Unable to change background Windows 7 Home Premium

Anonymous
2009-11-27T19:00:12+00:00

**Original Title**

Windows 7 Desktop Background Picture won't change. Was working fine, changing everyday, then one day, stopped changing and now stuck on the same picture for 2 weeks.

The desktop backgrounds were working fine (previous 2 weeks ago), picture would change everyday. I downloaded all the other themes (ex. Brazil, China, Spain, etc.). At first these other themes worked fine and then all of a sudden, the desktop background picture won't change.

Another problem: under "Control Panel > Appearance and Personalization > Personalization" window, when I click on "Desktop Background" link or icon on bottom left and the picture locations are displayed, I can't check or uncheck pictures. When I try to clear all check marks or select all check marks, they seem to disappear (the check marks) randomly and then reappear randomly. Sometimes some check marks will stay and then others will disappear despite selecting "Clear all" or "Select all" (doesn't matter which) and seemingly random pictures are selected or deselected in no particular pattern. And then I tried manually selecting and deselecting each picture check mark and same thing, check marks would randomly stay or else disappear.

Bottom line is I am unable to change anything in "Desktop Background". And I have had the same background picture for 2 weeks unable to change it. Have clicked on every button or drop down menu like "Change picture every:" to 10 seconds, 30 seconds, etc. and still nothing.

I tried finding a work around solution like right clicking on different pictures in Windows Explorer and selecting "Set as desktop background" but literally nothing happens. I tried viewing several pictures in "Windows Photo Viewer" then right click on "Set as desktop background" and then an error pops up "This image can't be set as wallpaper. An internal error occurred."

I have all the latest windows updates. I haven't tried anything in safe mode because I really don't know windows 7 and safe mode turns the desktop background off, anyways, doesn't it? Don't really want to do a system restore for something so small or re-install. Please advise other things I can try!

Should also mention I tried deleting all the additional themes I downloaded to see if these caused problems... and yes I used antivirus and spyware several times (using "Shaw Secure" made by F-Secure). Still same problem. Also scanned with Ad-Aware (although had to turn off F-Secure to do this). Still nothing wrong.

It's a small problem I can live with but also annoying.

Should also mention this is a brand new pc with Windows 7 installed on it (no other OS was installed on it).

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Accessibility

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Anonymous
2009-12-01T10:31:14+00:00

should be noted that when you delete the content in the .ini file you need to reboot

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Anonymous
2009-11-30T19:30:10+00:00

Open this with Windows Explorer: %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Themes\ and tell me what you see?

When choosing only one image for the desktop background there should be only TranscodedWallpaper.jpg and the slideshow.ini should be empty. Is there something inside the .ini file? Maybe it would be possible to force some changes removing the content of the .ini file

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  1. Anonymous
    2009-11-29T07:29:23+00:00

    I have exactly the same issue and in addition when I go to Control Panel/Appearance and Personalization/Desktop Gadgets...the gadget menu is completely unresponsive.

    I have searched the Internet over and over and this issues do not seem to be documented yet.

    I hope that someone will soon provide an answer as I would hate to have to reinstall Windows 7.

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  2. Anonymous
    2009-11-28T10:55:24+00:00

    I have the exact same problem, I've been trying to find a solution but Windows is making it very hard for me! It seriously took me several hours to even find this thread and yet there is still no solution. Aside from this problem Windows 7 works fine, a real upgrade from Vista *Thumbs up* - But I hope some one can give us clear instructions on what is wrong and what we need to do to fix this small, yet annoying problem.

    Thanks in advance

    Edit: I just created a guest account, it's possible to set desktops on there.

    Edit2: It is possible for me to chance to one of the basis themes, and afterwards change the desktop color (Since it's black automatically, each time I change it). Atleast I got rid of the picture now, yet I still wonder why I can't set a new background picture. It seems like my Aero ain't working properly.

    Help us out here :)

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  3. Anonymous
    2009-11-27T19:08:06+00:00

    Oh yeah it's Windows 7 Home Premium edition. 64-bit.

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