Cant change my desktop background!

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i dont know why but for some reason i cant change the background on my
desktop. i can change the color of the background but i cant make it a
picture from the list or a picture from 'my pictures'. any help would be
greatly appreciated, thanks.
 
Hi Jolly

What happens when you select a picture and then click Apply?

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


i dont know why but for some reason i cant change the background on my
desktop. i can change the color of the background but i cant make it a
picture from the list or a picture from 'my pictures'. any help would be
greatly appreciated, thanks.
 
i cant select a picture in the desktop properties, everything ther is greyed
and i cant do anything in that, but when i go to one of my pictures and
right-click and select "set as background" my background just kinda flickers
a little and nothing happens.
 
Open Regedit and navigate to:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ActiveDesktop
-and-
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ActiveDesktop
Delete all the values you see in the right-pane, that have a data of 1.

Navigate to:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System

Delete the values "Wallpaper" and "WallPaperStyle" in the right-pane.

Close Regedit.exe


--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


i cant select a picture in the desktop properties, everything ther is greyed
and i cant do anything in that, but when i go to one of my pictures and
right-click and select "set as background" my background just kinda flickers
a little and nothing happens.
 
thank you, that fixed it...i can now change my desktop background, thanks
again.
--
Jolly


Ramesh said:
Open Regedit and navigate to:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ActiveDesktop
-and-
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ActiveDesktop
Delete all the values you see in the right-pane, that have a data of 1.

Navigate to:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System

Delete the values "Wallpaper" and "WallPaperStyle" in the right-pane.

Close Regedit.exe


--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


i cant select a picture in the desktop properties, everything ther is greyed
and i cant do anything in that, but when i go to one of my pictures and
right-click and select "set as background" my background just kinda flickers
a little and nothing happens.
--
Jolly


Ramesh said:
Hi Jolly

What happens when you select a picture and then click Apply?

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


i dont know why but for some reason i cant change the background on my
desktop. i can change the color of the background but i cant make it a
picture from the list or a picture from 'my pictures'. any help would be
greatly appreciated, thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Glad that helped, Jolly. Thanks for posting back.

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


thank you, that fixed it...i can now change my desktop background, thanks
again.
 
can you help i don't know why but for some reason i can't change the
background on my destop i cae change the colour of the background but i
can't make it a picture from the list or a picture from'my picture; any help
would be greatly.
 
I have the same issue. Since I got my notebook computer, I would change my
background with personal photos frequently. About a month ago, I turned my
computer on and all I can get for background wallpaper is a solid color. I
tried Leonard's advice, but it did not change anything. Anyone else have any
ideas?

Thanks, Kate
 
Have a look in the local security policy:

Start - run - mmc - ok

File - add/remove snapin - add - group policy object editor - add -
close - ok

Navigate to: User Configuration - Administrative Templates - Control
Panel - Display

and see what the setting for "Prevent changing wallpaper" is, it should
be "Not configured" if it is on "Enabled" change it and reboot, if it is
already on "Not configured" then you may well have a registry issue.
 
= Right click Desktop select Properties and on the Display properties click on
Desktop Tab then click Customize Desktop.
On the Desktop Items click on Web Tab and be sure all boxes unchecked there.
Then click on Appearance Tab then Effects button. On the Effects window be
sure the settings been set to suite your requirements.

Also on the Registry:
Open a run command and type in:
regedit.exe click [OK]
[-]HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ActiveDesktop=
In the right Pane/Window locate and Double click the value named
"NoChangingWallpaper" Set it to (0)
[-]HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ActiveDesktop=
In the right Pane/Window locate and Double click the value named
"NoChangingWallpaper" > Set it to 0

Options to change wallpaper may be missing or unavailable on a Windows
XP-based computer:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=921049

Make sure your computer is clean from malware and viruses by scanning.
HTH.
nass
 
Katie Mulkey said:
can you help i don't know why but for some reason i can't change the
background on my destop i cae change the colour of the background but i
can't make it a picture from the list or a picture from'my picture; any help
would be greatly.
Click to expand...
 
I tried the suggestions listed below but they didn't help me. When I get
the Display menu the Desktop tab is missing. I tried Stephen's suggestion,
but there was no "group policy object editor" to add. I also tried the
suggestions from Microsoft (http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=921049) but
none of the registries were there.

Can anybody help?
 
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