Freeware to automatically restore desktop background on startup?
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From: John S on 30 Jul 2010 18:57 Operating systems XP, Vista, Win7 Would like something which operates at boot time to restore desktop to predetermined settings if they have been changed by a previous user. I have downloaded software "Desktop OK" which will restore the icons to their previous layout, and would also like to restore the desktop background to its predetermined setting (in this case, no background picture, just a uniform colour). Is there simple freeware for this, or is it a job for a batch file (in which case how to design the batch file)? cheers, John S
From: Cawshus on 30 Jul 2010 20:14 John S <gorblimey(a)invalid.invalid> wrote in news:1mvrgsfj5iwgp.8c4xsnzmeney $.dlg(a)40tude.net: > Operating systems XP, Vista, Win7 > > Would like something which operates at boot time to restore desktop to > predetermined settings if they have been changed by a previous user. > > I have downloaded software "Desktop OK" which will restore the icons to > their previous layout, and would also like to restore the desktop > background to its predetermined setting (in this case, no background > picture, just a uniform colour). > > Is there simple freeware for this, or is it a job for a batch file (in > which case how to design the batch file)? > > cheers, > > John S > You can run Regedit and export the relevant Registry key, edit and prune down to the required value - not for the novice. Changes made to Registry are not instantaneous but takes place on next boot. Part way down the following web page, Ramesh describes how to refresh wallpaper immediately (HINT: copy/paste the command to a shortcut instead of running from the run command). He also gives a link to wprefresh.exe that he says changes wallpaper dynamically. I have not looked at the program. http://forums.techarena.in/customize-xp/589670.htm Getting back to Regedit, your .reg file would (after substantial pruning) look something like this at the very minimum: ******************************************** Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop] "ConvertedWallpaper"="C:\\Documents and Settings\\Owner\\Desktop\\Wallpaper \\12825.JPG" ******************************************** You may also need to NOT delete other keys that control stretch, tiling, etc. -- � Steve Due to the volume of garbage I filter out googlegroups.
From: John S on 1 Aug 2010 02:49 On 31 Jul 2010 11:14:12 +1100, Cawshus wrote: > John S <gorblimey(a)invalid.invalid> wrote in news:1mvrgsfj5iwgp.8c4xsnzmeney > $.dlg(a)40tude.net: > >> Operating systems XP, Vista, Win7 >> >> Would like something which operates at boot time to restore desktop to >> predetermined settings if they have been changed by a previous user. >> snip ... > > You can run Regedit and export the relevant Registry key, edit and prune > down to the required value - not for the novice. Changes made to Registry > are not instantaneous but takes place on next boot. > > Part way down the following web page, Ramesh describes how to refresh > wallpaper immediately (HINT: copy/paste the command to a shortcut instead > of running from the run command). He also gives a link to wprefresh.exe > that he says changes wallpaper dynamically. I have not looked at the > program. > > http://forums.techarena.in/customize-xp/589670.htm > > Getting back to Regedit, your .reg file would (after substantial pruning) > look something like this at the very minimum: > > ******************************************** > > Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 > > [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop] > > "ConvertedWallpaper"="C:\\Documents and Settings\\Owner\\Desktop\\Wallpaper > \\12825.JPG" > > ******************************************** > > You may also need to NOT delete other keys that control stretch, tiling, > etc. Thanks for the tips. Looking into that area of the registry I've found the two entries I need for changing the Wallpaper to nul (ie no Wallpaper) and changing the background colour. Using the information you gave me, I now have a small .reg file which works OK (only tested in Win XP so far). If I double-click it when logged in as a user (no admin privileges), it makes the necessary changes to the registry to set the desired background colour and specify no wallpaper, and those changes take effect on the next log in to that account. What I now need is something to run that .reg file each time the computer is shut down, so that the standard desktop appearance will be restored on next boot. As the .reg file requires a response from its dialogue box when you run it, I also need to find out how to run the reg file unconditionally, without needing a response. Maybe I'd better ask for advice on that in another thread though. Again, thanks for your advice. cheers, John S
From: Cawshus on 2 Aug 2010 01:11 John S <gorblimey(a)invalid.invalid> wrote in news:7i7y0swx0lzp$.29du87czv9cj$.dlg(a)40tude.net: > > What I now need is something to run that .reg file each time the > computer is shut down, so that the standard desktop appearance will be > restored on next boot. As the .reg file requires a response from its > dialogue box when you run it, I also need to find out how to run the > reg file unconditionally, without needing a response. > > Maybe I'd better ask for advice on that in another thread though. > > Again, thanks for your advice. > > cheers, > > John S > Alternatively, run the .reg when the computer starts followed by a command to refresh the wallpaper. The shortcut to create: RUNDLL32.EXE user32.dll,UpdatePerUserSystemParameters -- � Steve Due to the volume of garbage I filter out googlegroups.
From: John S on 2 Aug 2010 05:01
On 2 Aug 2010 16:11:26 +1100, Cawshus wrote: > John S <gorblimey(a)invalid.invalid> wrote in > news:7i7y0swx0lzp$.29du87czv9cj$.dlg(a)40tude.net: > >> >> What I now need is something to run that .reg file each time the >> computer is shut down, so that the standard desktop appearance will be >> restored on next boot. As the .reg file requires a response from its >> dialogue box when you run it, I also need to find out how to run the >> reg file unconditionally, without needing a response. >> >> Maybe I'd better ask for advice on that in another thread though. >> >> Again, thanks for your advice. >> >> cheers, >> >> John S >> > > > Alternatively, run the .reg when the computer starts followed by a > command to refresh the wallpaper. > > The shortcut to create: > > RUNDLL32.EXE user32.dll,UpdatePerUserSystemParameters Thanks, I'm getting a bit out of my depth though. Would that line be just written into a batch file placed in the startup folder? I guess I would need two lines - one to run the .reg file, then another to run the RUNDLL32.exe file. Not sure how to construct these so that the two processes are run, and do so in the background without needing any user input. I guess I'm stretching things by carrying on this discussion in alt.comp.freeware, though maybe a batch file is DIY freeware? Thanks again, John S |