Desktop Background - Unavailable

[snootalope]

hello

We're using terminal servers/citrix here. All are Windows 2003 SP1 server and are a member of an AD domain.

One of the users recently mentioned that they can no longer change their desktop background because the option is greyed out or unavailable. It honestly makes no difference to me, i'd rather it stay disabled, but what's an admin to do. The complaints are piling in.

Anyway, I first thought that one of our old group policies was keeping it disabled. Well, after removing all the policies and even trying it as admin and logging in to the local machine rather then the domain, the option is still unavailable. I looked around, and every single one of our Windows 2003 member servers are the same way. Even the ones that aren't meant for remote access.

So if it isn't a domain/group policy causing the greyed out options....what could it be??

I've been google'in for it all morning.... can't find anything.

Any ideas?

 

[tfg13]

Have you looked at the registry level?

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\
System

and

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop

Remember, removing policies after they have already been applied does not remove the settings, only the enforcement of settings, ie. if you have a 10 minute screensaver on a policy, remove the policy, the timout will still take place in those 10 minutes, but if it is changed, after the policy is removed, it will occur at whatever it is set to. Add the policy back in, and the time will change to 10 minutes once again.

 

[snootalope]

yep, already checked both of those. They look good. I compared them key for key to a machine that the display is changeable and they're identical.

??

 

[tfg13]

Do you know if there was a .adm template used to enforce the "policy"?

Also, was this key also set?

KEY: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ActiveDesktop
DWORD: NoChangingWallPaper = 1

This will disable the wall paper change. To change you'll need to be at 0....Are you able to choose a different Theme, screensaver, or get to the display from control panel?

 

[snootalope]

The policy being applied to those machines/users is a very simple config. Only a handfull of enabled/disabled items.

I checked the:

KEY:HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ActiveDesktop
DWORD: NoChangingWallPaper = 1

It's not even there.. Under Policies I only have Explorer and NonEnum.

 

[tfg13]

I'm stumped....

 

[snootalope]

me too.. strange thing is, every 2003 member server I have is doing it. I've checked everything i can think of, even the default domain policy and also moving a test server into an OU that is blocking all inheritance.

Guess I'll just have to blow away the whole domain and recreate it!

 

[tfg13]

Well, that's extreme! I would just tell the users to suck it up, myself.....

 

[snootalope]

LOL - yeah, I'll probably spare the domain for now.

If I ever figure this out I'll post back..

 

[tfg13]

Just thought of something....Since using TS/Citrix, isn't there a setting that you can force no desktop changes? I'm looking at our TS, but due to it's limitations (in administrative mode only), I might not get all the settings you might see....

 

[snootalope]

Not really anything further I can enforce for TS's more than I can for just 2003 servers with Remote Desktop enabled. Well, there probably is, but I only use group policies for everything.

Our servers with Remote Desktop enabled are doing the exact same thing as the terminal servers.

 

[snootalope]

ah ha! must be something with the new citrix version we got. (Presentation Server 4)

This option is of course not there on the standard remote desktop servers, but that's ok, I don't need flower screens on my Exchange server!

 

[tfg13]

Glad you found it....