Desktop background securities - I need a work round!

[SilverBack]

Hi all,

I need a work around for desktop backgrounds. In in the IT department, but my securities dont allow me to change or add a desktop backgroup as its missing the tab fron the display properties (XP PRo).

Is there some way to go to a specific folder where our default company logo is stored for the desctop background and just change the image to the one I want??

Any help appreciated!

[ryanrich]

Why don't you just browse the folder of the background you want to use, then View by Thumbnails and right click the image and say Set as Desktop Wallpaper.

[rustypup]

also, check :
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop to find the file being referenced... (probably "ConvertedWallpaper"....)

[SilverBack]

Kewl, thanks guys!

RR, have tried it, but everytime I restart pc/log on, it resets wallpaper to works default one. So I thought that if I could find out exactly where my works wallpaper is stored, and what its named, I could copy my wallpaper there, delete the work one and rename my wallpaper to the work one!

Would that work?

[viceroy]

No.

If the work one if being used you won't be able to overwrite it with your one

Why not just run a small script so when windows boots you alter the registry to apply your desktop?

[SilverBack]

No.

If the work one if being used you won't be able to overwrite it with your one

Why not just run a small script so when windows boots you alter the registry to apply your desktop?

I wish I was that computer savvy! Dont know how to modify the registry or where to make the changes in registry. Lemme see what google can find!

[Futs]

If thats the case best leave the wallpaper as default.

You wouldn't want an angry IT Admin as a foe

[rustypup]

Dont know how to modify the registry or where to make the changes

regardless of the approach taken, before modifying the registry, create a restore point! many's the victim of a bodged registry hack that has lamented their actions on the next boot...

try overwriting the targeted file and restarting explorer.exe to see if that doesn't take care of it for you first...

typically, you have only to enter the replacement key in a text file named "#.reg", which can be run by the script at login...

Code: Select all

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\ConvertedWallpaper]
@="C:\path\to\replacement\image.jpg"

(assuming the above is the correct tree path...)
in a file called "wallpaper_fix.reg"... try running this manually at first, though. if your user is operating on restricted access, this would be a good indicator of whether or not you can fix this using a script...

[SilverBack]

Kewl, thanks rustypup!

[Slasher]

Most likely your company is running DeepFreeze, in which instance you can change it till you are blue and it will revert back everytime...

Perhaps it is AGAINST COMPANY POLICY to change the background. As the IT Technicians, else do the ETHICAL thing and keep the background they give you...

Why do you guys always have to try illegal ways of getting what you want or else throw a tantrum?

Ethics in IT is in dire states at the moment and it is little things like this that spawn bigger and bigger problems...

[rustypup]

Ask the IT Technicians, else do the ETHICAL thing and keep the background they give you...

with all due respect, i sincerely doubt that this is a question of ethics, more a question of corporate ego-stroking and the implementation of the faux-l33t and severly retarded "security" procedure hacked together by a group of rubber-hammer wielding boardroom jocks.

i would bet good money on the fact that this same "security" conscious IT department has the exact same username and password for the admin user on every single machine in their domain... not to mention non-encrypted laptops...

there is "secure" and there is pathetic.. preventing the user from changing the desktop wallpaper is pathetic...

[SilverBack]

Desktop back to company one. I give up....eish!

[NinjaTic]

I think it might be time to admit defeat!

I can change my desktop at work, but it's pretty pointless cause I have outlook opened most of the time or some other program that I'm working on - never really see the wallpaper.

[Rish_zn]

hmm our desktop is restricted at work due to group policy setting.. but i did get round this by using a program called irfanview.. View the image and then just set as desktop wallpaper.. Im not too sure wheter the image will stay or not... But give it a try...

If it doesnt then it probably in the log on script and nothing can be done about that... Registry editing could also be disabled by ur admins.

[NinjaTic]

I have a program at work call "wallmast" that changes your wallpaper everytime you log on or every hour - maybe that'll work?

There are quite a few programs that'll change your wallpaper at various intervals, then you don't have to worry about the default being reset everytime you log on.

[SBSP]

Dude if you really want to get nasty Why not try to got the Registry key, I think rustypup mentioned the where the key is.

Change it to what you want it to be then right click the key and select permissions.


Then click advanced modify it to be read only for all users.

"Do this at your own risk," if you remove all permissions you wont have permission to change it back again.

[Slasher]

Ask the IT Technicians, else do the ETHICAL thing and keep the background they give you...

with all due respect, i sincerely doubt that this is a question of ethics, more a question of corporate ego-stroking and the implementation of the faux-l33t and severly retarded "security" procedure hacked together by a group of rubber-hammer wielding boardroom jocks.

i would bet good money on the fact that this same "security" conscious IT department has the exact same username and password for the admin user on every single machine in their domain... not to mention non-encrypted laptops...

there is "secure" and there is pathetic.. preventing the user from changing the desktop wallpaper is pathetic...

It is not always about security, but company image.

Imagine walking into the bank and catching a glimpse of the teller ladies wallpaper of naked men, the girl next to her of barby and the thrid one, a man, with a gaming wallpaper. It looks unprofessional and can damage corporate image to the public when clients see certain things...

Professionalism and Ethics, not just SECURITY...

[viceroy]

Ask the IT Technicians, else do the ETHICAL thing and keep the background they give you...

with all due respect, i sincerely doubt that this is a question of ethics, more a question of corporate ego-stroking and the implementation of the faux-l33t and severly retarded "security" procedure hacked together by a group of rubber-hammer wielding boardroom jocks.

i would bet good money on the fact that this same "security" conscious IT department has the exact same username and password for the admin user on every single machine in their domain... not to mention non-encrypted laptops...

there is "secure" and there is pathetic.. preventing the user from changing the desktop wallpaper is pathetic...

It is not always about security, but company image.

Imagine walking into the bank and catching a glimpse of the teller ladies wallpaper of naked men, the girl next to her of barby and the thrid one, a man, with a gaming wallpaper. It looks unprofessional and can damage corporate image to the public when clients see certain things...

Professionalism and Ethics, not just SECURITY...

What you're describing is corporate identity and has NOTHING to do with Ethics.

What Silverback wants to do might be slightly unethical but only because he is trying to bypass a system which has been set in place by his company, but having a personal background where allowed is in no way unethical but it might be unprofessional depending on circumstance.

[Slasher]

Ask the IT Technicians, else do the ETHICAL thing and keep the background they give you...

with all due respect, i sincerely doubt that this is a question of ethics, more a question of corporate ego-stroking and the implementation of the faux-l33t and severly retarded "security" procedure hacked together by a group of rubber-hammer wielding boardroom jocks.

i would bet good money on the fact that this same "security" conscious IT department has the exact same username and password for the admin user on every single machine in their domain... not to mention non-encrypted laptops...

there is "secure" and there is pathetic.. preventing the user from changing the desktop wallpaper is pathetic...

It is not always about security, but company image.

Imagine walking into the bank and catching a glimpse of the teller ladies wallpaper of naked men, the girl next to her of barby and the thrid one, a man, with a gaming wallpaper. It looks unprofessional and can damage corporate image to the public when clients see certain things...

Professionalism and Ethics, not just SECURITY...

What you're describing is corporate identity and has NOTHING to do with Ethics.

What Silverback wants to do might be slightly unethical but only because he is trying to bypass a system which has been set in place by his company, but having a personal background where allowed is in no way unethical but it might be unprofessional depending on circumstance.

The fact that they are blocking him changing it makes it UNETHICAL ... If it was allowed to change he would not be posting here, would he??

[rustypup]

Professionalism and Ethics, not just SECURITY...

any user using a playmate/date as a desktop should not be permitted access to a pc, let alone changing wallpaper...

as to the whole corporate identity bit, use a screensaver... if i had to face the same desktop day-in and day-out every day for a year, i would have gone postal many hours ago....

[SilverBack]

Thanks for the input Ninja, will give that a try. I sit in a lil ofice, so no one will see my desktop wallpaper...I hope...