# Three computer problems **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 2, 2006, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-computer-problems/362961 "2006-07-02T19:08:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2006, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-computer-problems/362961/1 "2006-07-02T19:08:10Z")
The first: I have two pieces of spyware on my computer that I can’t seem to get rid of. The only spyware removal program that even detects them is Spybot-Search and Destroy, and it can’t seem to remove them. I have all the latest updates to my programs and I even restarted in safe mode to try to remove the spyware, but it’s not budging. I created a log with HijackThis!, though, so my next step is showing that to someone who can interpret it. The second: my desktop backgrounds aren’t displaying properly. I usually use one of the system-provided ones or a large picture of my own, and set it on “Stretch.” It always looks fine that way. I noticed lately, though, that there is some distortion and the pictures aren’t clear, but slightly pixellated, as if they’re being stretched too much. I have not changed any of the settings, to the best of my knowledge, and I can’t figure out what would cause this. The third: my desktop icons look weird. They have ugly pale grey outlines around them. Occasionally my desktop will do this strange thing where the background is still there, but the icons appear briefly as just pale grey icon shapes with no text or detail to them. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2006, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-computer-problems/362961/2 "2006-07-02T20:23:22Z")
What are the two programs that Spybot is detecting? ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2006, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-computer-problems/362961/3 "2006-07-02T20:27:12Z")
Might be a rootkit virus. These are impossible for anti-spyware apps to remove without their first being disabled as they are largely invisible to the OS. Google “F-Secure Blacklight” for a tool to lock down the rootkit virus. ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2006, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-computer-problems/362961/4 "2006-07-02T23:56:09Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > What are the two programs that Spybot is detecting? They are NewDotNet registry keys. Thanks, **astro.** I’ll do that. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2006, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-computer-problems/362961/5 "2006-07-03T01:38:10Z")
The weird looking screen sounds like a graphics driver in 16 or 256 color mode. Either it’s set wrong with the correct driver, or it’s running with a wrong driver. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2006, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-computer-problems/362961/6 "2006-07-03T02:46:09Z")
> [@Telperien](#): > > They are NewDotNet registry keys. [How to remove Newdotnet.](http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=3095&hl=newdotnet) ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2006, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-computer-problems/362961/7 "2006-07-03T23:21:23Z")
> [@Fear Itself](#): > > [How to remove Newdotnet.](http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=3095&hl=newdotnet) Thanks. I followed the link and had to search for the uninstaller on my computer, as there was no way I’d have found it on my own. The [New.net](http://New.net) site says to disable anti-virus and antispyware programs before running the uninstaller, but I am understandably reluctant to do that. ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2006, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-computer-problems/362961/8 "2006-07-04T00:46:40Z")
OK, having checked again, that uninstaller was for something else–a screensaver apparently. 😕 Anyway, I’ve downloaded the uninstaller from the site and will try it out. Then I’ll tackle the other problems again. All my graphics drivers are fairly newly updated, but something may be not be set right. I’ll take another look.