Unable to display wallpaper

[Guest]

In the control panel under the display heading, the tab relating to desk
shows available wallpaper selection, but they are blanked and will not
scroll. Only color is available for selection. On startup, the wallpaper
appears until the desktop icons appear. The wallpaper then suddenly
disappears and is replaced by whatever color selected. On shutdown, the
wallpaper reappears just prior to shut down. How can I change this so that
wallpaper selction is enabled and can then be shown when Windows is open?

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Cannot change Desktop background wallpaper.

Prevent changing wallpaper policy: Prevents users from adding or changing
the background design of the desktop. By default, users can use the Desktop
tab of Display in Control Panel to add a background design (wallpaper) to
their desktop. If you enable this setting, the Desktop tab still appears,
but all options on the tab are disabled.

Go here...
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

142. Right hand side.
Allow Wallpaper/Background Changes - Disable

Click on Allow Wallpaper/Background Changes

wallpaperenable.reg is the file that you want.

[[To use the Regedits: Save the REG File to your hard disk. Double click it
and answer yes to the import prompt.]]

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[Guest]

There are 2 ways to enable this.

If using Windows XP Professional
--------------------------------------

1. Click Start - Run - type GPEDIT.MSC
2. Here expand to:
User Configuration
Administrative Templates
Control Panel
Display
3. Check the option "Prevent changing Wallpaper"
4. if the option is "Not Configured" or "Enabled"
5. Then change it to "Disabled"

Try changing the wallpaper. If that doesn't help:

For Windows XP Professional and Home Edition
==============================

1. Click Start - Run - type regedit and press Enter
2. Expand to:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies
\ActiveDesktop
3. on the right side pane check for the DWORD value "NoChangingWallpaper'
4. Set its value to 0

Hope this information helps you, let us know!

 

[Guest]

The value was already set to (0). I am using XP Home, to narrow the options.
The wallpaper image is always beneath the solid color which is on my screen
when XP is running; it only appears briefly on startup and shut down (or
hibernate). When I go to displays in the control panel and enter the tab
'desk', the choices are there; however, they are dimmed and I cannot select
any of them, nor can I scroll through them. I thank you for being so patient
and having the understanding to help with this small but constantly
irritating problem.

 

[Guest]

Try this, see if this one helps you.

Click Start - Run - type Regedit and press enter.
In Registry Editor - press F3 and in search box type "NoChangingWallpaper"
without quotes and press enter. Approximately it will find 2 entries, one in
HKEY_CURRENT_USER and another in HKEY_USER. Delete both entries. Do it
carefully. Check the Display Properties. Still doesn't solve then log off and
log in again.

Let us know!

 

[Guest]

Your suggestion didn't bring up the two items that you thought it would.
Instead, it brought up several which began with REG_SZ and REG_DWORD.

 

[Guest]

Read the following article with the same problem and try the things described
in the article, see if they helps you:

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/lofiversion/index.php/t38768.html

Let us know!

 

[Guest]

Trying that made no difference. I'm tempted at this point to try 'playing'
with registry settings, but since I don't know what I'm doing, I'll resist
for the time being. If it wan't such a nuisance, I'd consider restoring the
operating system, but that would literally take a full day and I have a few
other things higher on my priority list, like living!

 

[Guest]

Before giving up and call someone, you should try your best.
======================================

Originally posted by: William
Go Start > Run and type:

regedit

Then navigate to (using the (+) symbol to expand the keys):

[HKEY_CUURENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ActiveDesktop]
o
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ActiveDesktop]
In the right-hand pane, delete "NoChangingWallPaper" or change the value
to 0.


[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System]In
the right-hand pane, delete "Wallpaper" and "WallpaperStyle" (if
theyexist).Be very careful in the registry, you could make your
computerunbootable.--William

Let us know!

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the encouragement. I have learned, through bitter experience with
computers especially, that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. In the
five years or so that I've been using Windows based PCs, I have long since
lost count on how many times I've tried tinkering to get things to work
right, consistently. It seems that I spend much more time these days doing
that rather than using the computer for its intended purpose; i.e., doing
meaningful work. That's why I bought a Mac: It just always works. Computing
is not a hobby nor a profession for me, although with Windows I find that to
do things I want to do, I find it necessary to become an 'expert'.
Unfortunately, some software applications I use professionally are not
available to me in OS X. versions, otherwise I would have abandoned Windows
based computers some time ago.

But I'll keep trying to solve this wallpaper problem: I'm persistent, if not
too smart. In order to restore this computer using the Windows discs that
came with it, I will then have to go through a huge hassle with Microsoft to
re-install Office, as I've had to do on at least three occasions in the past.
I remember vividly the last time I spent about an hour on the phone pleading
with somebody here in the UK to allow me to do this. In the end the
supervisor condescendingly permitted me, like he was doing me a huge favor.
I bought Office several years ago and why should I have to go out and buy
another copy of essentially the same thing, except to line the pockets of the
already incredibly wealthy Microsoft Corporation? There, I've said it and I
may regret it with time, but it's how I feel.

Before giving up and call someone, you should try your best.
======================================

Originally posted by: William
Go Start > Run and type:

regedit

Then navigate to (using the (+) symbol to expand the keys):

[HKEY_CUURENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ActiveDesktop]
or
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ActiveDesktop]
In the right-hand pane, delete "NoChangingWallPaper" or change the value
to 0.


[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System]In
the right-hand pane, delete "Wallpaper" and "WallpaperStyle" (if
theyexist).Be very careful in the registry, you could make your
computerunbootable.--William

Let us know!

Trying that made no difference. I'm tempted at this point to try 'playing'
with registry settings, but since I don't know what I'm doing, I'll resist
for the time being. If it wan't such a nuisance, I'd consider restoring the
operating system, but that would literally take a full day and I have a few
other things higher on my priority list, like living!

 

[Guest]

Before you do a clean system install. I will advise you to once run "System
Restore". It will move your System back to the state where it was before at
the time of creating system restoration point (if you have done so). Before
you do anything, you must check that are you running System Restore service
or not. To do this,

1. Right-click on My Computer and choose Properties
2. Click the "System Restore" tab and see if "Turn Off System Restore on all
drives" is UNCHECKED.
3. If it is so that means System Restore is running on your system.
4. To use a System Restore point - Restart your PC and press F8 to bring up
the Boot Menu and choose Safe Mode.
5. When Windows will start it will automatically popup you to run System
Restore. If not then you can run it through System Tools - in Accessories.
6. Restore your computer to a previous point you have created.

Best of luck!

If it still doesn't work then I will suggest you not to do a clean install
just for a minor annoying problem. Once again you can try all the methods we
discussed or you can post your problem again so other users can help you out.

As you are thinking that it is going to waste your time then there are also
some postive points. In future, you will able to recover from these problems
by yourself and you can also help other with same problem.

Hope this information helps you, let us know!

Thanks for the encouragement. I have learned, through bitter experience with
computers especially, that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. In the
five years or so that I've been using Windows based PCs, I have long since
lost count on how many times I've tried tinkering to get things to work
right, consistently. It seems that I spend much more time these days doing
that rather than using the computer for its intended purpose; i.e., doing
meaningful work. That's why I bought a Mac: It just always works. Computing
is not a hobby nor a profession for me, although with Windows I find that to
do things I want to do, I find it necessary to become an 'expert'.
Unfortunately, some software applications I use professionally are not
available to me in OS X. versions, otherwise I would have abandoned Windows
based computers some time ago.

But I'll keep trying to solve this wallpaper problem: I'm persistent, if not
too smart. In order to restore this computer using the Windows discs that
came with it, I will then have to go through a huge hassle with Microsoft to
re-install Office, as I've had to do on at least three occasions in the past.
I remember vividly the last time I spent about an hour on the phone pleading
with somebody here in the UK to allow me to do this. In the end the
supervisor condescendingly permitted me, like he was doing me a huge favor.
I bought Office several years ago and why should I have to go out and buy
another copy of essentially the same thing, except to line the pockets of the
already incredibly wealthy Microsoft Corporation? There, I've said it and I
may regret it with time, but it's how I feel.

Before giving up and call someone, you should try your best.
======================================

Originally posted by: William
Go Start > Run and type:

regedit

Then navigate to (using the (+) symbol to expand the keys):

[HKEY_CUURENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ActiveDesktop]
or
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ActiveDesktop]
In the right-hand pane, delete "NoChangingWallPaper" or change the value
to 0.


[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System]In
the right-hand pane, delete "Wallpaper" and "WallpaperStyle" (if
theyexist).Be very careful in the registry, you could make your
computerunbootable.--William

Let us know!

Trying that made no difference. I'm tempted at this point to try 'playing'
with registry settings, but since I don't know what I'm doing, I'll resist
for the time being. If it wan't such a nuisance, I'd consider restoring the
operating system, but that would literally take a full day and I have a few
other things higher on my priority list, like living!

:

Read the following article with the same problem and try the things described
in the article, see if they helps you:

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/lofiversion/index.php/t38768.html

Let us know!

:

Your suggestion didn't bring up the two items that you thought it would.
Instead, it brought up several which began with REG_SZ and REG_DWORD.

:

Try this, see if this one helps you.

Click Start - Run - type Regedit and press enter.
In Registry Editor - press F3 and in search box type "NoChangingWallpaper"
without quotes and press enter. Approximately it will find 2 entries, one in
HKEY_CURRENT_USER and another in HKEY_USER. Delete both entries. Do it
carefully. Check the Display Properties. Still doesn't solve then log off and
log in again.

Let us know!

:

The value was already set to (0). I am using XP Home, to narrow the options.
The wallpaper image is always beneath the solid color which is on my screen
when XP is running; it only appears briefly on startup and shut down (or
hibernate). When I go to displays in the control panel and enter the tab
'desk', the choices are there; however, they are dimmed and I cannot select
any of them, nor can I scroll through them. I thank you for being so patient
and having the understanding to help with this small but constantly
irritating problem.

:

There are 2 ways to enable this.

If using Windows XP Professional
--------------------------------------

1. Click Start - Run - type GPEDIT.MSC
2. Here expand to:
User Configuration
Administrative Templates
Control Panel
Display
3. Check the option "Prevent changing Wallpaper"
4. if the option is "Not Configured" or "Enabled"
5. Then change it to "Disabled"

Try changing the wallpaper. If that doesn't help:

For Windows XP Professional and Home Edition
==============================

1. Click Start - Run - type regedit and press Enter
2. Expand to:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies
\ActiveDesktop
3. on the right side pane check for the DWORD value "NoChangingWallpaper'
4. Set its value to 0

Hope this information helps you, let us know!

:

In the control panel under the display heading, the tab relating to desk
shows available wallpaper selection, but they are blanked and will not
scroll. Only color is available for selection. On startup, the wallpaper
appears until the desktop icons appear. The wallpaper then suddenly
disappears and is replaced by whatever color selected. On shutdown, the
wallpaper reappears just prior to shut down. How can I change this so that
wallpaper selction is enabled and can then be shown when Windows is open?