Right click Anywhere on the desktop and then click on Properties and bingo that is the same box is on the screen. Now back to Why this has happened. When you change the picture Does it Show in the little box that the picture is there? The Preview window? do you then click Apply Then Click OK? to set the new setting?

 

[Voodoo]

See that's the thing I can't click on any of the pictures to the left to allow it to change the picture on the small "preview" screen. I also can't click on "browse" or "position". They aren't "lit up" like they should be so absolutely nothing happens when I click on any of the pictures I want to use or anything. The only thing I can click on in that screen is "color" or "customize desktop", but they don't allow me to change what I want to change.

Kay, my virus protection was recently updated, but I will go to the site you suggested and see what I can find out, if that doesn't work then it will go to the dr and get fixed.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone