Hi, Thank you for the post. Before we go further, I would like to confirm the following points with you: 1. Whether the Windows Vista system is not able to set a picture as desktop background? If so, what does the desktop background show? 2. What is the exact wording of error message received when selecting a picture as desktop background? Would you please capture a screenshot for further research? 3. Which version of Windows Vista is being used on the computer? 4. Does the computer join domain? Thanks. I look forward to your reply. Sincerely, Joson Zhou Microsoft Online Community Support

hi, i have problem, i can't set a background picture in my desktop. when i click the "appearance and desktop from the control panel it will just say this feaure has been disable. contack your administrator. i am the administrator. what will i do. now my desktop color is just plain blue. i dont know what version of vista. i bought this computer 3 months ago.it just say windows vista. i dont know about versions. what is domain i dont know about that. i would appreciate your help. i dont know much of computers. i just started to learn.

Hi, Thank you for your information. This behavior may occur if one of the following factors is true: 1. The display driver is not up to date. 2. A certain Policy prevents the system from changing the Desktop wallpaper setting.3. Third-party program affects the Desktop wallpaper setting. To troubleshoot this issue, please perform these steps: Step 1: Install the latest driver for the display adapter. Step 2: Delete the Group Policies:===================== Before we go any further, please first backup the Registry. Backup Registry--------------------1. Click Start, type REGEDIT in the Start Search box and press Enter. 2. Select Computer (the root node) in the left pane, click Export under the File menu, choose All under Export range, select Desktop in the Save in box and type backup in File Name. Click Save.Please Note: The backup file is on the Desktop and named backup.reg. We can simply restore the registry by double-clicking the backup.reg file.After that, please refer to the following steps to delete the Group Policies:Delete the Group Policies-----------------------1. Click Start, type REGEDIT in the Start Search box and press Enter. 2. Locate the following key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft 3. Right-click Microsoft and select Delete to delete the key. 4. Please repeat the steps to delete the following keys:[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Group Policy] [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft] [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Group Policy] [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\PoliciesNote: If some keys do not exist, please ignore them. Please try to change the wall paper. If the issue persists, please perform a clean boot:Step 3: Clean Boot==============Lets disable all startup items and third party services when booting. This method will help us determine if this issue is caused by a loading program or service. Please perform the following steps: 1. Click Start, type "msconfig" (without quotation marks) in the Start Search box, and then press Enter.Note: If prompted, please click Continue on the User Account Control (UAC) window.2. Click the Services tab, check the Hide All Microsoft Services box and click Disable All (if it is not gray). 3. Click the Startup tab, click Disable All and click "OK". Then, restart the computer. When the "System Configuration Utility" window appears, please check the "Don't show this message or launch the System Configuration Utility when Windows starts" box and click OK.Please check if our issue persists in Clean Boot mode. If not, please refer to the troubleshooting steps in the KB article 929135 listed below: How to troubleshoot a problem by performing a clean boot in Windows Vista http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929135/en-us If the issue persists, please create a new account to check the results:Step 4: Create a new user account====================1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel. 2. Click Classic View in left panel. 3. Double-click User Accounts.4. Click Manage another use account. 5. Click Create a new account, and type the name. 6. Choose account type as Administrator. 7. Click Create Account. 8. Log off and log on with the new account.9. After that, try to change the wallpaper again. Hope it help. Have a nice day. Sincerely, Joson Zhou Microsoft Online Community Support

I have the same problem. When I set a new background picture (by right-clicking a picture and choose "Set as Backgroun", or by using Personalize - Desktop Background), nothing happens. I have done all the above (changes in Registry, clean boot and new user), but still can't set any pictures as background. I can only change background color. It was working before but then I went through a procedure for cleaning the laptop for viruses etc. I did what is described here: http://www.techspot.com/vb/topic58138.html. I suspect that the problems are related to SmitfraudFix.exe, which made changes to the Registry. I realized afterI had run it that Smitfraud.exe is only for XP, not Vista. Any idea what I could do now? I have a Sony Vaio TX5XN, running on Vista Business. Karl-Ove

I recently had this problem. Thank you Joson Zhou. The third step resolved my problem.

I can not set anything as my background, and it has a windows xp background, which says, "windows xp security message, warning spayware detected on you computer, install antivirus or spyware remover to clean you computer." The error message says, "your system administrator has disabled launching of the display setting control panel" I have windows vista home premium, and I don't know if it joins a domain or not.

justabrotha2 wrote: I can not set anything as my background, and it has a windows xp background, which says, "windows xp security message, warning spayware detected on you computer, install antivirus or spyware remover to clean you computer." The error message says, "your system administrator has disabled launching of the display setting control panel" I have windows vista home premium, and I don't know if it joins a domain or not. Your computer is infected with a rogue security or antispy/malware program. Download, install, updateand run: RogueRemover FREE, SUPERAntispyware (freeware)and Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware(freeware). See and follow: "Checking for/Help with Spyware, Malware and Hijackware". If you need more assistance for the virus/wormpostto the Microsoft Newsgroup - Security - Viruses.Via your newsreader:news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.security.virusVia Web: http://www.microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups/list/en-us/default.aspx?dg=microsoft.public.security.virus [If this post helps to resolve your issue, click the "Mark as Answer" or "Helpful" button at the top of this message. By marking a post as Answered, or Helpful you help others find the answer faster.]

Many thanks. I installed Malwareb..Anti Malwareand found 4 items which My other expensive programs did not find.. \the problem has been solved.after I wasted many hours trying to sort it out .a simple solution was provided by you.at no cost !!! You have proved that searching for an answer from your site is well worth the effort.

robertcondron wrote: Many thanks. I installed Malwareb..Anti Malwareand found 4 items which My other expensive programs did not find.. \the problem has been solved.after I wasted many hours trying to sort it out .a simple solution was provided by you.at no cost !!! You have proved that searching for an answer from your site is well worth the effort. YW. Glad to help and thank you for your feedback. [Ifmy answerhelped to resolve your issue, click the "Mark as Answer" or "Helpful" button at the top of the message. By marking a post as Answered, or Helpful you help others find the answer faster.]