How to Remove an Annoying Background Change Script on Windows 10

If you’ve ever encountered an unwanted surprise on your computer’s desktop, such as a background that changes to a funny picture periodically, you’re not alone. A friend of mine recently created a script on my laptop that swaps my wallpaper to an amusing image of two monkeys every few seconds. While it’s a harmless prank, it’s definitely not a feature I want on my device. In this post, I’ll guide you through the steps of identifying and removing such a script from your Windows 10 computer.

Understanding the Script

The script in question operates by altering the desktop wallpaper every 10,000 seconds or whenever the system boots up. This type of script is typically written in Visual Basic Script (VBS), a simple scripting language that can be used to automate tasks in the Windows environment. Here’s the essence of what such a script might look like:

“`vbscript
Dim shell : Set shell = CreateObject(“WScript.Shell”)
Dim wallpaper : wallpaper = “C:\Intel\download.jpg”
Set oSHApp = CreateObject(“Shell.Application”)

Do While True
shell.RegWrite “HKCU\Control Panel\Desktop\Wallpaper”, wallpaper
wscript.sleep 3000
shell.Run “%SYSTEMROOT%\System32\rundll32.exe user32.dll,UpdatePerUserSystemParameters”, 1, True
wscript.sleep 10000
Loop
“`

In this snippet, the image file path is set, and the script enters an infinite loop where it updates the wallpaper at specified intervals.

Steps to Remove the Script

To eliminate this pesky background script, follow these steps:

Locate the Script:
Start by searching for any .vbs files that may have been created recently. You can do this by using the search function in File Explorer. Look for files modified recently that might be linked to the image change.
Inspect the Task Manager:
Open Task Manager and check the Startup tab. Look for anything that seems out of place and could be related to the wallpaper change. Disable any suspicious entries that you do not recognize.
Check the Task Scheduler:
Sometimes, scripts can be set to run at specific intervals using the Task Scheduler. Open it by searching for “Task Scheduler” in the Windows search bar and review the tasks listed there. Remove any that seem related to the wallpaper modification.