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03-26-2015 05:04 AM
My son has been playing free games on my HP computer and now there is one I can't get off my desktop. It stays on like it is a screen saver.
I went to install or uninstall and removed it there than I shut down and restarted but it is still there. It is called Spooky Bonus from Wild Tangent games for HP.
I also checked my screen saver and says I don't have any set up, nothing as far as a screen saver and yet this spooky bonus stays there. It looks like a big haunted house with a large bad looking pumpkin sitting at the bottom of the steps. It covers my whole desktop.
Any suggestions on how to get rid of this? thank you
03-26-2015 06:49 AM
It doesn't sound like a screen saver but a desktop background. Get into your display settings (you didn't post which version of Windows so I can't be specific) and change the background picture. You also need to get into where you uninstall programs and look for anything called Wild Tangent and get rid of it. If you can't find anything, download and install Revo Uninstaller. It's a far superior program for uninstalling programs. I would also recommend you update and run your security scans.If you don't have malwarebytes, here is the link for it. It's such a great program, I bought the paid version.
This is why I never let kids use my computers. If I was going to let someone use my computers, I would have them use the guest account. It won't allow them to install anything.
03-26-2015 09:57 PM
I have windows 7 and use both Internet Explorer as well as Mozilla/Foxfire.
thanks, I do have McAfee plus which does have everything including for maleware. I did check for updates than ran a full scan for everything. I check for updates twice a week and run a full scan every Monday and Friday.
I will check into Revo Uninstaller now. If my McAfee Plus has everything would it hurt to check the malwarebytes you mention here?
My son is grown, not a kid anymore. He doesn't know how to use a computer other than to play games which is all he does on it, is never signed in to anything and never does anything else on it.
03-27-2015 07:32 AM
On 3/26/2015 doglover3 said:I have windows 7 and use both Internet Explorer as well as Mozilla/Foxfire.
thanks, I do have McAfee plus which does have everything including for maleware. I did check for updates than ran a full scan for everything. I check for updates twice a week and run a full scan every Monday and Friday.
I will check into Revo Uninstaller now. If my McAfee Plus has everything would it hurt to check the malwarebytes you mention here?
My son is grown, not a kid anymore. He doesn't know how to use a computer other than to play games which is all he does on it, is never signed in to anything and never does anything else on it.
That type of user gets the most "junk" on a computer. I would recommend you get the free version of Malwarebytes, install, update and run a scan. McAfee can't protect your computer from or find everything.
03-27-2015 10:44 PM
It sounds like he saved a free "wallpaper" from one of the games he's played. I play Wild Tangent games and that's very often an option.
You could check in Control Panel / Appearance & Personalization / Desktop Background.
If you see the picture there under wallpaper, simply delete it. It should revert to the normal Windows logo or you can select a different picture that you prefer.
If you uninstall everything to do with "Wild Tangent" you'll uninstall the app to play any of the games and also lose any progress he's made on them. I don't know whether he uses your computer frequently or whether you want him to, that's up to you.
Wild Tangent is a safe application supplied by HP. Personally, I love many of their games. (And I spent 25 years in IT, so I'm not just an uninformed, casual computer user.)
So......I'm just off to play one the WT games right now!
03-27-2015 10:56 PM
Wild Tangent seems very often to be a sticky sort of software. I had problems with it displaying when not wanted. I think I have uninstalled the whole thing. I have a Toshiba.
Apple really seems to do their game apps better.
03-28-2015 07:15 AM
thank you, I did uninstall the whole Wild Tangent and that took care of it.
I also got the free version of Malwarebytes, thanks for that tip.
03-29-2015 11:53 PM
On 3/27/2015 Still Raining said:Wild Tangent seems very often to be a sticky sort of software. I had problems with it displaying when not wanted. I think I have uninstalled the whole thing. I have a Toshiba.
Apple really seems to do their game apps better.
Wow, I've had Wild Tangent for over 5 years now and have never had that problem! Just my own experience, but other than one or two games freezing, I haven't had any issues at all.
04-01-2015 11:21 AM
I have the HP tablet and never had this particular problem. I did have a problem taking a shortcut off the tablet welcome screen. I went on Google.com and they gave me the directions on how to get it off and it worked the first time. I am glad your problem was solved. Have a nice Holiday.
04-01-2015 11:40 AM
On 3/27/2015 glb613 said:On 3/26/2015 doglover3 said:I have windows 7 and use both Internet Explorer as well as Mozilla/Foxfire.
thanks, I do have McAfee plus which does have everything including for maleware. I did check for updates than ran a full scan for everything. I check for updates twice a week and run a full scan every Monday and Friday.
I will check into Revo Uninstaller now. If my McAfee Plus has everything would it hurt to check the malwarebytes you mention here?
My son is grown, not a kid anymore. He doesn't know how to use a computer other than to play games which is all he does on it, is never signed in to anything and never does anything else on it.
That type of user gets the most "junk" on a computer. I would recommend you get the free version of Malwarebytes, install, update and run a scan. McAfee can't protect your computer from or find everything.
This is fantastic advice!
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