Threat Level:

One of the ways fake anti-spyware scares you into wasting money on it is changing your desktop background to display a false security alert. When you go into “Display Properties” menu to fix your wallpaper, you may discover that your wallpaper and/or screensaver tab is missing. If rogue anti-spyware changed your wallpaper or screensaver and deleted the “Display Properties” tab, I’ll show you how to fix this.

Note: Make sure what ever fake antivirus you are infected with is removed before doing this, or the spyware will just change the settings back.

1. Click Start and then Run.
2. Into the Run dialog box, type regedit.exe.
3. Press ENTER on your keyboard.
4. Find HKey_Local_Machine\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System.
5. If your Display tab is missing, right-click NoDispSettingsPage to select Modify.
6. Change the value to 0.
7. If your Screensaver tab is missing, right-click NoDispScrSavPage to select Modify.
8. Change the value to 0.
9. Find HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System.
10. If your Display tab is missing, right-click NoDispSettingsPage to select Modify.
11. Change the value to 0.
12. If your Screensaver tab is missing, right-click NoDispScrSavPage to select Modify.
13. Change the value to 0.
14. Quit the Registry Editor. You’re done.

Your screensaver and display tabs should be back now.

Still have issues with rogue anti-spyware screensavers? Leave a comment.