Desktop Background not settable

  • Thread starter Thread starter Marv Wagner
  • Start date Start date
M

Marv Wagner

When I attempt to use a jpg image as my background, the controls for the
desktop background are all greyed out. This includes the Browse.. button,
Position drop-down and the Background: selection box. I was able to get a
photo on my background by selecting it in explorer and selecting "Set as
Desktop Background". How did this get disabled? How do I re-enable it so I
can select stretch, center, etc?

Marv Wagner
 
Hi there Marv,

Try this:

Click Start, click Run, and then type gpedit.msc.
Under Local Computer Policy, expand User Configuration, expand
Administrative Templates, expand Desktop, and then click Active Desktop.
Check to see if any of these settings are enabled, if they are, set them to
Not Configured.
Reboot the PC.

Let us know how it goes!

Best Regards,

~Will
 
William said:
Click Start, click Run, and then type gpedit.msc.
Under Local Computer Policy, expand User Configuration, expand
Administrative Templates, expand Desktop, and then click Active
Desktop. Check to see if any of these settings are enabled, if they
are, set them to Not Configured.
Reboot the PC.
Click to expand...

Of course, if the OP has XP Home, he will not have the Group Policy
Editor. To the OP:

1. Make sure your computer is virus/malware-free:
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Removing_Malware

2. If the computer is clean and you still can't change the background:
Go to the Display applet in Control Panel and look on the Desktop tab.
Click on Customize Desktop, and then click on the Web tab. You will see
that there are checkmarks next to "My Current Home Page" and probably
"Lock Desktop Items". Uncheck these. Click Apply and OK out when you've
made your changes.

3. If you can't enable desktop backgrounds after a virus, MVP Kelly
Theriot has a fix. Look under Wallpaper-Desktop-Disable Changing here:
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_w.htm

Malke
 
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