Unable to change Windows 7 Starter wallpaper!

I bought a netbook and was giddy on the size and ability it has, but after finding out that there are so many things that I am "NOT ALLOWED" to do, microsoft can stick their new wonder OS up their corporate ____. I am contacting Microsoft and letting them know they will unlock their windows 7 starter so I can do anything I want to do with it or they will furnish a different OS! If I buy a computer with an OS installed I never ever want to be told I don' have access or permission to change anything, or move anything, or delete anything! Microsoft has got their nerve thinking they can tell me I can't do something on my computer period! If I want to screw up the whole thing I want that choice. What they are doing is forcing people to upgrade "with a huge cost" to be able to have access to their own computer! No matter how they justify this it is illegal and I hope they get sued threw the nose for this one! THIS IS MY COMPUTER NOT MICROSOFTS AND THEY WILL GIVE ME COMPLETE 100% ACCESS OR GIVE ME A OS THAT WILL! WHO THE ____ DOES MICROSOFT THINK THEY ARE, TELLING ME WHAT I CAN DO AND WHAT I CANNOT DO?

Hello socratesman,

Thank you for visiting the Microsoft Answers Community.

In Windows 7 Starter you are not allowed to change the desktop background. You cannot even replace the default image with another one because the system compares the file hash of your desired background with the file hash of the default wallpaper.

You have to upgrade to a more complete version of Windows 7:

Why can't I change my desktop background?

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Why-cant-I-change-my-desktop-background

Hope this helps

---

Chris.H

Microsoft Answers Support Engineer

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So we ain't allowed to change the desktop background, huh?

Microsoft, your antics displease me. You are neither Apple nor Google but have become a dinosaur in between, clinging to power by having as many computers as possible come with your OS preinstalled. Apple has surpassed you and become a much better (and more seductive) villain than you ever managed to be) Start adapting or perish I say. I'm just waiting for Google's chrome OS. I doubt it will disappoint. Linux would be the ideal but there's too little cooperation by the different distro teams to make one universal Linux distro that works on all computers and where hardware is supported. Learning Linux is like entering a jungle, especially for those who don't have time to fiddle with stuff all the time. But disabling backgrounds to earn money? (coz that is obviously why you did it you sleazy moneygrabbers) You want more of our money? The share you got from the computer manufacturer isn't enough for you anymore? It's time to wake up. You don't have a monopoly anymore. Furthermore, when one considers that you impose your OS on most new computers then, especially if I don't feel like using your product anymore, I intend to only start buying laptops that don't come bundled with subpar Microsoft software. You manufacture an OS for hardware, not for reality. And that goes for the rest too, especially Apple.

Siriously? Unbelievable! I just bought a Netbook with Windows 7 Starter and I am sooooo disappointed! Makes me want to retourn it. I was always a 'windows person' and don't like Apple. But this makes me think twice.

I used my eee pc software to change the background and the French program looks to be about the same.

Another thing you can use to change the look of your desktop is ObjectDock, which is a Mac-like dock and is free. You can move the Windows bar to the top of screen and have it autohide and the ObjectDock bar to the bottom.  It looks pretty cool.  

Also, there is a program out there called tweakslogon that is free.  You can change the logon background.  I am using it and it works great.  

I will fight the temptation to upgrade- that would defeat the purpose of getting this Asus 1001p for 299.