Unable to change Windows 7 Starter wallpaper!

Anonymous
2009-12-25T02:35:37+00:00

original title: Windows 7 Starter wallpaper!

Seriously!?!?!?!? You can't change the background wallpaper on Windows 7 starter!? Of course I understand that this version of Windows is meant to be very light on features for running smoothly on netbooks...but F-ing wallpapers? Microsoft does remember that they are still writing computer operating systems right? My dinosaur, Nokia cell phone from like 5 years ago let you change the wallpapers.  They left the gadget feature but not wallpaper!?!? This really proves to me that Microsoft has absolutely no clue what they are doing.  Windows 7 comes on just about every netbook now as of this current holiday season.  So here is my question...Why would anyone want a windows 7 netbook when XP (the operating system before the one before windows 7) had more features than it does? Apple is looking better and better. I didn't even get a netbook for christmas, and even though I really wanted one, i'm very glad I didn't. I'm not going to get one at all now if its got windows 7 on it.  I'll wait for that Apple tablet and that's it.  What do you say Microsoft?

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Accessibility

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Anonymous
2009-12-30T19:20:26+00:00

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

Visit our Microsoft Answers Feedback Forum and let us know what you think.

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  1. Anonymous
    2012-04-26T09:53:52+00:00

    Hi,

    I recently bought a notebook Acer which consists of Windows 7 stater and i tried to change the desktop background by following the above set of steps but UNFORTUNATELY I lost THE EXISTING BLUE DEFAULT BACK GROUND AND THE IMAGE WHICH I HAVE GIVEN ALSO NOT GOT REFLECTED and as of now the background is toatlly black.. Can any one of you suggest best possible solution.

    Regards,

    Vijay

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  2. Anonymous
    2012-06-26T02:13:14+00:00

    John, this workaround doesn't work anymore. Guys, if you can refute me please go ahead. I've followed these steps several times and the wallpaper (in .jpg file) doesn't appear as you claim. 

    Microsoft, did you fix this "trick"? You definitely don't have any idea how important it is for us users to personalize our PCs.

    Thanks for the time.

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  3. Anonymous
    2012-06-27T01:06:19+00:00

    Darn, the workaround seemed effective right after installing and uninstalling Oceanis.

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  4. Anonymous
    2012-07-06T08:08:50+00:00

    not nice at all... not to be abble to change the wallpaper, its nice to have a netbook, but not for not to be abble to stare at a blue background all of the time.... any ways thanks... this is not charming at all... ill re consider Apple...

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