[Desktop icon shows as 'selected']

Last night Windows automatically updated itself and restarted my computer. I came back to find everything I had left gone and that lil pop up message.

Anyway... The problem is icons on the desktop, and any folders or items in folders, and even clickable links on IE... They have those little dots around them.

You know when you hit tab and it moves to the next clickable thing and that square of little dots surround it? Something always has those lil dots around it.

On the desktop, the Recyle Bin is automatically surrounded by those little dots. I click nothing on the desktop and it's still there. As where before, those little dots weren't around anything. And even when I would highlight something it went blue and then I click on it... Just blue. No little dots. Now those little dots are ALWAYS on something.

I can highlight something else which moves the dots from the Recyle Bin to that item but the dots won't go away, period. And when I open folders, something is ALWAYS surrounded by those dots.


As I said, before Windows updated itself I never had the dot problem, just highlighting. And clicking on an open space would remove the highlight.

It's very annoying for me. I know it's not any critical matter and I thought maybe I could just deal with it, but I can't. It irratates the hell out of me as it looks tacky.

I already tried uninstalling all four updates that were made to my computer last night... Nothing. I even tried uninstalling Yahoo Messanger that updated and Xfire that I just instaleld last ight... Nothing.


Does anyone know what I am talking about and can help? And I am unsure if this means anything but under Display Properties > Appearance > Effects... For some reason Use Transition Effects, Use the Following Method to Smooth Edges and Hide Underlined letters... Are all greyed out. I can't select them. I don't ever remember those being greyed out before. Not sure if they have anything to do with this or not but just thought I'd throw that in.

IF someone can please help!

EDIT: Just saw that meaningful subject titles is a requirement, which I agree with.. Tried thinking of what this can be releated to in the most remotely way but have no clue... Sorry. Added Icon Clicking though.. =|

 

I really should do a system restore but ugh...

Would that erase my files and what not?

 

Not if you use windows system restore. If you're talking about using the restore disk that came with your computer, then yes, you'll lose everything. You'll find windows system restore in start>all programs>accessories>system tools.

FWIW, I always thought that was a feature, not a bug. Mines done that as long as I can remember. It did it even in Win98. If I click on an icon it works the way you describe. If I then right click on the desktop and choose refresh, the outline go's away but the My Computer icon text becomes outlined. It takes two more refreshes (never fails) to get rid of it there. Then things are back to normal.

I'm so used to it that I don't even notice it. In fact, I used to like the way it did this. When my kids were small they had orders to not use the computer when I was gone. I could click on an icon and it would become outlined. Then, when I got back, if another icon was outlined I knew the rugrats had been using the computer. It only happened once though where it was different when I got home. They had no idea how I knew they were using it. I think they thought I had some strange powers they didn't know about.

 

See, I don't think it's a bug either... Rather an option.

My computer never did this before and neither does our laptops or our other computer. I'm pretty sure there is probably a way to enable/disable it but I don't know what that is.


I guess I'll try doing a Windows Restore.. But tomorrow. I'm so tired today. I can't even get enough energy to play any video games. The most I can do is watch TV... EVen eating is too exhausting.

I don't know what is wrong with me. =(

 

System Restore didn't work.

Did a rollback to the day before the **** was installed, nothing. Did a rollback, nothing.

I'm convinced there must be a simple command or check point some where that can toggle this.

Can anyone perhaps explain why those few options in the Effects are greyed out, unclickable for me?

-Use transition effects for menus and tooltips
-Use the following method to smooth edges of screen fonts:
-Hide underlined letters for keyboard navigation until I press the Alt key.

Perhaps that may be the reason why this is happening to me. I don't ever remember those options being greyed out so.. Does anyone know how to ungrey them?