Forcing wallpaper to all users in domain

[manners]

Hello.

We have recently decided to use a GPO to assign a generic wallpaper to all our users. Previously it was the company logo in the top right of the screen. The new one is just a simple blue background.

The settings we have used are; User Configuration/Admin Templates/Desktop/Active Desktop/Enable Active Desktop,Prohibit Changes and Active Desktop wallpaper which we provide the path to a blue wallpaper JPEG image. The wallpaper style is set for Tile.

This seems to work fine for most people, but a lot are getting big black lines across the screen, when they refresh it clears up. For others the company logo remains in the top right hand corner. This is a problem as we have changed company names!. Is there another setting i need to configure or am i doing something wrong?

Regards.

 

[Numbnortel]

Have you fixed this yet?

I would like to do the same and keep some of the folks from using LArge files for desktop?
jon

 

[manners]

Nope, not managed to fix it. I have to just go to the machines that it happens to and do a refresh on the desktop.

 

[Grenage]

Why use Active Desktop at all?

If you're using a simple blue background then have no wallpaper and choose blue for the background. If for some reason you need to have a background then convert the JPG to BMP and set it without the need for Active Desktop.

 

[manners]

I have not seen any group policy settings that allow configuration of the desktop wallpaper other than those in the Active Desktop setting. We have disabled users viewing the Display settings so we can't go round setting everyones desktop (it would also take weeks!)

 

[Grenage]

I understand. You could identify the registry setting responsible for the background and enforce that on the machines, that should work.

 

[markdmac]

OK, here is what is going on with your system. If you don't force Active Desktop to be enabled then your users won't get your backgroud. Make sure you have that set.

The suggestion to just set the color is a good one. I have a customer that wanted to force the desert theme to all computers. I created this login script to set that. You should be able to identify the parts you want and modify it.

Note that because this makes registry changes in the current user area, the changes don't actually show up until the user logs on a second time (first time to set it, second time you see it). We locked the users out from setting this differently so they can't change it, but the script remains active for login all the time.

'==========================================================================
'
' VBScript Source File --
'
' NAME: desertTheme.vbs
'
' AUTHOR: Mark D. MacLachlan , The Spider's Parlor
' URL:

http://www.thespidersparlor.com

' DATE : 04/22/2003
'
' COMMENT:
'
' This script sets the desktop theme to "Desert"
'===========================================================================


on error resume next
Set WSHShell = Wscript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell&quot

path = "HKCU\Control Panel\Appearance\"

WSHShell.RegWrite path & "Current", "Desert","REG_SZ"
WSHShell.RegWrite path & "CustomColors", "FF,FF,FF,00,FF,FF,FF,00,FF,FF,FF,00,FF,FF,FF,00,\FF,FF,FF,00,FF,FF,FF,00,FF,FF,FF,00,FF,FF,FF,00,\FF,FF,FF,00,FF,FF,FF,00,FF,FF,FF,00,FF,FF,FF,00,\FF,FF,FF,00,FF,FF,FF,00,FF,FF,FF,00,FF,FF,FF,00","REG_BINARY"

path = "HKCU\Control Panel\Colors\"

WSHShell.RegWrite path & "ActiveBorder","213 204 187", "REG_SZ"
WSHShell.RegWrite path & "ActiveTitle","0 128 128", "REG_SZ"
WSHShell.RegWrite path & "AppWorkSpace","162 141 104", "REG_SZ"
WSHShell.RegWrite path & "Background","162 141 104", "REG_SZ"
WSHShell.RegWrite path & "ButtonAlternateFace","192 192 192", "REG_SZ"
WSHShell.RegWrite path & "ButtonDkShadow","0 0 0", "REG_SZ"
WSHShell.RegWrite path & "ButtonFace","213 204 187", "REG_SZ"
WSHShell.RegWrite path & "ButtonHilight","234 230 221", "REG_SZ"
WSHShell.RegWrite path & "ButtonLight","213 204 187", "REG_SZ"
WSHShell.RegWrite path & "ButtonShadow","162 141 104", "REG_SZ"
WSHShell.RegWrite path & "GradientActiveTitle","132 189 170", "REG_SZ"
WSHShell.RegWrite path & "GradientInactiveTitle","232 208 128", "REG_SZ"
WSHShell.RegWrite path & "GrayText","162 141 104", "REG_SZ"
WSHShell.RegWrite path & "Hilight","0 128 128", "REG_SZ"
WSHShell.RegWrite path & "HotTrackingColor","0 128 128", "REG_SZ"
WSHShell.RegWrite path & "InactiveBorder","213 204 187", "REG_SZ"
WSHShell.RegWrite path & "InactiveTitle","162 141 104", "REG_SZ"
WSHShell.RegWrite path & "InactiveTitleText","255 255 255", "REG_SZ"
WSHShell.RegWrite path & "InfoWindow","255 255 255", "REG_SZ"
WSHShell.RegWrite path & "Menu","213 204 187", "REG_SZ"
WSHShell.RegWrite path & "Scrollbar","234 230 221", "REG_SZ"

path= "HKCU\Control Panel\Desktop\WindowMetrics"
WSHShell.RegWrite path & "BorderWidth","-15","REG_SZ"
WSHShell.RegWrite path & "CaptionFont","F5,FF,FF,FF,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,\BC,02,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,4D,00,69,00,\63,00,72,00,6F,00,73,00,6F,00,66,00,74,00,20,00,\53,00,61,00,6E,00,73,00,20,00,53,00,65,00,72,00,\69,00,66,00,00,00,FC,7F,22,14,FC,7F,B0,FE,12,00,\00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,98,23,EB,77", "REG_BINARY"

WSHShell.RegWrite path & "IconFont","F5,FF,FF,FF,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,\90,01,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,4D,00,69,00,\63,00,72,00,6F,00,73,00,6F,00,66,00,74,00,20,00,\53,00,61,00,6E,00,73,00,20,00,53,00,65,00,72,00,\69,00,66,00,00,00,14,00,0B,00,00,00,00,FF,12,00,\50,00,00,00,C0,FE,12,00,0C,10,00,01", "REG_BINARY"

WSHShell.RegWrite path & "IconSpacing","-1125", "REG_SZ"

WSHShell.RegWrite path & "MenuFont","F5,FF,FF,FF,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,\90,01,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,4D,00,69,00,\63,00,72,00,6F,00,73,00,6F,00,66,00,74,00,20,00,\53,00,61,00,6E,00,73,00,20,00,53,00,65,00,72,00,\69,00,66,00,00,00,14,00,88,FB,E8,77,02,02,00,00,\AC,B9,F0,77,00,00,00,00,20,00,00,00", "REG_BINARY"

WSHShell.RegWrite path & "MessageFont",_
"F5,FF,FF,FF,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,\90,01,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,4D,00,69,00,\63,00,72,00,6F,00,73,00,6F,00,66,00,74,00,20,00,\53,00,61,00,6E,00,73,00,20,00,53,00,65,00,72,00,\69,00,66,00,00,00,00,00,06,00,00,00,18,00,00,00,\FF,FF,FF,FF,F0,4B,21,FC,00,C4,F0,77", "REG_BINARY"

WSHShell.RegWrite path & "ScrollHeight","-195", "REG_SZ"
WSHShell.RegWrite path & "ScrollWidth","-195", "REG_SZ"
WSHShell.RegWrite path & "Shell Icon Size","32", "REG_SZ"

WSHShell.RegWrite path & "SmCaptionFont","F5,FF,FF,FF,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,\90,01,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,4D,00,69,00,\63,00,72,00,6F,00,73,00,6F,00,66,00,74,00,20,00,\53,00,61,00,6E,00,73,00,20,00,53,00,65,00,72,00,\69,00,66,00,00,00,F0,77,00,20,14,00,00,00,00,10,\80,05,14,00,F0,1F,14,00,00,00,14,00", "REG_BINARY"
WSHShell.RegWrite path & "SmCaptionHeight","-225","REG_SZ"
WSHShell.RegWrite path & "SmCaptionWidth","-225","REG_SZ"

WSHShell.RegWrite path & "StatusFont","F5,FF,FF,FF,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,\BC,02,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,4D,00,69,00,\63,00,72,00,6F,00,73,00,6F,00,66,00,74,00,20,00,\53,00,61,00,6E,00,73,00,20,00,53,00,65,00,72,00,\69,00,66,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,\00,00,00,00,7C,6B,E8,77,00,00,00,00", "REG_BINARY"

path= "HKCU\Control Panel\Desktop\"
WSHShell.RegWrite path & "Wallpaper","","REG_SZ"

path= "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Desktop\Components\"
WSHShell.RegWrite path & "GeneralFlags", "00000000", "REG_DWORD"


path="HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Desktop\General"
WSHShell.RegWrite path & "BackupWallpaper","","REG_SZ"
WSHShell.RegWrite path & "Wallpaper","","REG_SZ"
WSHShell.RegWrite path & "WallpaperFileTime","00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00", "REG_BINARY"
WSHShell.RegWrite path & "WallpaperLocalFileTime","00,28,A1,53,C5,FF,FF,FF", "REG_BINARY"

WSHShell.RegWrite "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Streams\Desktop\" &_
"Taskbar", "0C,00,00,00,08,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,\B0,E2,2B,D8,64,57,D0,11,A9,6E,00,C0,4F,D7,05,A2,\22,00,1C,00,0A,01,00,00,1A,00,00,00,01,00,00,00,\00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,4C,00,00,00,\01,14,02,00,00,00,00,00,C0,00,00,00,00,00,00,46,\81,00,00,00,10,00,00,00,A0,D8,24,4A,17,C6,C2,01,\58,2F,F7,A2,AD,03,C3,01,28,A8,F5,A2,AD,03,C3,01,\00,10,00,00,00,00,00,00,01,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,\00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,16,01,14,00,1F,50,E0,4F,\D0,20,EA,3A,69,10,A2,D8,08,00,2B,30,30,9D,19,00,\23,43,3A,5C,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,\00,00,00,00,00,31,84,2E,00,31,00,00,00,00,00,43,\2E,D8,AC,30,00,44,6F,63,75,6D,65,6E,74,73,20,61,\6E,64,20,53,65,74,74,69,6E,67,73,00,44,4F,43,55,\4D,45,7E,31,00,23,00,31,00,00,00,00,00,81,2E,3D,\88,10,00,6D,6D,61,63,6C,61,63,68,6C,61,6E,00,4D,\4D,41,43,4C,41,7E,31,00,28,00,31,00,00,00,00,00,\39,2E,92,41,12,00,41,70,70,6C,69,63,61,74,69,6F,\6E,20,44,61,74,61,00,41,50,50,4C,49,43,7E,31,00,\21,00,31,00,00,00,00,00,C5,22,9D,91,10,00,4D,69,\63,72,6F,73,6F,66,74,00,4D,49,43,52,4F,53,7E,31,\00,29,00,31,00,00,00,00,00,D3,22,32,A6,10,00,49,\6E,74,65,72,6E,65,74,20,45,78,70,6C,6F,72,65,72,\00,49,4E,54,45,52,4E,7E,31,00,24,00,31,00,00,00,\00,00,DB,22,76,BA,10,00,51,75,69,63,6B,20,4C,61,\75,6E,63,68,00,51,55,49,43,4B,4C,7E,31,00,00,00,\60,00,00,00,03,00,00,A0,58,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,\74,65,63,68,77,6B,73,33,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,\14,2F,08,05,5F,FE,C3,44,BF,E8,75,48,E6,C7,9E,32,\CA,EB,9B,A2,0C,2F,D7,11,A0,40,00,10,5A,CA,FE,5E,\14,2F,08,05,5F,FE,C3,44,BF,E8,75,48,E6,C7,9E,32,\CA,EB,9B,A2,0C,2F,D7,11,A0,40,00,10,5A,CA,FE,5E,\10,00,00,00,05,00,00,A0,1A,00,00,00,A6,00,00,00,\00,00,00,00,08,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,F4,01,00,00,\01,00,00,00,07,00,00,00,4E,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,\40,00,32,00,63,02,00,00,3B,2E,43,7A,20,00,4C,61,\75,6E,63,68,20,49,6E,74,65,72,6E,65,74,20,45,78,\70,6C,6F,72,65,72,20,42,72,6F,77,73,65,72,2E,6C,\6E,6B,00,4C,41,55,4E,43,48,7E,31,2E,4C,4E,4B,00,\00,00,00,00,00,00,44,00,00,00,03,00,00,00,36,00,\32,00,A1,08,00,00,34,2E,81,BB,21,00,4C,61,75,6E,\63,68,20,4F,75,74,6C,6F,6F,6B,20,45,78,70,72,65,\73,73,2E,6C,6E,6B,00,4C,41,55,4E,43,48,7E,32,2E,\4C,4E,4B,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,3E,00,00,00,04,00,\00,00,30,00,32,00,22,06,00,00,64,2E,AE,98,20,00,\50,72,69,6D,61,6C,73,63,72,69,70,74,20,32,2E,32,\2E,6C,6E,6B,00,50,52,49,4D,41,4C,7E,31,2E,4C,4E,\4B,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,46,00,00,00,05,00,00,00,\38,00,32,00,A2,02,00,00,90,2E,A5,01,20,00,53,68,\6F,72,74,63,75,74,20,74,6F,20,43,6F,6C,6F,72,50,\69,63,2E,65,78,65,2E,6C,6E,6B,00,53,48,4F,52,54,\43,7E,31,2E,4C,4E,4B,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,4C,00,\00,00,00,00,00,00,3D,00,32,00,68,00,00,00,90,2E,\40,02,20,00,53,68,6F,72,74,63,75,74,20,74,6F,20,\4D,69,63,72,6F,73,6F,66,74,20,4F,75,74,6C,6F,6F,\6B,2E,6C,6E,6B,00,53,48,4F,52,54,43,7E,33,2E,4C,\4E,4B,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,4C,00,00,00,06,00,\00,00,3D,00,32,00,68,00,00,00,90,2E,2C,02,20,00,\53,68,6F,72,74,63,75,74,20,74,6F,20,4D,79,20,4E,\65,74,77,6F,72,6B,20,50,6C,61,63,65,73,2E,6C,6E,\6B,00,53,48,4F,52,54,43,7E,32,2E,4C,4E,4B,00,00,\00,00,00,00,00,00,3A,00,00,00,01,00,00,00,2C,00,\32,00,4F,00,00,00,3B,2E,46,7A,20,00,53,68,6F,77,\20,44,65,73,6B,74,6F,70,2E,73,63,66,00,53,48,4F,\57,44,45,7E,31,2E,53,43,46,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,\29,01,00,00,E0,06,00,00,00,00,00,00,16,00,00,00,\00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,16,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,\01,00,00,00,01,00,00,00,AA,4F,28,68,48,6A,D0,11,\8C,78,00,C0,4F,D9,18,B4,11,02,00,00,E0,04,00,00,\00,00,00,00,16,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,\16,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,01,00,00,00", "REG_BINARY"


I hope you find this post helpful. Please let me know if it was.

Regards,

Mark

 

[qtin]

This is a snip from our custom ADM template we use to do this. We have a MSI that drops the BMP in c:\winnt and then the policy enfores the BMP as the backgound. This is outside the normal group policy settings in the registry so if the policy is removed this setting will stay.

You also need to turn off the filter to only view policy settings that can be fully managed.

;;;;;;;;;;;;
CLASS USER;;
;;;;;;;;;;;;

;Sets the desktop wallpaper
CATEGORY "XXX"
POLICY "Set desktop wallpaper"
KEYNAME "Control Panel\Desktop"
EXPLAIN !!WallpaperExplanation
PART "Wallpaper bitmap filename" EDITTEXT
VALUENAME "Wallpaper"
REQUIRED
DEFAULT "C:\WINNT\XXX.bmp"
END PART
END POLICY
END CATEGORY

[Strings]
WallpaperExplanation = "If enabled, the specified wallpaper is used.\n\nIf disabled or not configured, the user's specified wallpaper is used."

 

[qtin]

BTW - You don't need Active Desktop on for what we do.

 

[markdmac]

The problem with the Active Desktop settings or any other desktop settings when pushed via GPO is that you need to have all of the workstations be the same. If a desktop has Active Desktop turned On or Off and you don't specify what you want it to be explicitly, then the GPO may not get applied as expected since it won't be changing that mode.

We had problems with this when setting wallpaper.

I hope you find this post helpful. Please let me know if it was.

Regards,

Mark