Messenger (2009 ewill not let me change display picture

Does anyone share my problem of not being able to change my display picture, despite knowing how it is done. I get the same message that the it is not a valid image file, despite having been used in older versions of Messenger. The option to use a webcam does not function either, nor insert a Dynamic picture. Everything else functions, but not being able to change from the wlm icon picture. Very strange. Does anyone have the answer please.

Thanks for the suggestion. Just tried the same image converted to Gif and then BMP, then a couple more for luck, but no joy; same message not a valid image file for each. And the webcam not following through seems to point to incompatability but 2009 version works in every other way, except in failing to let me display a valid image or webcam shot. Thanks anyway

Update: Have tried many things including smaller images in each jpeg,gif,bmp. Have also since uninstalled Messenger & offshoots, (for the umpteenth time I might add) and after re-install - where everything was restored including full contacts, etc - same messages each time.

I even tried a dynamic weemee just to see if that would work. This should be an automatic download into the Display Picture. I went through all procedures and selected a finished weemee however when I attempted to download received the message, unable to download all the content, please try again. No matter how many times I tried, the same message occurred.

So the actual action of personalising a display picture has to be ruled out. I have Messenger working well from my Vista laptop complete with display picture, but my Windows 7 PC refuses point blank to allow me to change the display picture, and I still don't know why.

I will pursue via Microsoft if I can but I just hoped I could find out via this forum, or any other for that matter. I'm pretty sure with all options ruled out -picture,webcam,dynamic, weemee (not that I wanted one) the problem lies outside the actual image type. Some type of conflict, but what/where?

Thanks for help anyway.

I have the query with Microsoft but meanwhile had an inspiration. I used my wife's PC - with XP - (with permission of course) and logged her out of Messenger and myself in. I then used the Change Display Picture feature and sure enough the picture I wanted to used on my Win7 Pc duly registered on her XP machine. I even had a message come up to say I was logged in in 2 places as I realised I had not actually logged out of my own PC. A quick check in options to ensure that the 'use the same display picture in all places' was ticked and returned to my own PC. Yes it now sported my display picture. I logged out and my wife back in. Sure enough my Messenger login name now showed a picture on her PC. So almost as an anti-climax, what I wanted to achieve all along had now happened.

Mind you it does not explain why I couldn't alter the display picture on my Windows 7 machine and so will await Microsoft response and let you know what they say in this Forum. It proves at least the old saying that there is more than one way to skin a cat....apologies to all moggies. Noodles