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Display Properties Screensaver Tab Disappeared

Reader Pat Daniels wrote to ask about a couple problems:

Hi Terry, You previously gave me infomation on routers that really help me. I thanked you then, and I thank you again. Now, I hope you can help me with this mystery. The tab for screensaver on my Display Properties has disappeared. It really doesn\'t matter much because I don\'t use a screensaver and I can reach the power options from Control Panel, but I am curious to know where it went.....! Also, I had to update Netframe 1 to 2. Do I uninstall 1 or leave it? Sincerely, Pat Daniels

I wrote Pat to say that Microsoft's .Net Framework 1 co-exists with .Net Framework 2. If you uninstall it, the applications that used .Net Framework 1 may not work.

Regarding the tab for the screesaver, I did a Google search for
display properties screensaver tab disappeared

The results indicate that this can be controlled by Windows XP's Group policies. Normally, you and I don't have access to those. One web site went so far as to say that it was probably caused by malware messing with the system settings.

Another thought was to try checking your system with different antivirus and different antispyware than you usually use.

Pat wrote back to say:

Thanks Terry,

Glad I asked you about the NetFramework thing before I did anything. I questioned it because I have been told to always delete the old program (actually before you install the new one) but I had no choice. It was installed by a program that I was installing. It asked me first and without thinking (until after I did it) I said yes. It was a program I trusted.

In regards to the screensaver tab. I had just reformated the hard drive and was in the process of installing the programs that I have always used. Nothing new. One day it was there and the next it was gone.

If one of the programs had malware it never showed up in any of the scans that I did in the 3 years before I reformated. I have scanned again with several antivirus/antispyware programs (even a couple of on line ones) and nothing shows up. I guess it will remain a mystery. I don't use it so I'm not going to worry about it.

Oh, the reason I reformated, in case you are wondering, is because my machine had gotten very slow and sluggish. I installed and uninstalled lots of stuff in those 3 years and it was getting tired and needed to be perked up. Sure is a drag installing all my programs again.

But it will be different now. I took your advice (and instructions) and and bought Acronis True Image and now I have a complete backup of my system.....!

Thank you for all the good stuff you put in your newsletter and on your website. You really do such a good job to make it plain and simple for us non-techies out here.

Thank you so much for everything. Don't ever stop, because I would be lost without you.

Sincerely,
Pat Daniels

I strongly believe in making image backups of my hard drives, as Pat has started to do, or at least a backup image of the C: drive partition, if he physical hard drive is divided into multiple "drives."

Effectively, image backups are "recovery DVD's" of my drive with my programs and my data — and I can restore the entire drive, specific folders or even specific files.

Acronis True Image Home is my tool of choice for making image backups of my hard drives.

• If you don't already have a copy of Acronis True Image, you can order a copy directly from Acronis, and can download it and even order a backup CD.
• If you don't already have a copy, you can buy two licenses for Acronis True Image Home 2009 for only $20 more than the price of one (this is not a choice on the web site, it's available only via special links like this one)
• If you already have a license for an earlier version, you can upgrade to Acronis True Image Home 2009 for 40%-off.

Copyright © 2008-2009 Terry A. Stockdale. All rights reserved.