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General discussion

How to Delete Unwanted Desktop Backgrounds?

by Lyn Layton May 16, 2004 9:42AM PDT

My father mistakenly added a long list of .jpg's to his desktop backgrounds. How can these be deleted? (Not "themes" but backgrounds). I spent two hours reading the articles provided by Google and Microsoft. There is plenty on how to change backgrounds, but I cannot find anything on how to delete, and a simple rt-click won't do it. Instructions on how to remove these files will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
XP Home

Discussion is locked

8 Posts
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Re:How to Delete Unwanted Desktop Backgrounds?
by joehawk1 May 16, 2004 9:46AM PDT

I don't sure about XP, however I do know that in Windows 98, you couldn't delete them, but it only held a limited number of desktop images, and then started rewriting over top of the ones already saved. Some might use that option to overwrite images that might be... no longer wanted lol.

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Re:How to Delete Unwanted Desktop Backgrounds?
by glb613 May 16, 2004 10:16AM PDT

Go to My Documents, My Pictures and delete the ones you don't want. That folder adds pictures to the desktop background by default.

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Re:Re:How to Delete Unwanted Desktop Backgrounds?
by Lyn Layton May 16, 2004 11:11AM PDT

So that's how they got there! I suppose that means that pictures must be stored elsewhere or they will show up in the background list? Will this happen if they are stored in subfolders in "My Pictures"?

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Yes. "Folders"
by r. proffitt Forum moderator May 16, 2004 11:31AM PDT

The list is populated by what the control panel/backgrounds finds in folders such as \Windows and others.

Bob

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Are You Saying...
by Lyn Layton May 16, 2004 11:57AM PDT

As long as the graphics are in "Folders" XP adds them to that background list? So where should they be stored so that this does not happen (other than on removable media)?

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You should experiment.
by r. proffitt Forum moderator May 16, 2004 12:01PM PDT

Find a match and then move it to a new place.

What happens?

Bob

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Running A Marathon
by Lyn Layton May 16, 2004 1:22PM PDT

I moved the folder out of My Pictures. No time to "experiment". I was given the machine late yesterday for a bit of maintenance, and it has to be returned in a few hours. What I thought would be a twenty-minute project turned out to be much more after finding a few problems. Thank you for helping.

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Re:Re:Re:How to Delete Unwanted Desktop Backgrounds?
by glb613 May 16, 2004 8:58PM PDT

Yes, that is the folder many programs, including Microsoft's Picture It!, use as its default destination. Move them somewhere else and the problem should be solved.

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