Can't Change My Desktop Background Picture/Wallpaper

As my title says, it is Windows XP home edition not allowing me to change wallpaper on my desktop background. Many of my friends as well as forums said that the reason behind this is spyware. Let me assure everyone that it Is not spyware. I scanned my system with updated Norton , scanned with few paid spyware programs as well and found nothing. My system is 0% effected by spyware. So what else could be the problem ? My system remains always updated, antivirus is updated and running properly. Any help will be appreciated.

Did you checked registry for the key saying “No wallpaper”? If there is any such entry you wont be able to change wallpapers on your desktop. To remove it, you need to open registry editor by typing regedit.exe in Start > Run. Now navigate to the following location:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System

Here there should be a key in the right pane named "No wallpaper". Just Delete it.

Now close the registry and right click desktop > Properties > Desktop Tab > Customize Desktop Button > Web Tab. Here ensure no check box is marked. If any marked, uncheck it and restart your system. That’s it. Now try changing wallpaper.

Thanks for your help Eduards$ but that dint helped me because there is no such entry under my registry. So I did some more search on web and found a guy providing a reg file. I downloaded the same and extracted. Guess what, it fixed my problem. I don’t know what exactly the file did but if anyone else facing this problem you can download the same from here

If anyone is still reading this thread, please help me with more specific instructions. I can see the .reg file from link above, but exactly what folder path do I go to in order to replace the existing .reg file on my C drive with the above file contents? (After first backing up the existing file, of course). Or do I just add the code from the link above to the existing file? In either case, I don't know what folder path to go to. If I follow you and some related threads, I am supposed to go to Run->regedit->HKEY_CURRENT_USER->Software->Microsoft->Windows->Currentversion->Policies Here is where I get confused. Within Policies, there is only one folder, Explorer, and within Explorer is just one file, NoDriveTypeAutorun. What am I supposed to do? Am I just supposed to import the Kelly's Korner file? If so, into which folder?

In my case this tweak from Kelly's Korner worked to re-enable access to the wallpaper selection process

You don't need a path, just double-click on the .reg file and it will ask you if you want to add it to the registry.

The precaution is to open regedit (Start -> Run -> regedit), and then File -> Export making sure you select All. It's always a good idea to backup the registry, but in this case, IMHO the change is so small and benign that it's probably OK to just go ahead.

You don't import it, you just double-click it.

Instead of playing with critical registries if you are looking for more simply solution than try out this:

Go to Start > RUN > type “gpedit.msc” and press Enter.
Click Plus sign to expand the configuration, click Administrative tools, click Control Panel and click Display.
Now double click on "prevent changing wallpaper" at the right pane.
If it is enabled, disable the same by making it "not configured".

Restart the system and you are done.

OK, sorry for not being explicit. Try this: right-click on the link and select Save as (or similar, depending on your browser). Save the file to your desktop, making sure that it is saved as a .reg file - the icon should look like an exploding green Rubik's cube. If it is saved with any other extension, then right-click on the file and Rename it to something.reg.

Now double-click the file, and it should ask you if you want to add the contents to the Registry. Say Yes.
Then reboot.

Ok i am having the same problem and i tried the kellys corner thing but i get an error message saying...

Cannot import "Filename".reg error accessing the registry.

i know this is old but im hoping you guys are still active please help!!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Popeskill

Ok i am having the same problem and i tried the kellys corner thing but i get an error message saying...

Cannot import "Filename".reg error accessing the registry.

i know this is old but im hoping you guys are still active please help!!

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Are you logged in admin and trying to change the registry settings or not, cause if you dont then it is giving you the permission error message that you have written or it might be that the permissions may be messed up in the registry for the keys you are trying to import. Right click on the key and select permissions and make sure you have full control rights.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by super cop

Are you logged in admin and trying to change the registry settings or not, cause if you dont then it is giving you the permission error message that you have written or it might be that the permissions may be messed up in the registry for the keys you are trying to import. Right click on the key and select permissions and make sure you have full control rights.

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I am logged in as administrator. no permissions option on the key but read only is not checked...?

how is it possible that I don't have the file gpedit.msc ?

If you have the Windows CD, try the following:
Start> Run > (type) SFC\scannow
As it runs, it may ask for the Windows CD to be installed in the drive for data retrieval when it finds an error. It will look for internal errors and try to replace the file.

Hope this replaces a few files that are corrupted.........Joe