- Desktop background - please help!
- Posted by LJ on February 12th, 2008
Hi, I am having issues with my desktop background and could really use some
advice. For a couple of months now I have been unable to change my background
picture through display properties/desktop/browse (I am using Windows XP
Home), but although baffling (it was fine one day, not working the next) it
was not really a problem as I could right-click in explorer and then select
"Set as desktop background". Now, however, this option is missing! It is
still there when I right click a picture on a website, but not in explorer! I
really hope someone can help, it's such a minor problem and yet I can't
figure it out at all! Thanks 
- Posted by Ramesh, MS-MVP on February 12th, 2008
The "Set as Desktop background" appears only if the folder view is set to "Thumbnails", or "Filmstrip".
--
Regards,
Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com
"LJ" <LJ@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:F46DC913-9602-4BCA-8295-FEF78F925543@microsoft.com...
Hi, I am having issues with my desktop background and could really use some
advice. For a couple of months now I have been unable to change my background
picture through display properties/desktop/browse (I am using Windows XP
Home), but although baffling (it was fine one day, not working the next) it
was not really a problem as I could right-click in explorer and then select
"Set as desktop background". Now, however, this option is missing! It is
still there when I right click a picture on a website, but not in explorer! I
really hope someone can help, it's such a minor problem and yet I can't
figure it out at all! Thanks
- Posted by LJ on February 12th, 2008
Hi Ramesh, thanks so much, that did sort it out, so I was just being silly!
However, I'm wondering whether you can help with the first problem I
mentioned, the fact that I can't set the background through display
properties. When I do it through explorer, it automatically sets it to tile,
so I have to go to display properties anyway. It'd be good to be able to do
the whole thing from there. Thanks again!
- Posted by Ramesh, MS-MVP on February 12th, 2008
Hi LJ,
Delete the values "Wallpaper" and "WallPaperStyle" registry values.
See:
Options to change wallpaper may be missing or unavailable on a Windows XP-based computer:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=921049
--
Regards,
Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com
"LJ" <LJ@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:82F5C239-60C5-4685-B2FA-217F38C239EE@microsoft.com...
Hi Ramesh, thanks so much, that did sort it out, so I was just being silly!
However, I'm wondering whether you can help with the first problem I
mentioned, the fact that I can't set the background through display
properties. When I do it through explorer, it automatically sets it to tile,
so I have to go to display properties anyway. It'd be good to be able to do
the whole thing from there. Thanks again!
- Posted by LJ on February 12th, 2008
Hi, Thanks so much, it worked perfectly! It wasn't exactly what you said but
I followed the link... it wasn't exactly that either, but I improvised!
Thanks for pointing me in the right direction, you've given me a lot of peace
of mind!
Take care, LJ
- Posted by Ramesh, MS-MVP on February 12th, 2008
You're welcome LJ.
--
Regards,
Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com
"LJ" <LJ@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:44F6FF2D-F0C8-42D3-9E2B-041A1AE55858@microsoft.com...
Hi, Thanks so much, it worked perfectly! It wasn't exactly what you said but
I followed the link... it wasn't exactly that either, but I improvised!
Thanks for pointing me in the right direction, you've given me a lot of peace
of mind!
Take care, LJ
- Posted by EL on February 20th, 2008
DHi Ramesh,
I have a similar problem but a little worse, as follows:
For a couple of months now I have been unable to change my background
picture through Display Properties/Desktop/Browse (I am using Windows XP
Home). When I go through Display Properties/desktop, all options in this tab
are not available including the Browse option. The only option available is
Customize Desktop. It is really a problem because I could NOT right-click on
a .jpg picture and then select "Set as desktop background" either. I used to
be able to do this easily but it no longer works. Please help. Thanks.
"Ramesh, MS-MVP" wrote:
- Posted by Ramesh, MS-MVP on February 20th, 2008
Delete the values "Wallpaper" and "WallPaperStyle" registry values.
See:
Options to change wallpaper may be missing or unavailable on a Windows XP-based computer:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=921049
--
Regards,
Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com
"EL" <EL@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:E6BC24FE-3EAC-402A-9F8E-3E703760AEAB@microsoft.com...
DHi Ramesh,
I have a similar problem but a little worse, as follows:
For a couple of months now I have been unable to change my background
picture through Display Properties/Desktop/Browse (I am using Windows XP
Home). When I go through Display Properties/desktop, all options in this tab
are not available including the Browse option. The only option available is
Customize Desktop. It is really a problem because I could NOT right-click on
a .jpg picture and then select "Set as desktop background" either. I used to
be able to do this easily but it no longer works. Please help. Thanks.
"Ramesh, MS-MVP" wrote:
