Applying A background to my desktop

I have problems applying a background to my desktop. If I open the display
properties and select the wallpaper tab it opens but I am unable to choose
any of the available wallpapers. I can only change the colour of the
background. It also doesn't work when I right click on an image and click
apply as desktop backgound.

Any help will be appreciated please!!!

I am having the same problem. One day, my background picture was gone;
however, I do see it for a second while the computer is booting up. Then it
disappears and goes back to the bllue screen. The background options box is
somehow disabled.

i also have the same problem. My desktop background image seems to be stuck
or something. I can't change it at all. If I open the display properties I'm
not able to see the wallpaper tab. I need help because this is annoying, I'm
stuck with a blurry pic as my background. Greatly appreciated if anyone can
help me out, Daflash37@aol.com. You can e-mail or reply here so I can solve
this problem.

okay!!! seems to me that there are a few people with this prob. I am one of
them...not only CAN'T i put a desktop picture on, but my icons and text are
all blurry too. I've been trying to figure this problem out for a few weeks
now, if you can help me please contact me

Well this makes three! This morning I turned the computer on and the same
exact thing happened here. When the system is powering up I can see my
background wallpaper when it finishes the power up cycle the background turns
blue. I go to the control panel and display tool and try to correct the issue
but the scroll box does not work. I can see my many wallpapers just can't
select them, it is like the mouse does not know it is in a scroll box. The
mouse pointer does not change to the select pointer. I can change colors just
not wallpaper. Hope someone is listening! Seems to just happened!

I am having the same problem with my computer and i can't seem tog et any
help, but if you get a resolution and don't mind sharing, you could email me
at lorraineleemckenzie@hotmail.com i would appreciate it very much.

i've been having the same problem too. I was wondering if you were ever able
to fix your background?

what did you do to fix the prob???? please contact me at eather
gangsterbabylollipop69@yahoo.com or Lindy9069@hotmail.com

[ArmageddonAngel]

I'm also having the same problem. I notived that not only can I not apply a wallpaper to my background, but the background shows for a milli-second when I apply solid colors. I'm wondering if this problem is somehow related to why I can't seem to get Warcraft-3 to play. Sure it'll install fine, but you can't play it.

I think this is some sort of video glich. My video card drivers are all up to date (updated), and I'm basically at a loss of ideas at this point.

If you have an answer contact me at JonathanSlater@Japan.Com (no spam or solicitations of any kind will be allowed). I'm almost to the point of calling Microsoft's Redmond-Washington campus and asking tech support but I hate talking to tech support.

[ArmageddonAngel]

Well here's how far I was able to get on mine:
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\

There is no \ActiveDesktop branch after policies for me. Least none that I can see. I even tried to expand but of course there's nothing to expand. I then called tech support from microsoft (Yes scary I know) and stayed on hold for an hour and 55 minutes! Finally an american tech got back to me and said: "This is quite surprising and yet quite alarming. You did say you found a virus on your computer as well correct?" I responded: "Yes, but Windows Live OneCare was unable to remove it. All it could do at best was try to lock it down in some areas but it somehow escapes the hold and continues to crash my computer. This wasn't the reason for the background to stop working for wallpapers." Tech: "hmm.. well after allowing me a direct connection to your p.c. sir, the best course of action I can only recommend now since anti-virus programs aren't healing the infection, and your reg editor doesn't find 'Active Desktop' in the policies string - is to re-install Vista. I'm sorry about this."

I thanked him for his service and dis-connected my call. So - I went looking through my original box that my Lenovo Computer came in when I bought it from Fry's Electronics with my dad a few months back. Well what do you know? They didn't include the install disk for vista. Not even a recovery disk! The only piece of software was the drivers for Vista. So now i'm out 120 dollars tomorrow since now I have to buy Windows vista Home Premium x32 and re-install the OS. Hopefully that should fix everything. If not - I'm going to just void my waranty with lenovo and go back to XP where everything is normal. I can't help but laugh at microsoft for bringing us an O.S. that has so many problems and yet there about to release windows 7 soon which i've had the displeasure of testing at their campus in Redmond, WA and let me tell you something - it's not that better from vista! Stick with XP for the love of god!

[ArmageddonAngel]

Contacted lenovo and fry's - will not send disks. Lenova has said the following: "We don't include nor do we send the disks due the fact that it would be too expensive on our part with the manufacturing that we provide. Frys: "We do not lend nor rent out p.c. software due to the fact of piracy, and the individual sales needed from the software companies. Each computer is different, as is the software. If you need a piece of software you can buy it from our store or online at (and they continue to read off the website name)."

As for the model number or type of lenovo I'm running - I really couldn't tell you since it's not printed on the computer nor the box it came with. I have seen the same computer advertised by tigerdirect. In fact for less than what my father paid for this machine.

Either way - just spending the 120.00 dollars on thursday (today) to get Vista and re-installing the O.S. then creating a safe back-up disk.

[ArmageddonAngel]

didn't work at all. Re-loaded the vista o.s. software and i'm back up and running again. First thing I also did was create a back up disk just in case any future problems arise again - I'll be safe.