# Windows 7 looks like Windows 98



## lowercase8 (Jun 10, 2011)

I loaded up my Laptop today to find my Windows 7 looking like Windows 98. I tried changing it to Aero and it still looked the same. I tried a complete system restore from three days ago, didn't work.

I did download something yesterday which I deleted once I noticed the problem.

Screenshot of the problem:









My event logs:









I think it is a virus but I am not 100 sure.


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## etaf (Dec 28, 2008)

it maybe you have changed to a "classic" theme 
so you need to look at the themes 
cant remember where it is in 98 
if you right click on the desktop 
can you goto display 
and do you see a theme tab 
if so what is it set to


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## lowercase8 (Jun 10, 2011)

I phoned up a tech support and they said it was a Registery Error. Spyware and it will cost me £60 to fix. Urgh... They used a remote thing and check my Event Viewer via remote access and told me it will cost as it is a registery error.


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## The_Janitor (Sep 10, 2012)

lowercase8 said:


> I tried a complete system restore from three days ago, didn't work.


Do you mean System Restore is actually broken, or that despite the fact that it completed successfully it still did not fix the problem?

The Event Logs aren't of much use as "pictures". We need the text of the actual logs to get any substantive information. However, based on what you did post, it looks like maybe your hard drive is having some problem. Look at the 2 where it says "disk".

Schedule a chkdsk to run on reboot. Click the option to find & remove errors. HD errors may cause data corruption which may cause problems like you are describing.

Boot to Safe Mode. Does the problem persist in Safe Mode?

Check Hardware Manager. Click "show hidden devices". Are any devices flagged? You might have lost a video driver due to data corruption.


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## Amd_Man (Jan 27, 2009)

Telling us what you downloaded yeaterday and removed could be of help here.


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## lowercase8 (Jun 10, 2011)

Well my cousin downloaded some torret Spore Reloaded.iso or something like that while I was out and he said I could delete it when I get back. I got in a left it there and just went on Facebook and everything seemed fine till I got in after school and it was like this.

I am almost certain now it is a Registry Spyware infection.


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## The_Janitor (Sep 10, 2012)

lowercase8 said:


> I phoned up a tech support and they said it was a Registery Error. Spyware and it will cost me £60 to fix. Urgh... They used a remote thing and check my Event Viewer via remote access and told me it will cost as it is a registery error.


Sounds like BS to me. EVERYTHING is a "registry error". It's probably something simple & stupid. If you have the time & patience, this place will get you fixed for free, and you'll learn something along the way. In fact, here's your first lesson: Don't Pay for Computer Repair

:grin:


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## lowercase8 (Jun 10, 2011)

Okay. Got it. 

I'll answer all the questions. 

I have tried a quick scan with Microsoft Security Essentials and it said everything is clean.

I tried a system Restore and still the problem is stil there.

When I do Personalization it says; Windows Classic. When I set it to Windows 7 Aero it changed to Sky but still looks the same. I open it up again and it is back to Windows Classic.

@The_Janitor

In the device manager is says under the Imaging Devices that the Lexmark X422 is flagged.

I have no idea how to do the chkdsk thing as getting it to run in safe mode. It has been a while.


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## The_Janitor (Sep 10, 2012)

Did you click "show hidden devices"?
Uninstall all flagged devices.

Enter Safe Mode by tapping the "F8" key immediately after Power On.
Find "chkdsk" under your C:\ drive's "Properties".

The fact that you change your Preferences and "something" changes them back means that you have active malware on your system right now.

Maybe we can temporarily avoid the malware running by doing this:

Start>Run (type) "msconfig" and turn off all non-MS Startups, and all Services. And reboot.


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## lowercase8 (Jun 10, 2011)

I'm going to have to leave this topic now and post in the Virus/Trojan/Spyware Help section. I now know it must be a virus and I need to get it fixed.


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## The_Janitor (Sep 10, 2012)

Good move. Good luck.


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