To set a different "wallpaper" picture (background), RIGHT click in an empty space on the desktop (screen) and then click on "Personalize".  Click on "Desktop Background" at the bottom of the panel.  This should open the My Pictures folder, but if you have a picture somewhere else you can Browse to whatever location you want that you have pictures you want to use.  

If you don't have any, do a google search for "wallpaper" and you will get a lot of choices to download.

All the themes will change the Desktop without choosing a background separately. Visit this page and select a theme, select download and allow it to be opened by the default selection. windows.microsoft.com/.../themes You can also get to this page  by selecting "get more themes online" on the personalize page. Don't select Save when you download themes. Selecting Open instead will automatically change themes.

edit-- There is a selection on the page for Desktop Background that might need tweaking.  Click on Desktop Background and choose Desktop Background for your picture location in the drop down box instead of Solid color that is selected now. Now the caption should say Slide show.

When I select a photo I get an internal error message.

I stated in my original post, when I follow these instructions to change my theme, everything BUT the background/wallpaper changes.

You should contact Support for this new computer. Something is not right and software support is limited to the first month. You should not be  having this problem.

Hi schererelect,

 Welcome to the Community

 I order to change the background picture you can try steps given in the link below:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-vista/change-your-desktop-background-wallpaper

But if still you are not able to change the desktop background try creating a new user account (Administrator) and then try changing the background wallpaper on the new user account and see if you are able to change the background picture.

Please reply for any further assistance.

 Thank you

Aashish Sengar

 Social outreach Professional

You can reach us at community.dell.com

As suggested my Mary G, I called Dell and they remotely accessed my computer. He tried tried a few different fixes, (a few I had tried myself previously) and eventually removed a code that appeared to be placed by Dell on my computer.  I was trying to follow where he navigated to but wasn't able to keep up properly.  He started at C;, users, then to the affected user name and after that I lost track until he was in a folder called Transcoded Wallpaper.  There were 2 files in the folder and he inserted a .old at the end of a folder name, and then opened the other and removed all of the code from a notepad. My desktop changed immediately. This isn't a Windows issue, it is Dell hijacking the desktop. I've read they do this with Windows Starter which is fine if it's less expensive, but I'm using 7 Home Premium and shouldn't have to deal with this.  

Dell does not block changing background/wallpaper on Windows 7 Starter - it is disabled by MICROSOFT in that very limited Windows version.

I am glad to know that issue has been resolved.

And Dell doesn't hack computer; they can only access your computer to resolve any technical issue, only after the user gives the permission and the issue you were facing with your computer background as such there was no code which was placed on the computer by DELL, tech just fixed the corrupted file.

Please contact DELL technical support for any issue and queries,

Always pleased to help

Regards,

Aashish Sengar

Social Outreach Professional

you can reach us at: http://en.community.dell.com/