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

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
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

Was this answer helpful?

2 people found this answer helpful.
0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
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

Was this answer helpful?

2 people found this answer helpful.
0 comments

143 additional answers

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2009-12-01T10:30:06+00:00

    Nothing in the linked article helped for me...

    But...

    Deleting the content of the .ini file worked!!  So I am back to being able to change the picture...

    However, now the check marks are still acting funny when I try to select certain pictures to cycle through....

    I think I'll just manually delete the pictures I don't like and make one folder with all the ones I do like.

    Thank you!!!

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2009-12-01T10:12:51+00:00

    Yes I see TranscodedWallpaper.jpg and the slideshow.ini  in this folder.  There is a bunch of code in .ini file.  It is long enough to print out a whole page on word.

    Here's a sample of a very small portion of it:

    [Slideshow]

    ImagesRootPIDL=piypo8BAtgS1fP6IfgCBAAAAAAwGoAAAx MFUTVQ1NXNnusBETeJCAsCL576VnAAASAAAAAQQAUHA0BwbAwEApB wcAQHAAAgQAAAAeAAAAAHAyBwbAAHA0AgMAkDA0AQOAYDA3AgMAkD A1AAAAAAAQcCAA4a

    That's probably 1% of it...

    So you're saying to try to delete the whole content in this file?  Will read your next topic link you posted first and then we'll see...

    Will try this method if nothing else works...

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2009-11-30T19:51:49+00:00

    Another try.. look at the end of that topic: Solved I can't change my desktop background . There is some link for a solution and it looks like it works for some people who have Windows 7.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments