setting pictures to desktop background HELP

Question

:smileysad:   I used to be able to right click any picture, and 'save it as my desktop background', but now it doesn't work!  Also, for my background pictures, suddenly, several are no longer accessible...such as azure, autumn, and more...they are just GONE !!  what is going on !! ??

Gardenwife · Answer

Hi, wadegirl -

A few things that will help others to answer your questions:

1. What Operating system do you use?

2. What browser do you use?

3. If you right-click on your desktop and go to properties, then click the Desktop tab, do you see a list of picture names on that screen?

4. Has anyone changed anything recently on your PC, such as deleting any folders or files, or installing any software? If software, what has installed? In other words, what happened between the last time you were able to right-click and make a picture your desktop wallpaper and now?

5. Is your antivirus program up to date? Do you ever run Spybot Search & Destroy or AdAware to check for spyware on your system?

6. Have you tried doing the right-click at various sites and pictures, or just one? Some sites prohibit right-clicking and don't allow you to save images.

Let us know the answers to these questions, and maybe we can come up with some solutions for you! :)

shorty7598 · Answer

Hey Gardenwife & Wadegirl

Maybe you guys can help me out. I am having the same problem with my desktop backgrounds. I am running Windows XP Pro on a self built computer. Nothing has really changed on my PC. There's not to much installed at this point since I recently did a clean install of XP. I have tired several different pictures and website. I still get the same results. I use a few different browsers. I use AOL 9.0SE, I use IE and I use Foirefox. I have tired all browsers and still yet I get this same results. Any help you might provider would be wonderful.

Thanks in advance,
Shorty7598@aol.com

wadegirl · Answer

HI there !  thanks for your reply !  I use AOL 9.0 SE, and XP.  My nephew who is a high school math teacher may have deleted some files, but all else with my pictures seems ok..  I do click on different ones, and none work for the background.... something else is strange too.. when you go to display properties, then choose 'backgrounds', some of the pictures that came with my system have vanished now too...such as 'gone fishing, stonehege, ripple, tulips , ', etc... only some remain..It is really distressing to me !  I doubt my nephew would have deleted anything, but any ideas are welcome !  ALSO...since I posted the email, I am now getting another problem!  When I type in ebay.com on my browser bar, I keep gettting 'script error ' messages... windows prompts me to 'debug', but it never works !  The only way I can get out of it, is to hit 'alt, ctrl, delete ' !!  HELPPPP!!!   Also, I do use the Adaware, and have Norton... I can do a check, but I think I have a couple times since the picture problem occured, and it was ok... will check again I guess ! thanks..looking forward to ANY ideas !

shorty7598 · Answer

I do have one suggestion to the background problem.  It didn't help me, but it may help you.  You may need a Windows XP CD handy for this.  Go to: Start Control panel Add & Remove Programs Add/Remove Windows Components select with mouse Accessories & Utilities then click Details once in that screen select with mouse Accessories then click Details once in that screen make sure there is a check mark beside Desktop Wallpaper click ok on screens (should be like 2 screens) until you get backout to the Add/Remove Windows Components screen then click next this should reinstall the Desktop Wallpaper if it has been deleted or something   .As to the error with Ebay, that I am not for sure of. If you haven't deleted your internet Cookies in a while you can try this.  To do this action: right click the IE Icon select with mouse Properties once in the Properties Screen click Delete Cookies   I use Adaware & Spy bot.  I prefer both just cause what one might not pick up the other I notice usually does.  Both these programs can be downloaded from download.com this is a trusted and virus free site.  My self personally I have tried to use Norton AV software like 3 times and all 3 times it has messed up my computer.  I prefer MacAfee AV software.  The new version of AOL 9.0SE offers this for free and I like that version of MacAfee better than the one I spent money on in a local store.  That can be found by going to keyword virus on AOL.   Note: User should be careful when adding and removing Components from Windows or when install programs.  Not responsible for any actions taken by the user

Gardenwife · Answer

By the way, when you right-click on an image, do you even get the 'save as wallpaper' or a similar choice? If so, when you click it, what happens next? If you would, walk us through the steps you take and what happens.

Gardenwife · Answer

I just saw your posts here - Sorry I didn't reply sooner. I don't know what to tell you about the eBay error, but maybe someone else will. I'd suggest starting a new thread regarding just that issue, and to also post something about it in an AOL-related forum somewhere.

About the pictures...Have you tried doing a search of your hard drive for *.BMP in the file name? The desktop backgrounds that come with Windows are bitmap files with the extension .BMP and by default they're stored in your C:/WINDOWS folder. If they're missing, someone deleted them, I'd suspect. Some of the file names are as follows:

FeatherTexture.bmp
Gone Fishing.bmp
Greenstone.bmp

If you find them elsewhere on your hard drive, move or copy them back into the Windows directory. If you can't locate them, e-mail me at leapday-at-adelphia-dot-net and I can send you a zip file with them in it. You'll just need to extract it to the Windows folder. Hope that helps.

jmh123 · Answer

I am having the same problem of being unable to set a desktop background.  It just began yesterday.  I did a system restore to the day before, and it made no difference.  No picture I select to 'set as desktop background' actually appears as background.  The current picture which is set is no longer visible.  None of the XP-provided backgrounds, when set, appear.  When I log off and on, I can see the background picture I have set, but when log on is complete, it is gone.   Can anyone help?   Thanks

Gardenwife · Answer

There are several things which Microsoft reports will cause problems with desktop wallpaper. Check out Help & Support on your start menu and search for 'wallpaper missing' (without quotes). The knowledge base area of the search results contain 15 results when I do this. Check those out and see if that helps.

jmh123 · Answer

ARGH! I am getting 0 results! In any category. I tried every permutation of "search options" I could think of, to no avail. I also went to the Microsoft on-line support page for XP and searched, but saw nothing that looked like it would be useful.

In the meantime, I did another restore to an earlier date, got a wallpaper (which, strangely, was one I had set while trying various things to solve the problem today). The properties display box showed a different picture than the one that was actually being displayed on my desktop. I set a new picture as a wallpaper, it worked--hooray--but when I went back to the desktop awhile later it was gone. I am again unable to set a wallpaper of any kind.

Gardenwife · Answer

Okay, first did you try the steps listed in the earlier posts? We'll go from there.

jmh123 · Answer

Addendum - wallpaper has now returned.  I am also able to set a wallpaper through properties and by clicking on a picture.  I don't know how long this will last.  I did not do anything in the way of a 'fix' in the meantime.  I feel like I have entered the twilight zone.  Isn't computing fun?  :smileyvery-happy: Will let you know if it is still working in the morning.

jmh123 · Answer

Forgot to say thank you last time, so thank you twice!  Yes, tried all suggestions before posting the first time, plus your first suggestion.  (Don't know why I got no results--would think all XP help and support is the same.)  Am fully updated on XP.

Gardenwife · Answer

That's so funny! One of the d'oh moments, huh? This forum kept me from putting W T F LOL

jmh123 · Answer

W T F is right!  After the wallpaper picture reappeared, I did another search on 'help and support', and of course the 15 entries appeared in the knowledge base.  Who knows?  All is still functioning fine today.  I do have a theory, but I'm not about to test it at this point.  I usually don't run WS_FTP on this computer, but I had it running most of the day yesterday, and again last night between the reappearance and the re-disappearance.  Perhaps there is some interference there.  I love that program dearly, so no diss intended, and this is purely speculation!

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setting pictures to desktop background HELP

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