Windows 7: Can't change Desktop Background

johnnya · 31 Mar 2012

Good morning all. Trying to help out my daughter (running Windows 7 Home Edition 64bit) remotely via Team Viewer. Her problem is that her desktop background is just a black screen. If I right click on her desktop and choose Personalize, then choose a Desktop Background, I can see that the Desktop thumbnail on that screen does change but when I close out back to to desktop nothing has changed. Just a black background. What am I missing here? Hope you can help me to continue to be her hero. lol
Regards
JohnnyA

Tekno Venus · 31 Mar 2012

Hi JohnnyA

To my knowledge, when using Teamviewer it disables windows aero. I know LogMeIn does and I think Teamviewer does the same. When I use LogMeIn I just get a black desktop background because I normally have a slideshow. The slideshow is part of aero which means it is disabled when aero is switched off.

Try refreshing the laptops Windows Experience Index score as if that has not been run, aero will not run. Also, try setting the background to a solid colour like red to see if that works. If the PC is nto powerful enough to run aero, you will need to use a non aero theme.

Hope this helps
Stephen

johnnya · 31 Mar 2012

Thanks Techno Venus. Very good observation. I did try a remote Teamviewer session to my own laptop (exact same model as my daughter) and was able to change desktop backgrounds with no problem. Lots of power to run Aero. I will try the other suggestion you offered as soon as I can reconnect to her. You know how busy these young on the go families can get. Even when you are trying to help them it's hard to nail them down. lol
Great job Stephen
Regards
JohnnyA

Tekno Venus · 31 Mar 2012

Also, if that doesn't work I've had another idea. Try creating another user account and see if that account works

Stephen

johnnya · 31 Mar 2012

Thanks Stephen - will do.
Regards
JohnnyA

DavidW7ncus · 31 Mar 2012

fyi
In TeamViewer Options / Remote Control
There is a checkbox for "Remove remote wallpaper"

It can cause a black screen...

johnnya · 01 Apr 2012

Thanks to all who replied. It did turn out to be Teamviewer not sending the Desktop Background to save bandwidth. As soon as she exited Teamviewer her desktop was back to normal. Many thanks
Regards
JohnnyA

Tekno Venus · 02 Apr 2012

Your welcome. Glad we solved it.

Windows 7: Can't change Desktop Background

Can't change Desktop Background problems?