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Unable to change background picture in Windows 7

Article ID: 2504610 - View products that this article applies to.

Symptoms

You may experience one of the following issues when you try to change the desktop background in Windows 7:
Scenario 1
When you try to change your desktop background by clicking Control Panel, Appearance and Personalization and then Change desktop Background, the check boxes are not selected when they are clicked and the Select all and Clear all buttons do not work as expected. Therefore, you cannot change the desktop background.
Scenario 2
When you try to right-click a picture and then select Set as desktop background, you receive the following error message:

This image can't be set as wallpaper. An internal error occurred.

Scenario 3

You see a black background even though you change your background picture.
Scenario 4
The slide show feature for desktop background does not function correctly.

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Cause

This issue can occur for the following reasons:

There is a third-party application such as Display Manager from Samsung installed.
In Control Panel, the Desktop background setting in Power Options is disabled.
In Control, the Remove background images option is selected.
A Domain policy may not allow for the background to be changed.
You may have a corrupted TranscodedWallpaper.jpg file.
You are using Windows 7 Starter Edition. Windows 7 Starter Edition does not support changing the desktop background picture.

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Resolution

To resolve this issue, use one of these methods, depending on your scenario:

Method 1: Upgrade to a version of Windows 7 that supports changing background pictures

Windows 7 Starter Edition does not support changing the desktop background picture. If you’re working on a notebook that was preinstalled with Windows, you may be using Windows 7 Starter Edition.

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If you’re using Windows 7 Starter Edition, you can buy Windows 7 at retail locations, or online in some countries or regions. If you have a netbook or other computer that does not have a DVD drive, purchasing and downloading Windows 7 online is an easy way to install it on your computer. For more information about how to obtain Windows 7 in your country or region, go to the Windows Shop

(http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=166228)

website.

Method 2: Corrupted TranscodedWallpaper.jpg

If the TranscodedWallpaper.jpg file has become corrupted, you may be unable to change the desktop background picture. To resolve this issue, delete the TranscodedWallpaper.jpg file. To delete the TranscodedWallpaper.jpg file, follow these steps.

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Method 3: Incompatible applications

Some applications that help manage display settings can cause compatibility issues with setting background pictures, displaying Aero glass effects, and other Windows functionality. As a test, disable or uninstall any display management applications that are installed on your computer.

Method 4: Check the background setting in the Power Options

There is a Power Options setting in Control Panel that pauses a background slide show. To check your background settings in Power Options, follow these steps.

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Method 5: Check the Remove background setting under the Ease of Access settings

There is an Ease of Access setting in Control Panel that removes background images. To check your background settings in Ease of Access, follow these steps.

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Method 6: Check for a Domain policy that disables the background changing

If you are joined to a domain, your domain administrator may have disabled the option to change the desktop background. To check the desktop background policy, follow these steps.

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