When setting a picture as a desktop background

[Elderly Newt]

my friend has a picture as her background, but the original image has been deleted. she would like to have the original picture file. Since she still has it as her background, I can only assume windows must have saved it to another file. Does anyone know where this file is?

 

[Joemonkey]

If you go into display properties and the Desktop tab, what does it say the background image is?

 

[JCKC]

They are typically saved to the c:\windows folder as *.bmp (Windows Bitmap) files.

 

[JohnG86]

I found my desktop background is saved under C:\Documents and Settings\[USERNAME]\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Wallpaper1.bmp

 

[Elderly Newt]

Originally posted by: JohnG86
I found my desktop background is saved under C:\Documents and Settings\[USERNAME]\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Wallpaper1.bmp

nice find. thanks

 

[cw42]

Anyone know if Vista made the whole wallpaper thing less retarded than it has been for the last 10yrs? I just hate how you can't pick your own folder to put ur wallpapers in, they don't get saved to the list, and when you apply a new one - change ur mind - you have to browse out of some crazy folder on ur C drive.

(sry for rant)

 

[Deanodarlo]

Originally posted by: cw42
Anyone know if Vista made the whole wallpaper thing less retarded than it has been for the last 10yrs? I just hate how you can't pick your own folder to put ur wallpapers in, they don't get saved to the list, and when you apply a new one - change ur mind - you have to browse out of some crazy folder on ur C drive.

(sry for rant)

Windows XP uses any pictures it finds in "My Pictures" and automatically adds them to the backgrounds list. It's actually quite annoying - so much so I had to pull all my pictures out of their that I didn't want to use as backgrounds!

I agree though; I'd like certainly like the whole thing handled better.

As for where to look for the wallpaper, it can depend on the OS. Assuming it's XP, try the following folders:

http://windowsxp.mvps.org/background.htm

 

[bX510]

I think its annoying how you can't put any other folder on your start menu on the part for My Documents, Network, Pictures...

 

[spyordie007]

Vista has a dropdown that lets you select where you want to look at backgrounds from (it also has a browse button). My Pictures is still on the list, just not selected (or viewed) by default.