Desktop changes causes virus alert?

[the_bigcheez]

Every time I make a change to a desktop setting, such as screen resolution, Avast gives me 2-4 warnings about my desktop.htt file contains 'HTML:IFrame-Gen'. I can only move the file to the chest both times.

Then, a dialogue box appears that says "Internet Explorer cannot find Active Desktop HTML file.  To turn off Active Desktop, click OK"

Is there anyway to permanently fix this?

[DavidR]

Do you mean desktop.htm file ?

personally I don't know why you need active desktop, nor do I know how it stores its settings.

The avast HTML:IFrame-gen is as far as I'm aware a generic signature (the -gen at the end of the malware name), so that is trying to catch multiple variants of the same type of malware and is a fine balance between detecting a new variant and detecting something valid as infected.

You could also check the offending/suspect file at: VirusTotal - Multi engine on-line virus scanner and report the findings here the URL in the Address bar of the VT results page. You can't do this with the file securely in the chest, you need to extract it to a temporary (not original) location first, see below.

Create a folder called Suspect in the C:\ drive, e.g. C:\Suspect. Now exclude that folder in the Standard Shield, Customize, Advanced, Add, type (or copy and paste) C:\Suspect\* That will stop the standard shield scanning any file you put in that folder. You should now be able to export any file in the chest to this folder and upload it to VirusTotal without avast alerting.

If it is indeed a false positive, see http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=34950.msg293451#msg293451, how to report it to avast! and what to do to exclude them until the problem is corrected.