How to Remove a Background-Changing Script from Your Windows 10 Computer

Recently, I encountered a peculiar issue on my Windows 10 laptop: my background was being periodically replaced with an image of two monkeys. This unexpected change was the result of a simple script that a friend had written in just a few minutes. If you’re experiencing a similar situation, or if you simply want to know how to handle a script that changes your computer’s wallpaper, this guide will walk you through the steps to identify and eliminate it.

Understanding the Script

The behavior of the script was straightforward: it changed the desktop background to a specific image every 10,000 seconds or whenever the laptop was powered on. Here’s a brief snippet of the script for your reference:

“`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
“`

Steps to Remove the Script

If you find yourself dealing with a similar script, follow these steps to remove it effectively:

1. Search for the Script File: Look for files with extensions such as .bat or .vbs, especially any that have a recent modification date. In my case, I initially searched for a .bat file but didn’t find it.

2. Check for Image Files: When searching for the script didn’t yield results, I examined image files on my computer. I discovered an image file that was likely part of the script’s operations, which I immediately deleted.

3. Manage Startup Programs: Go to Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) and check the Startup tab. Disable any suspicious items that might be related to the script.

4. Inspect Task Scheduler: Open the Task Scheduler and look for any tasks that may have been created by the script. If you find anything unusual, disable or delete those tasks.

5. Restart Your Computer: After making these changes, restart your computer to see if the issue persists.

What to Do If the Problem Recurs

In my case