[quark]

My OS is Windows XP Home SP 3 fully updated. Until recently, a right click on an open place on the desktop brought up DISPLAY PROPERTIES (which still works directly from the Control Panel). Recently I played around with the high-contrast ACCEPTIBILITY OPTIONS, returned my PC to normal, but my Desktop right click function on the Desktop is gone.altogether. Please, can anyone suggest a fix? .And what have I gone and done? Thanks.

[Rommel]

Whats, "ACCEPTIBILITY OPTIONS"?

Try a different mouse, if you have a USB mouse try the other type and vise versa.

At least you remove all doubt about the mouse.

Sorry I can't offer more.

[tek101]

Well....why don't you keep messing it up some more ...might be it come back to normal.......LOL

C'mon ...at least give us some glue what you did so we can find the way to UNmess it.......for you......

OK...seriously ....Just do a system restore back to the time before you messed with it up.

[quark]

Hehe! Thanks for the replies and the laugh!

What's more to say?
Not the mouse: works perfectly everywhere else. Even changed the
wallpaper. Shut-down and restarted each time.

Sorry guys, I am as dazed as you are. I "unmessed" the
uncomplicated Hi-Rez procedure three times and made sure no blocks has
been left activated. My own opinion is that a registry value got
changed and that's where I'm lost. Display Properties works directly from Control Panel..

Anyone know the Registry key (and value) to look for? Sorry to ruin your weekend... My PC is an Intel Core 2 Duo 2.46 MHz on Asustek M/Board and still runs like (dry) table salt otherwise..

[quark]

Thanks, nice suggestion. Accessibility Options appears as the first item in my Control Panel and is used for sight challenged folk.. Wan't get get a fright? Turn it on to one of the LARGE settings.

[smax013]

Does right clicking work else where? In otherwords, does right clicking work in general, just not on the desktop?

[quark]

Yes, smax013, important ommission. Right click works as usual everywhere else. No other problem with right click. Thanks!

[smax013]

That rules out some how global mouse settings got changed. The only thing that I can think of is that some registry value got hosed.

You could try a System Restore back to a point before the problem.

Or you could try a registry cleaner (note that some people advise against such things...if you do use a registry cleaner, you might want to back up the registry first).

Or if worst comes to worst and it REALLY bothers you, then last resort is a reinstall of Windoze.

[coastie65]

Hi, In addition to what smax said, I would recommend using the registry tool in www.CCleaner.com , it does well and is less likely to screw up the registry, although I would recommend when asked, that you back up the registry files. As the others have suggested, I would recommend trying the System Restore to an earlier date ( before you started playing around in there ). :D coastie

[mcbarker]

Check out THIS WEBSITE for a solution. It isn't one I'd recommend for a novice, since it involves registry changes... not that you're a novice, since you knew enough to get yourself into trouble in the first place :)
Before trying this solution, set a system restore point, and watch the video in one of the links. As it suggests, you were probably infected by a script from a malicious website.

[smax013]

mcbarker said:

Before trying this solution, set a system restore point, and watch the video in one of the links. As it suggests, you were probably infected by a script from a malicious website.

And/or backup the registry.

[quark]

Thank you smax013 - no, important only,because I want to know the how and why. and,the to fix. Dragging and dropping is also now disabled on the desktop, active or otherwise, and I cannot make/send a shortcut to desktop. Being a novice (72) I am keen to learn, thus my rage against the dimming of the good light.. I have my entire system on an outboard HDD by SyncToy 2.0; but don't know how to use it - yet. Other answers follow..

[quark]

Done all that - registry particulars on exterior hard drive taken a month ago, identical. I am very careful with the registry. Use RFA..

Disabled System Restore long ago! I have reinstalled so often that Microsoft SA refuses activation and registration, and puts me thrugh to India where those very nice folk do it in a jiffy for me!

Easy enough to get into Control Panel to reach Display Propertirs, so no worry there. My friends keep calling on me for help which I can render in sinple things, like format, re-install and sett-up. If I live long enough I believe I can become a Greek - or is it Geek? .

[quark]

The help I do appreciate coastie65. I used CCleaner right in the beginning, but no results. Don't use that insufferable Restore thing - it never works anyway and takes up plenty of resources.. I just want to know how come an innocent look into Accessibility Options should mess my PC up. I've been using a Desktop 8 years and thought it would to good to know what Accessibility Options is.. Seems Sir Gates had set a trap for the likes of me.. Sill, if push comes to shove, I can go back to that nice Tamil guy in India.. - which Microsoft will pay for. So it's neither right nor left click that work on my desktop.

[quark]

macbarker, very complicated. I need about two years. 9 I am in good company folks, since macbarker was himself once a novice.) Well done for the the strides you have made friend. Maybe I catch up one day! :-).

[coastie65]

Hey quark, If the system restore doesn't work, it is probably because you have auto updates set to auto install. I have mine set to notify me when they are available, then I'll download and install them. I would've thought they had fixed that by now, but guess not. coastie

[quark]

Thanks coastie66. The first thing I do after a format and reinstall, is to disable System Restore, and lastly, set my automatic updates to the first option. I have never had a problem having my auto-downloads from Microsodt installed and they are always up to date; and pour in when I make my last connection - my,ADSL high-speed modem, all Security Appliances up and running by then. Belarc and Secunia oonfirm all updates have been installed. (I still have not found the problem, but with Active Desktop disabled I have right click on my task bar now where I have placed a new toolbar, Control Panel, so Display Properties is three clicks away - not that it matters, as I want to know what happened when I simply opened Accessibility Options. I am now thinking a snap-in is involved, but my knowledge falls short there. Best wishes to all.