Solved Unable to change desktop wallpaper or select a theme

Oaks56

New Member
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6
Windows 8 pro upgrade, clean install.

My desktop is stuck on a flower with a sky blue background and I'm unable to change it. I've searched online for ideas, tried everything I've found but nothing has yet allowed me to change it.
When I try either selecting another wallpaper or scene, nothing changes when I select "apply".
Even if I select a picture, r click and select it as making it my desktop, still won't change.

Not sure if it matters but this is on an older Dell Vostro 1000 and the max resolution is 1024x768 so can't go "high contrast" with it.

Any ideas?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
Same here. Windows 8 Pro upgrade, clean install. Exact same problem. Different screen res though - 1366 x 768.

Every time I change a theme or save a new one, in less than a second it gets back to "Unsaved theme". Any changes to the unsaved theme simply won't take effect. I've heard some people had the same issue with Win7, but it never happened to me. I wonder if it is happening to a lot of people. I'll keep trying and if I find anything I'll post the solution.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro 64 bits and Fedora 17
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo G550
    Memory
    4GB
    Internet Speed
    10 Mbps
I was really hoping that Windows 8 wouldn't suck, but sadly...
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Demension E520
    CPU
    Pentium D 3.40GHz
    Memory
    6.00 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI Radeon HD 5570
I did a clean install with the Windows 8 Upgrade too. I had the same experience with the themes not working. When I checked in the Computer Properties Windows 8 was not activated. When I attempted to activate it told me the Key was invalid.

Soooooooooooo...

I did a clean install of Windows 7 and then ran the upgrade. Windows 8 was activated automatically and everything worked fine then.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro x64
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Toshiba Satellite L305D
    CPU
    AMD Athlon X2 Dual Core QL-62 2.00 GHz
    Motherboard
    Toshiba
    Memory
    4 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI Radeon 3100
    Sound Card
    Integrated Realtek audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    15.6" LCD
    Screen Resolution
    1200 x 800
    Hard Drives
    500 GB WD 7200 RPM
    PSU
    n/a
    Case
    n/a
    Cooling
    n/a
    Keyboard
    n/a
    Mouse
    Logitech M305
    Internet Speed
    20.79 Mbps
Interesting. As for making it activated w/o re-doing your old OS, I found this trick and it worked. My PC says it's activated now (didn't before I did what's below):

Windows 8 Upgrade: clean install possible?

Have to be logged in as administrator but I found that answer, was easy.
How to Run Cmd as Administrator in Windows 8


Activate Windows 8 Pro Upgrade

Windows 8 users who noticed that the operating system can’t be activated after the installation may want to try the following workaround that worked to activate when installing Windows 7 using an upgrade on a clean PC.

  • Open regedit by pressing Windows-q, entering regedit and selecting the result from the list of hits.
  • Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Setup/OOBE/
  • Change MediaBootInstall from 1 to 0
  • Go back to the start screen and enter cmd there.
  • Right-click Command Prompt and select to run it as administrator.
  • Type slmgr /rearm on the command line and hit enter.
  • Reboot Windows now.
  • Run the activation utility afterwards, enter your product key to activate Windows.
I’m interested in your Windows 8 installation experience. How did you install the operating system and what was your experience? Did you run into any issues?



Maybe we should try contacting that guy and tell him about the wallpaper/theme issue?

I left a comment there (OK, 2 because I didn't see the first one, LOL).
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
Interesting. As for making it activated w/o re-doing your old OS, I found this trick and it worked. My PC says it's activated now (didn't before I did what's below):

Windows 8 Upgrade: clean install possible?

Have to be logged in as administrator but I found that answer, was easy.
How to Run Cmd as Administrator in Windows 8


Activate Windows 8 Pro Upgrade

Windows 8 users who noticed that the operating system can’t be activated after the installation may want to try the following workaround that worked to activate when installing Windows 7 using an upgrade on a clean PC.

  • Open regedit by pressing Windows-q, entering regedit and selecting the result from the list of hits.
  • Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Setup/OOBE/
  • Change MediaBootInstall from 1 to 0
  • Go back to the start screen and enter cmd there.
  • Right-click Command Prompt and select to run it as administrator.
  • Type slmgr /rearm on the command line and hit enter.
  • Reboot Windows now.
  • Run the activation utility afterwards, enter your product key to activate Windows.

When I first installed Windows 8 it wasn't properly activated. It worked, but I couldn't configure it. I tried to contact Microsoft, but it was useless.

I found the instructions you posted here. Windows stopped asking for a key, but still I couldn't configure my desktop (This was when I found this thread and replied).

I just took my Windows 8 installation CD, ran a system recovery (or whatever it is called in English, my Windows is in Portuguese), and... IT WORKED PERFECTLY.

So.. try your installation CD option to repair Windows. It worked for me, BUT it will remove all your data.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro 64 bits and Fedora 17
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo G550
    Memory
    4GB
    Internet Speed
    10 Mbps
Update: Today it's working! Can change wallpaper and themes too and I didn't do anything. Go figure? Maybe it just takes some time after being activated?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
I just took my Windows 8 installation CD

This is the upgrade version burned onto a DVD (or USB jump drive) for $40? I assume you mean doing a repair installation off that?

Yes, the upgrade version burned to a DVD.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro 64 bits and Fedora 17
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo G550
    Memory
    4GB
    Internet Speed
    10 Mbps
Hi
Im Tweakfiend
Who posted the wallpaper / theme reset error
Tried Oaks 56 reg reset method
Reg screens says " you have successfully set your registration" then shows error message on pressing ok to exit
Will this now reset in a day or 2 or has it failed ??
So.....
I had installed with 8 Upgrade Pro from scratch with clean installation on Oracle Virtual Box
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 64 bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Self built
    CPU
    I5 Intel Pentium 2500K
    Motherboard
    Asus P8P67 Rev 3.1
    Memory
    Kingston 16 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    AMD H7700 1GB
    Sound Card
    Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    AOC 18"
    Screen Resolution
    1680 x1050
    Hard Drives
    5 Samsung /Hitachi drives ...inc 2 external backups
    2 TB total
    PSU
    850 watts OCZ
    Case
    ICute Silver
    Cooling
    BE Quiet Dark Rock Advanced Overclocker Heatsink
    Keyboard
    Wireless MSoft 6000
    Mouse
    Wireless car non Microsoft
    Internet Speed
    60 Meg
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