XP screen has changed

[rkaic]

Hi. I have XP Home version. I just noticed that my shut down screen includes the text"Build 4051" and "for testing purposes only" above and below the Shut down and Restart buttons. This did not used to be there. I have done a search on google but the only thing I find is that build 4051 refers to Longhorn, but I have never even tried to install Longhorn on my PC. I also found last week that I was unable to open System Restore, it would just hang, and that I could not open pop-up windows in IE. I did a repair install with my XP CD, and those problems were fixed but the build 4051 and testing purposes text are still on my shutdown screen. I know this was not there before. Does anyone know what this is and how I can fix it? Here is a pic of the shutdown screen:

http://www.webtemplateszone.com/screen.jpg

Thanks so much for your help. I am worried that I have some kind of virus.

 

[Blujacket]

It does have the appearance of a Beta version of Longhorn. Do some of the images shown at

http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/longhorn_4051.asp

appear in the list of Wallpapers/Backgrounds on yours?

 

[rkaic]

Thanks for your reply, Blujacket. No, I don't have any of the wallpaper that is shown in the Longhorn Galleries, although I did have a new wallpaper pop up on it's own yesterday. I figured it was because I had tried out Style XP, and tried some themes out with it. I uninstalled Style XP because i did not like it, and then earlier today I restored my system to the date after I did the repair installation, because I had noticed that the build 4051 text was back. All the wallpapers I have now are the ones I have had, no new ones to note.

 

[bcastner]

Start, run, cmd

Type: ver

What does it say?

 

[rkaic]

bcastner, it says Microsoft Windows XP Version 5.1.2600

 

[linney]

If a repair didn't fix it then all you can try next is a format and clean install of Home.

Before you backup and go down that path try this.

Removing adware & spyware (and viruses).
faq608-4650

See what it looks like from Safe Mode.

Any of your friends have access to your machine?

 

[rkaic]

Thanks linney. I have Ad Aware and Spybot and run it religiously. I have never allowed access to my machine to others, although my sons do use it.

I will run Ad Aware again and try viewing it from Safe Mode. I have not noticed any other problems with my machine, and wanted to avoid a format and clean install if possible.

 

[bcastner]

I suspect that this is not the kind of issue that spy/ad/malware removal tools are going to prove much good at resolving.

If you had loaded Longhorn you would certainly know, as only a clean install is possible. Moreover, a repair using XP Home on top would likely have bunged things up seriously.

Your suspicion that StyleXP and a downloaded Longhorn "Slate" theme seems plausible.

Do a search for UXTHEME.DLL and make sure it is a real XP version and not the one replaced by StyleXP.

 

[linney]

I was thinking more in the line of virus/trojan etc. and a bit more than just spyware. Have you actually run a repair on the Build 4051 problem, or did that not show up until after you ran a repair on your System Restore and Pop Up problem.

You have also added Style XP to the equation and whatever that might have changed on your system.

Can you clarify the order of events because if you have not attempted to repair XP to fix the build 4051 problem then that is still a less draconian option as is running the System File checking program.

 

[Blujacket]

The uxtheme.dll version on my WinXP Pro with SP1 is 6.0.2800.1106 and is dated 8/29/2002.

 

[rkaic]

I searched for uxtheme.dll and could not find it. The order of events were as follows:
About a week ago, I tried to run System Restore because IE could not open pop up windows (not that I really wanted them, but it was strange that they would not open) and also could not display certain javascript (like my free site counter on my website uses javascript, but I could not see the counter graphic any longer in IE, but could in NN). I had just completed a Windows update when I noticed the IE problem. Later that day was when I noticed the "build 4051" when I shut my PC down. I thought this was strange but what really concerned me the next day was not being able to load System Restore. I could see it in my Task Manager, but the SR window would just hang instead of loading. Then I tried the Windows Search Function, and that would not load either. Finally I tried the Help function, and that also would not load. I did some google searches and decided I would try a repair install to hopefully solve these issues. Although I was aware of the "build 4051" at the time, my biggest concern was that SR would not work, so when I completed the repair installation, the first thing I checked was that. Everything appeared to be working fine when I rebooted after the repair install. I had forgotten about the 4051 problem, and I believe when I shut down the PC that evening it was not there or I would have noticed it.

However, the next day I had to update Windows since I did a repair install, and then today is when I noticed it again when I was preparing to shutdown. I had installed Style XP last night and decided I didn't like it by today and after I noticed the build 4051 problem, I decided to uninstall the StyleXP. The 4051 still appeared when attempting to shut down so I then did a System Restore (I restored to the point exactly after I had completed the latest Windows Update). I think I may try restoring to the period before the Windows Update and see if the 4051 still appears.

 

[bcastner]

Restore from the XP CD the uxtheme.dll to c:\windows\system32