# Disabling Users Changing Desktop Background



## dulisaid (May 6, 2008)

Hi Everyone!
I want to disable all desktop users to change the Desktop Background. i have tried the following but they both didn't work:
i. On Run program i typed command 'gpedit.msc
Local Computer policy->User Configuration->Administrative Templates->Control Panel->Display->"Prevent Changing Wallpaper" (clicked on it and enabled it)

ii. On Run program i typed command 'gpedit.msc
Local Computer policy->User Configuration->Administrative Templates->Desktop->Active Desktop:'Active Desktop Wallpaper' (clicked on it and enabled it)

Both of the above didn't work even after rebooting the machines. Would anyone kindly assist? Thanks.


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## johnhook (Apr 23, 2008)

dulisaid

Try this instead and let me know if it works:

For your reference, we can disable "Set as Desktop background" with one of the following methods:

For Windows XP Professional Edition:

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1. Click Start and then Run. Type "gpedit.msc" without quotes and press Enter.

2. In Group Policy Editor, go to

Local Computer Policy -> User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Control Panel -> Display

3. Locate a setting named "Prevent Changing Wallpaper". Double click to open it.

4. Select Enable and click OK.


For Windows XP Home Edition

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1. Click Start and then Run. Type "regedit" without quotes and press Enter.

2. Navigate to the following branch:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ActiveDesktop

3. Please check if there is the value: NoChangingWallPaper. If so, please double click it and then change its value to 1

Note: If the value name doesn’t exist, we need to create it manually (Right click the blank space and choose New -> DWORD value)

For your reference, you can also copy the following content to a Text Document, and then save it as an Reg file (such as NoChangingWallPaper.reg). Then we can double click the reg file to import the content to registry: 

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ActiveDesktop]

"NoChangingWallPaper"=dword:00000001



- John


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## dulisaid (May 6, 2008)

Thanks for the reply!
I had already done that and just now i confirmed it. It still doesnt work. An other suggestions? Thanks.


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## 8BitBytes (May 7, 2008)

What about enabling the option that says, Remove Display in Control Panel?


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## johnhook (Apr 23, 2008)

dulisaid,

Are your users logging onto a Windows Domain (SBS 2003 as Domain Controller)? Do you have the users set up as domain users and their PCs configured as domain PCs? What Windows version are the client PCs running - XP or Vista? 

If this is the case, you need to make this change on the SERVER not on the individual PCs.

Check out this thread:

http://www.tek-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=1322694&page=1

- John


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## dulisaid (May 6, 2008)

Thanks Guys!
8BitBytes; I have enabled the option of 'Remove Display' in Control Panel but still it's not working!

johnhook; the users are logged onto a windows domain, they are domain users and each of their PCs are configured as domain PCs. They are all on Windows XP, Service Pack 2. How do you make the changes in the server? Is it under 'Active Directory Users and Computers? I tried reading the url link you gave me but i couldnt understand a thing!! Thanks


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## johnhook (Apr 23, 2008)

dulisaid,

Log on to your server as Administrator then go to Start, All Programs, Administrative Tools, then Group Policy Management. Expand the top tree structure until you see "Default Domain Policy" Right-click on "Default Domain Policy" then click on Edit.

Locate User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Control Panel -> Display

Locate a setting named "Prevent Changing Wallpaper". Double click to open it.

Select Enable and click OK.

NOTE - as the "default" domain policy - this restriction WILL apply to Administrators or other groups. To exclude Admins or other groups from the default policy, follow this MS KB entry:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/816100/en-us

Hope this helps.

- John


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## dulisaid (May 6, 2008)

Hi John!
I tried doing that but to no avail  !


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## johnhook (Apr 23, 2008)

dulisaid,

What Server Version / Service Pack Level are you running? Are all your client PCs (XP) configured with computer accounts on your Domain? Do all of your users have Domain accounts on your server? If so, are they logging onto the domain or the local system? Have you made your domain users a member of any domain groups? If so, which groups?

This should work - I'm just thinking that there's something misconfigured with the computer accounts, user accounts domain accounts/groups, etc.

Domain policies only work if you're working with computers/users/groups that are properly configured and logging on to the domain in question.

A better understanding of your environment would better help us assist you with this problem.

- John


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