Wallpaper keeps disappearing

Tedster

Posts: 5,746   +14
I have an older Toshiba laptop. 2gigs of Ram. I am running XP. If I let the computer run for a while and the screensaver comes on, my wallpaper picture disappears and I get the standard blue background. I have to re-save the pitcture as the wallpaper. I have done multiple virus scans with 2 different anti-virus programs and I am clean. I can't figure out what the issue is.

Also I keep getting a "sample.exe" will not terminate when powering off.

I've read this link here on TS and wonder if it is applicable: https://www.techspot.com/vb/topic127234.html
 
Assuming you want to have a screensaver, right-click on the desktop, choose 'properties', 'screensavers', and select one of your choice, but not (none). Also there are some problems with pictures you choose to have as desktop wallpaper. Go into Display, and select one of the standard windows wallpapers, ok it, and reboot the pc. See if that fixes the 'sample' problem.
 
Is your wallpaper image actually in the Windows folder? If not, it might be worth moving it to see if that helps. I had the same issue once and that sorted it.

Regarding the sample.exe issue, have you looked in Task Manager to see if it is showing up in the processes tab? If it is, right click it and end task, then try to power off and see if you still get the termination request.

I would then download Malwarebytes' Anti-malware, update and scan as sample.exe sounds like it could be dodgy.
 
already did the malwarebytes thing - no issues with viri.
The picture is a photo in my "my pictures" folder.

I've have tried everything and I am running out of options. It is really annoying. When I reboot, the wallpaper comes back. It apparently disappears when going screensaver mode for a long time.

sample.exe doesn't appear to be in the processes tab
 
As you have no doubt found, there are references to your 'sample.exe' problem on other sites....http://www.symantec.com/security_response/writeup.jsp?docid=2001-102914-0003-99&tabid=2.
(*Read the first bullet point).
Do you know if the screensaver your windows o/s is trying to display, is one of the ones included in a standard installation, or is it a third-party one, downloaded at some time? It's possible the screensaver is at a level that your graphics chip(s) can't display, so it just drops back to a plain blue screen. Does windows go back to the previous program you were using, or does it freeze?
If it is only a problem when the screensaver cuts in, one answer is to increase the time delay so it doesn't happen.
*Try a standard Windows wallpaper, and prove if it's the 'my pictures' folder location, that's causing this fault.
 
Well I switched to a standard windows wallpaper and it does the same thing. I've moved the photo I was using as a wallpaper to the windows wallpaper folder. Same thing. I've converted the photo to a bmp file. same thing. I've really run out of options. There are no viri. I've scanned using 3 different anti-virus programs including malwarebytes.

I've ran the w32.nimda.e@mm worm removal tool. It says I am clean.
 
I seem to have fixed the problem inadvertently. I had to "lock" the icons in the display under control panel. That seems to have done it.
 
'TheFineplayer', which version of Windows are you using?
If Windows 8, there is an option in 'Screensaver' about 'when resuming from screensaver display log-in screen', so untick that box.
 
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