White dotted outline issue?

Jesus this is bugging me a lot... It's not life threatening but it's annoying -_-

Here are some note-able examples...









So yea everything I click on for most things get that weird dotted outline.
I have a theory though.. It all started around the time I installed Avira on my laptop >_>



P.S. I've had this happen to me before but not longer than a week!

Hi Renza, I have been trying to remove the dotted line around my desktop icons for weeks, tried everything I could find on the net without success untill I found this, hope it works for you. Right click computer > Properties > Advanced system settings > Advanced tab, under Performance section click > Settings > Visual Effects tab > turn off "Use Visual Styles on Windows & Buttons" (bottom of page) > Click apply > Turn back on > Click apply. Then if you have the same luck as me all will be good.

dooley said:

Hi Renza, I have been trying to remove the dotted line around my desktop icons for weeks, tried everything I could find on the net without success untill I found this, hope it works for you. Right click computer > Properties > Advanced system settings > Advanced tab, under Performance section click > Settings > Visual Effects tab > turn off "Use Visual Styles on Windows & Buttons" (bottom of page) > Click apply > Turn back on > Click apply. Then if you have the same luck as me all will be good.

Sorry to inform you dooley, but your method did not work, it is still there.

I will try Jacee's method now.

Jacee said:

See if this works for you How to Remove the Annoying Focus Rectangle in Windows? - Tweaking with Vishal

The things still persist! =O Am I doomed?

Renza said:

Jesus this is bugging me a lot... It's not life threatening but it's annoying -_-

Here are some note-able examples...

First examply is a healthy Windows Explorer / File Explorer "this right-hand panel child folder-file item is current in this Explorer window."

Second one is evidence of an 'activated' security 'bug' that buzzed onto desktops around the end of Vista's reign. It may be less worrisome for Window 8 than it is for Windows 7. But as long as you groom your Windows/Window security regularly, it should not be so much of an issue. According to a tier 2 support engineer, it is very low level 'backboard' issue that is not going to 'go away' for at least a decade. It is a warning signal, though.

SecEdit /configure /cfg %windir%\inf\defltbase.inf /db defltbase.sdb /verbose from System32 admin command. whenever you wuapp your system or install payload... Oh!, and to immediately lose the dotted desktop outline (which was so reasuring in Windows 3.1), simply (lol) reboot, or logoff and login. If the outlines persist, reinstall Windows. Unless you're on a networked terminal, and then you might have to live with it!

BURB! ...some viruses flip-on the outlines too, and this post in no way relates to virus infections.