Active Desktop Recovery problems are usually caused by Errors in the Windows PC Registry. Registry errors may cause an interruption in the normal Windows Boot-up process which directly leads to the Active Desktop Recovery error showing up on your screen.
Download this Free Scanner tool to scan for problems that may often lead to Active desktop recovery errors.
What is Active Desktop Recovery
The Active Desktop Recovery message appears on your monitor screen when the Windows boot up has been interrupted. Reasons why this might occur include a power outage, a faulty program, and/ or a virus or multiple forms of spyware. In some cases, having too many anti-spyware/anti-virus applications installed on the computer can even result in this message appearing each time you boot up. Typically all you need to do is to select the button that says "Restore my Active Desktop." Let's take a look at how to get past this message.
Active Desktop Recovery: Properties
Try the first set of directions first. If that does not work to get rid of the desktop recovery message, try the second set of directions.
Set 1:
- When the Active Desktop Recovery message appears, right-click on a blank area of the screen and select Properties.
- Select the option for "Desktop."
- Now, select the option that you want from the list of choices for your desktop.
Download this Free Scanner tool to scan for problems that may often lead to Active desktop recovery errors.
Set 2:
- As soon as the Active Desktop Recovery message appears, right-click on the screen and select Properties.
- Select the option for "Desktop."
- Now, select the operating system from the list of choices for your desktop e.g. Windows XP Pro.
- You should be able to switch the display of your desktop to any of the other options now.
Active Desktop Recovery: Scan for Spyware and Viruses
Quite often, problems with the way our computers boot up happen because of a virus or too many spyware applications. Update your anti-virus/anti-spyware application and run a thorough scan of your system.
Active Desktop Recovery: Remove Spare Anti-Spyware and Anti-Virus Programs
On the off-chance that you have too many anti-virus/anti-spyware applications installed on the computer, remove or disable any that you are not currently using (unless of course they are ones that you paid to have.)
Download this Free Scanner tool to scan for problems that may often lead to Active desktop recovery errors.
Active Desktop Recovery: Remove New Software or Hardware
If you recently added some new hardware or software, then you can try removing it and see if the problem goes away. If that strategy works, check the system requirements and compatibility of the software or hardware with your computer system.
Active Desktop Recovery: Regedit
Make sure that you back up your registry first in case something does not go well with this strategy. You'll be changing the value of a key and you can always change it back if it does not work.
- Click "Start" and then "Run."
- Type in "regedit" and press "Enter."
- Search for the following:
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\ Internet Explorer\Desktop\SafeMode\Components
- Click the value written as "DeskHtmlVersion."
- Select or click on the "decimal" button.
- Change the value to read "0" instead of "272."
- Wait until the screen changes or reboot if nothing happens.
Susan Keenan | July 25th, 2009
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pc freezing when changing from user to another user. i m using HP comp with vista OS. pls let me know the resolution.
i performed recovery for three times with no success.
Many thanks in advance.
Hello, here's some information that should help:
http://filetonic.com/blog/2009/08/24/user-switching-freezes-pc/
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Set 1 worked like a charm. thanks
Step one above worked like a charm for me. Many thanks. I'd been trying all sorts of complicated solutions. That one was embarrassingly simple - yet magnificently effective!
Cheers.
Setting the value to 0 from 272 in regedit option really worked. Thanks for sharing the stuff
regedit worked great. After tying to a piece of hardware that did not work I removed the accompanying software and got "Active Desktop Recovery". Restoring to an earlier set point did not fix it, but your regedit did. Thanks
This is superb and terrific. I tried all the other options provided by others but it wasnt working. i was getting all stressed up and then i found this advice and my desktop has actually returned!!!! Thank you very much!!
I have a problem. When I go to properties on my desktop the only options are Themes, Appearence, and Settings. No Desktop setting. How do I find this, I've looked everywhere.
What operating system is your computer running? There are so many variations and have been so many changes by Microsoft that it's possible your computer doesn't have the exact setting (or its named something else) you're looking for.
At the stage of
"Wait until the screen changes or reboot if nothing happens"
Right Click on the background and doing a refresh, or press F5 after doing regedit is sometimes required. Worth trying rather than a restart.
I have done the reg edit trick, and it worked. The only thing is it keeps coming back. For no reason at all. I don't want to have to keep change the registry on there computers all the time, i want it to stop and never return. My users don't have admin privileges on there PC's.
I sincerely want to thank you for helping me. Where do I go from here to find the informatiion you send?