Windows 7: Can't change my desktop background

So, for a month or so now I've been trying and trying to change my desktop background. After a few days I gave up and just recently went back to trying to fix it.

I found out that I can only change my background from the control panel to solid colors but not anything else.
When I go into a browser (I use chrome but have also tried this in IE) and right click, it gives me the option to use the picture as my background but when I click it, it comes up and says "access denied" . I've tried everything I can think of, updating, checked for viruses, restarted, everything! Any idea what it could be?

Hi Alexa, take a look at this thread My personalization is all messed up suddenly.

That didn't help. There was nothing to delete so the tips in that thread didn't help me so frustrating!

"I found out that I can only change my background from the control panel to solid colors but not anything else."

does your control panel look like the attached jpeg?--if so--try clicking the indicated triangle--it should give you a flyout menu with other choices

for images that you locate via a 'browser'--download them first--put it somewhere easy to find--then proceed from there

Perform the following.

a. Press theWindows Logo Key+R to open the Run box.


b.Copy and paste the following path into the box, then pressOK:

%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Themes\


c. Delete theTranscodedWallpaper.jpg file, and then try tochange your theme again.

Iam a microsoft Engineer, this has happen to me. let me know if this works.

Thank you so much AbluMarlin! I signed up just because I wanted you to know that it worked and it was by far the EASIEST step to do (some blogs require creating admin account and deleting old one - which worked but I want the same desktop icons)!

I know that a virus I had affected my laptop so I wasn't able to change my background. I'm glad I finally decided to figure it out

Also, just to note, When I got to the folder "themes" I did not see any files. I had to unhide, hide, and then unhide again (odd I know) and then saw 2 files! I deleted the TranscodedWallpaper.jpg (which happened to be a picture of my last wallpaper), changed my theme and it worked instantly! =D If you don't mind, could you explain why that .jpg file needed to be deleted? Thank you so much!!

My computer shows the file %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Themes\
BUT it's empty already. There is no TranscodedWallpaper.jpg file in it.
However, when trying to change the desktop background, it just doesn't change to anything at all. No solid colors. No pictures from the files I've saved them to. Nothing! It's stuck on stupid (lol) with the same doggone pic I've had for months. Can't tell you how sick I am of this pic - was set up by my daughter and I could just bop her one. *chuckle* HELP! I've tried all the ideas above and all the references links. No luck so far.
Windows 7 - 64 bit
Home Edition

Welcome to Seven Forums shortnana47. Since we don't know what you have tried yet, we sill suggest the usual suspects. 1st, run the System File Checker

SFC /SCANNOW Command - System File Checker

If no errors (or fix), can you run the Window Experience Index (WEI) assessment ok?

Windows Experience Index - Update or Refresh Score

You can usually set a wallpaper with Irfanview, but this doesn't correct the underlying problem. Irfanview is a great free program, with many uses, even if you don't use it to set the wallpaper. To set wallpaper with Irfanview. Download and install, open the desired wallpaper with the program.

Options> Set as wallpaper> Centered

Let us know the results of the SFC and WEI. A Guy

The SFC says: Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them.
(This was after 2 SFC scans)
It refers to a CBS.log but denies access for the report to let me know which files are corrupted.

I will run the WEI and come back to this forum thread.
~Carolyn

WEI shows following subscores:
Processor 5.7
Memory (RAM) 5.7
Graphics 4.1
Gaming Graphics 3.4
Primary hard disk 5.7

For an overall Base Score of 3.4