Computer newbies forum: Computer going to crash? Active desktop warning

Hi, Thank you for the information.
I ran the Housecall scan--clean results.
(I had already run the Panda scan earlier--also clean.)
I ran the chkdsk feature. All that I noticed it said
was that the volume was clean.
I defragmented yesterday, so it says I don't need to
defrag. drive C.
As soon as I had finished with chkdsk and rebooted,
I got the Active Desktop Recovery warning page again.
It just said an unexpected error occured. I have never
seen this warning until today.
I also got the "Windows Explorer has experienced an
error and must close" warning about 4 more times.
Also, when I click on Start/Search, the Search Result
page freezes.
I downloaded, Spysweeper 3.0 also...no spyware.
I've searched on Google for possible solutions, but have yet to find anything to help. So, any help you can offer in this matter will be appreciated.

Yes, that is the Active Desktop error message.

The only thing I can think that may apply (according to the solutions on the Active Desktop error message) is that earlier, I noticed the icon "My Briefcase" on my desktop. It was on desktop and in my "Send To" folder.
I don't know how I put it there; I didn't mean to.
Upon trying to get it off of desktop, I did something wrong, so that now it is not an option in my right click Send To list. (I'd like to put it back without having to keep it as a desktop item.)

1. Install the newest audio and video drivers per previous instructions? I haven't done this. Is this
a necessary thing?...I know nothing about it:-(

2. Uninstall unnecessary programs? yes

3. Shut down unnecessary start up programs? yes; I only keep AVG on start-up

4. Clean out junk files from the machine, THEN run Error Checking and Defrag? Yes, but as I said earlier, I did not defrag today, it was either yesterday or day before.

And if none of the above works, have you tried?

1. Using System Restore to revert back to a time when the world was good? My System Restore was turned off
because I had deleted a virus about a week ago and hadn't turned it back on. (It's on now, though--too late.)
I haven't repaired IE because I'm not convinced that
it's an IE problem. Is there a way to be sure?
Thank you again for helping with this headache...

I just fixed a problem computer in our office which had the same "Active Desktop" error. First, if you don't have a reason to have it enabled, you can turn it off. Most users don't have a webpage displayed on their desktop, so it's easy to do. RIGHT click on a blank area of the desktop, choose "Properties". When that loads, click on the "Desktop" tab, then the "Customize Desktop" button, then click on the "Web" tab. UNCHECK any websites listed.

In addition, the problem computer I dealt with today was fixed by choosing "NONE" as the desktop background. The background picture they were using was a large picture and used up to many resources to keep it running.

The newest video drivers can indeed help this problem and you should install them for your computer if the above suggestions doesn't fix the issue.

Hope this helps.

Grif

Jenn,

Good job and glad we could help.

Grif

Because it sounds like a trojan is causing the problem, you can start by using the free for 30 days trojan cleaner at the link below. After installing the program, try running it in "Safe Mode".:

The Cleaner
http://www.moosoft.com/products/cleaner/download/

After that, if it's not gone, then download the HijackThis program, run it, create a log file using the program, then post the log at one of the special HijackThis forums. The experts there should be able to help. Please follow the instructions for downloading, using the program as well as posting the log....from the link below:

How to use HijackThis and where to post the log.

Hope this helps.

Grif