Windows XP Home Edition - Desktop Background >> Please please help

Hi. I have always used the Desktop Background feature of my laptop to display
various pictures. I always change the pictures via the My Computer > Control
Panel > Appearence & Themes > Change the Desktop Background route. I browse
which picture I want, apply and OK it and it works fine. However, since
yesterday it has suddenly stopped working. It no longer saves my choice when
I log out if I can select it! The pre-installed themes work fine but pictures
from My Documents > My Pictures no longer work. The picture is displayed on
the tab but not on the screen. I can sometimes get the picture to come up on
my desktop but only by playing about with the colour drop down box. A Please
Wait dialogue appears and the screen colour phases and it sometimes displays
the picture, but again it won't save and just returns to a plain coloured
screen when I log back in. I have tried a system restore but that has not
sorted it. I don't know why it's suddenly stopped working as I have not
played with anything or done anything different.
Please please help!
Thank you kindly,
Keiron.

I've never tried changing the picture using the Appearence & Themes applet.

Can you get it to change this way?
Right-Click on an empty area of your desktop and select Properties.
From the Display Properties, Select the Desktop tab and click "Browse..." to
find the picture you want to use as your background. After selecting your
picture, hit Apply.

Does this work? If so, something has changed with your Appearence & Themes
applet. I can't imagine what, though.

"Keiron" wrote:

> Hi. I have always used the Desktop Background feature of my laptop to display
> various pictures. I always change the pictures via the My Computer > Control
> Panel > Appearence & Themes > Change the Desktop Background route. I browse
> which picture I want, apply and OK it and it works fine. However, since
> yesterday it has suddenly stopped working. It no longer saves my choice when
> I log out if I can select it! The pre-installed themes work fine but pictures
> from My Documents > My Pictures no longer work. The picture is displayed on
> the tab but not on the screen. I can sometimes get the picture to come up on
> my desktop but only by playing about with the colour drop down box. A Please
> Wait dialogue appears and the screen colour phases and it sometimes displays
> the picture, but again it won't save and just returns to a plain coloured
> screen when I log back in. I have tried a system restore but that has not
> sorted it. I don't know why it's suddenly stopped working as I have not
> played with anything or done anything different.
> Please please help!
> Thank you kindly,
> Keiron.