Windows Server 2003 logon wallpaper - can't find stretch.

[FN-GM]

Hi

 

I am setting our custom wallpaper on our servers so its easy finding them with the KVM. i have set the wallpaper by going into the registry but I need to stretch them and I can't locate it in Windows Server 2003.

 

Any thoughts?

 

Z

[6Foot2]

As you can see from one of my servers' displays I have a similar situaltion. I am not aware of having set options in Active Directory [is this a possible answer for you?]

 

What I do know however is that the servers used to have Active Desktop on them and we could not make any changes. Could it be that you have Active Desktop, or a partial remnant of it, running on your servers also?

[ricki]

Why don't you use bginfo and run it as a script on all computers at startup you can download it here and it just works.

 

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/utilities/bginfo.mspx

 

Richard

[FN-GM]

Becuase we use all the same wallpapers so we want to carry on with this...

 

@DaveP its for the ctrl + Alt + Delete screen.

 

Z

[Guest]

Just make a copy and resize it for the server res

[Heebeejeebee]

..... BGInfo can set the 'logon' wall paper as well.

 

There's a reg setting that does what you want:

 

HKEY_USERS/.default/ControlPanel/Desktop/WallpaperStyle - needs to be set to 2 for stretch from memory.

 

HBJB

[Heebeejeebee]

@DaveP

 

You might have to disable the Active Desktop policy in AD - that should reverse the settings if you had it enabled before and just clicked 'Not Configured' to turn it off.

 

HBJB

[FN-GM]

There's a reg setting that does what you want:

 

HKEY_USERS/.default/ControlPanel/Desktop/WallpaperStyle - needs to be set to 2 for stretch from memory.

 

HBJB

 

That’s what I usually do, but that value isn’t there in Windows Server 2003 but it is in XP, if i create it will it work then?

[Michael]

Out of curiosity are you trying to change display properties when using a Remote Desktop/Terminal Session? If so, you'll find some display properties will be greyed out.

 

Logging on locally at the server, you should have access to all display properties unless you have locked down policies in the domain controllers or default domain OUs.

[FN-GM]

I am doing it locally its not the display settings for the administrator user but the logon screen so you adjust that in the registry.

 

Z

[Heebeejeebee]

There's a reg setting that does what you want:

 

HKEY_USERS/.default/ControlPanel/Desktop/WallpaperStyle - needs to be set to 2 for stretch from memory.

 

HBJB

 

That’s what I usually do, but that value isn’t there in Windows Server 2003 but it is in XP, if i create it will it work then?

 

It's in my 2003 registry 'cos that's what I used to do before the days of BGInfo.

 

Create the key Maybe?

 

HBJB

[Joedetic]

SYSMAN_UK hit the nail on the head.

 

You'd save yourself a lot of hassle if you just use photoshop and make a decent sized one. Or even failing that get InfranView, open the version you've already got and use the resize feature to get a copy of the background that doesnt need stretching on the server.

 

Also if it's remote desktop you need to check your client options as to whether it's going to show backgrounds on remote connections.

[ricki]

We use the same wallpapers for all computers.

 

Create a folder in your netlogon folder on your server called bginfo

Create a logo.bmp at 800 x 600 and save it into the bginfo folder.

Copy the bginfo program into the bginfo folder.

Start the bginfo program and create a template with or with extra text to be diplayed. Set the option so that it creates the bmp in the temp directory. Set the option to stretch the image. Now save the bginfo file into the bginfo folder.

 

Look that the help file and find out the command line options to use the program and save this into a .bat file in the bginfo directory.

 

Its something like

 

\\servername\netlogon\bginfo.exe /timer:0 /i \\servername\netlogon\filename.bgi

 

Please check this I am doing this out of the top of my head

Test on a machine.

 

Once you have it correct. Place a logon script into the machine and the user logons to run the bat file.

 

What it does is uses your wallpaper to create a bmp in the tmp directory of the machine based on you original image that the computer sets as the wallpaper. If you get it to add extra information it adds that information to the tmp .bmp. If not it just uses the bmp you created as a wallpaper. If a user changes the wallpaper the next time they log on it resets it. I have locked down the policies to stop them changing the wallpaper at all but I dont remember off the top of my head where it did it.

 

This method just works and you can change the wallpaper for the entire school just by changing the .bmp file in the bginfo folder. No messing no fuss and no messing with the registry. It just works.

 

Richard

[FN-GM]

Ok i will look at the options tomorrow whilst I am at work.

 

Thanks

 

Z

[FN-GM]

Solved i added HKEY_USERS/.default/ControlPanel/Desktop/WallpaperStyle to the registery and made the value "2"

 

Z

[Heebeejeebee]

Solved i added HKEY_USERS/.default/ControlPanel/Desktop/WallpaperStyle to the registery and made the value "2"

 

Z

 

*cough*

 

HBJB

[FN-GM]

Heebeejeebee, I did know how to do it but i could find it in Server 2003 as it didn’t exist. It’s there in XP though. Since you re-assured me i was correct i made the addition to the registry. I didn't want to alter it if I wasn't sure. Didn't want to bugger up the servers now did I.

 

Thanks

 

Z