General Help Related Topics - HELP! Can't get rid of desktop background

03-05-2008, 02:59 PM

Windows XP

I have a picture set as my desktop background that I want to get rid of but I can't. When I go into the Control Panel Display settings, the desktop background box is grayed out. When I open a different picture and right click it and select Set as Desktop Background, nothing changes.

In my attempt to get rid of it a while ago, I believe I deleted the picture that I'm now using as the desktop background.

Any ideas how I can get rid of it and get a different picture set as my background? I'm completely stuck.

Thanks.

jc1357

jc1357 · 03-05-2008, 03:33 PM

Actually, I just found the picture that is being used as the background. But even if I delete it, nothing changes. That picture seems to just be locked in as my background and I can't remove it no matter what I've tried so far.

jc1357

pbar1000 · 04-20-2008, 04:39 AM

Are you able to browse for a picture on your hard drive in display properties? I don't know exactly why the background box is greyed....

pbar1000

jc1357 · 04-20-2008, 04:55 AM

No, I can't. The only thing I've been able to do is to find an online picture, right click it and click the set as background setting, which will then change my background. But I can't browse my own hard drive through the display settings, and when I right click a picture on my hard drive and click set as wallpaper, nothing changes.

jc1357

pbar1000 · 04-20-2008, 05:44 AM

Are you set up to be the administrator in Windows?

pbar1000

jc1357 · 04-20-2008, 05:54 AM

This is on my PC at home. I've never had any problems doning anything else, but I don't know the answer to your question. How can I check that and, if I'm not, how can I get it set up that way?

jc1357

pbar1000 · 04-20-2008, 06:00 AM

When you first turn your computer on, is there is a list of users? Are there more than one persons using your computer? If so, one of those persons is known as the administrator. That person controls certain settings changes in windows.

pbar1000

jc1357 · 04-20-2008, 06:17 AM

No, I don't believe I've seen that when I turn it on.

jc1357

pbar1000 · 04-20-2008, 06:34 AM

Here's an idea, go to your Control Panel. Select User Accounts. It is here that you establish administrator rights. It is here that, if it is your computer, you can change who the administrator is. Sorry about the slow replies from me, by the way.
We are going to a 2nd page on this site.

pbar1000

jc1357 · 04-20-2008, 06:47 AM

I checked that. I am the only user set up and I have administrator rights. This started happening when I set a picture to my wallpaper that I didn't want. I think I then tried to delete that picture from my hard drive without switching my wallpaper to something else first. That's when the troubles started. Since then I've only been able to use the right click - set as background option on a web picture. I can't do that on any of my own pictures. I've also gone to sites where they have pictures with a function to click to set as wallpaper, and that has no effect either. I had never had problems switching wallpaper around until then, so obviously something changed and a switch got set somewhere in the registry that isn't allowing me to do some things any more.

jc1357

03-05-2008, 03:33 PM	#2
jc1357 Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 8	Update Actually, I just found the picture that is being used as the background. But even if I delete it, nothing changes. That picture seems to just be locked in as my background and I can't remove it no matter what I've tried so far. jc1357

04-20-2008, 05:44 AM	#5
pbar1000 Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 13	Administrator? Are you set up to be the administrator in Windows? pbar1000

04-20-2008, 06:34 AM	#9
pbar1000 Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 13	Here's an idea, go to your Control Panel. Select User Accounts. It is here that you establish administrator rights. It is here that, if it is your computer, you can change who the administrator is. Sorry about the slow replies from me, by the way. We are going to a 2nd page on this site. pbar1000 Last edited by pbar1000 : 04-21-2008 at 01:50 PM.

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03-05-2008, 02:59 PM	#1
	HELP! Can't get rid of desktop background Windows XP I have a picture set as my desktop background that I want to get rid of but I can't. When I go into the Control Panel Display settings, the desktop background box is grayed out. When I open a different picture and right click it and select Set as Desktop Background, nothing changes. In my attempt to get rid of it a while ago, I believe I deleted the picture that I'm now using as the desktop background. Any ideas how I can get rid of it and get a different picture set as my background? I'm completely stuck. Thanks. jc1357

04-20-2008, 04:39 AM	#3
pbar1000 Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 13	Are you able to browse for a picture on your hard drive in display properties? I don't know exactly why the background box is greyed.... pbar1000

04-20-2008, 04:55 AM	#4
jc1357 Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 8	No, I can't. The only thing I've been able to do is to find an online picture, right click it and click the set as background setting, which will then change my background. But I can't browse my own hard drive through the display settings, and when I right click a picture on my hard drive and click set as wallpaper, nothing changes. jc1357

04-20-2008, 05:54 AM	#6
jc1357 Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 8	This is on my PC at home. I've never had any problems doning anything else, but I don't know the answer to your question. How can I check that and, if I'm not, how can I get it set up that way? jc1357

04-20-2008, 06:00 AM	#7
pbar1000 Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 13	When you first turn your computer on, is there is a list of users? Are there more than one persons using your computer? If so, one of those persons is known as the administrator. That person controls certain settings changes in windows. pbar1000

04-20-2008, 06:17 AM	#8
jc1357 Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 8	No, I don't believe I've seen that when I turn it on. jc1357

04-20-2008, 06:47 AM	#10
jc1357 Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 8	I checked that. I am the only user set up and I have administrator rights. This started happening when I set a picture to my wallpaper that I didn't want. I think I then tried to delete that picture from my hard drive without switching my wallpaper to something else first. That's when the troubles started. Since then I've only been able to use the right click - set as background option on a web picture. I can't do that on any of my own pictures. I've also gone to sites where they have pictures with a function to click to set as wallpaper, and that has no effect either. I had never had problems switching wallpaper around until then, so obviously something changed and a switch got set somewhere in the registry that isn't allowing me to do some things any more. jc1357