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General discussion

saving wallpaper pics

by jackmart Aug 28, 2007 9:18AM PDT

i can change the desktop wallpaper background to a personal pic, by using the browse button. no problem, but it won't keep the pic in the list of available backgrounds. it will keep the background i choose until i want to change it, but as soon as i switch, that pic disappears and if i want to change back, i have to use the browse button all over again. running xp home
not a major problem, but annoying. if there is a quick fix i can't find it.
thanks

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5 Posts
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Rename and Save The File
by Grif Thomas Former Forum moderator Aug 28, 2007 9:43AM PDT

If the picture was gathered from Internet Explorer, do a search on the computer for a file named "Internet Explorer Wallpaper.bmp". (It's generally saved as a hidden file in the C\Documents and Settings\Yourusername\Application Data\Microsoft folder. So you'll need to have all "hidden" and "System" files showing.) Once found, RIGHT click on the file, choose "Save As", then rename the file to something else.. Save the file as a .jpg file or .bmp file to your "My Pictures" folder and it should then be saved for further use and it should be available in the Wallpaper list in Display Properties.

Other browsers have similar wallpaper names when first created. (Firefox saves the file as "Desktop Background.bmp" I believe. Finding them, then saving the file as a picture file will allow it to be used later.

Hope this helps.

Grif

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What I did. . .
by Coryphaeus Aug 28, 2007 11:28AM PDT

Windows stores wallpapers in the C:\Windows folder. That's why the default location is always the same. I created a new folder in the Windows folder called Wallpaper. All my pictures for wallpaper are stored there.

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wallpaper etc
by jackmart Aug 28, 2007 10:27PM PDT

thanks, but my problem isn't in finding the pic to use. it is that it won't remain in the available for bacground listing. i use firefox btw.
what i am trying to avoid is having to use the "browse" button each time i want to change the background.

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Are you saying....?
by MarkFlax Former Forum moderator Aug 29, 2007 5:14AM PDT

Are you saying that, when you click that Browse button, your image is not there?

If you use your own image for the Desktop Wallpaper, the image should normally be stored in your My Documents\My Pictures folder.

However, generic images supplied with the OS are normally stored in C:\WINDOWS\Web\Wallpaper.

When you click that Browse button, it would normally open directly to your My Documents\My Pictures folder. That is where I would store my own images if I wanted them for my wallpaper. Are you saying your image is not in the folder, or are you saying it is there, but is not listing in the list of available images in Desktop Properties?

If it is in that folder but is not listed in the available images, try placing a copy in the C:\WINDOWS\Web\Wallpaper folder. Make sure it is either a .bmp or ,jpg image.

Mark

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(NT) Then put the picture in the Windows folder.
by Coryphaeus Aug 29, 2007 8:15AM PDT
Back to Windows Legacy OS forum

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