[jmrpjb]

I'm running windows xp professional and I can't get a full picture for my desktop background - there's a big white box smack dab in the middle. (I've attached a copy of what it looks like.) Is this enough information for someone to help me? Thanks to anyone who can and/or let me know if more info is needed.

Bye

P.S. I'm a brand new member, so please bare with me.

[Phantom010]

Your image's resolution is quite bad. It's too small.

Can you take another screenshot?


To take a screenshot,

1- Hit the Printscreen key on your keyboard. This will copy your entire screen to the clipboard. Hitting ALT + Printscreen will only copy the active window.

2- Open Paint. (click Start > Run > type mspaint and click OK)

3- Select Edit.

4- Click on Paste. (or simply press CTRL+V on your keyboard)

5- Select File.

6- Click on Save As...

7- Save your screenshot as a JPEG file.

8- Attach the screenshot to your next post.

[jmrpjb]

I think the reason the resolution is so bad is because the picture is so small. My original effort was to take a screen shot and paste it to paint. But every time I tried to upload it, it said the file was too big, so I kept making it smaller. This was saved as a bmp image. When I took another screen shot and saved it as a jpeg I got the message (in manage attachments) that my bitmap image had the wrong file extension. So, I'm at a loss. Can you work without this image?

Anyway, my desktop has a big white square in the middle of it (about 5" x 5").

Thank you for any help you can give.

[Phantom010]

I wanted to see the taskbar at the bottom. Do you see anything appearing there at the same time, like a new tab?

[jmrpjb]

Can we please attack this from a different angle. How small do files have to be anyway? Why can't I do a simple thing like upload a file? I get so frustrated with my lack of knowledge. I just spent the last 45 minutes playing with the attributes and stretch & scew but I keep getting the message the file is too big.

Meanwhile, the white square just got a little bigger!!

I don't see any tabs on the taskbar. The open files are: Paint, and Tech Support

I think I uploaded the image you requested. I zipped it. Can you get a better idea from this latest image?

[Phantom010]

You have too many applications open. I can see it in the taskbar. Can you close all programs or windows before taking the screenshot?

[jmrpjb]

Well I'm really having more than my usual fair share of problems with this. I closed all applications except IE (Tech Support) and Paint and took another screenshot. However, when I tried to zip it I got the message that it couldn't be done, the compressed folder is corrupted. Does all of this have anything to do with why my desktop is 1/2 white?

I'm afraid I'm going to have to give up on trying to get a screenshot to you and I'll just live with my desktop the way it is. This is just too frustrating. Thank you very much for your time.

[DoubleHelix]

How does the screen look when you're booting? Do you see everything just fine? What about the login or Welcome screens? How does it look in Safe Mode?

[Phantom010]

Originally Posted by jmrpjb

Well I'm really having more than my usual fair share of problems with this. I closed all applications except IE (Tech Support) and Paint and took another screenshot. However, when I tried to zip it I got the message that it couldn't be done, the compressed folder is corrupted. Does all of this have anything to do with why my desktop is 1/2 white?

I'm afraid I'm going to have to give up on trying to get a screenshot to you and I'll just live with my desktop the way it is. This is just too frustrating. Thank you very much for your time.

The screenshot (JPEG) doesn't need to be zipped to be attached on the forum.

How to Attach a File on TSG


Another thing to try:

Restart your computer in a Clean Boot state. If you're not seeing the white box in that mode, run the whole troubleshooting procedure (by enabling Services and Startup items) in order to isolate the application giving you that white box.

[jmrpjb]

This is to everyone who so kindly helped me. My screen displays properly when I'm shutting down (just for a second or two I get the whole picture) I also tried a clean boot with no luck. Hold on!!! I just tried the Control Panel - Appearance & Themes - Desktop - Customize Desktop - Web - and I unchecked the box that read "My Homepage"... And it worked!!!

I have no idea how it happened to be checked in the first place, but I guess this one is solved.

Thanks again