Removing an Image as Wallpaper

OK the issue isn't as simple as the post first off...
Trying to Fix a friends machine, at one point and time she had a picture of her now Ex as a desktop Background...
Now when she boots up the computer, it goes through the loading process, then right before the XP sign on screen the photo pops up for a few seconds.... I have no clue how to get rid of this, i looked through all the temp files and systems folder and i don't see anything.
Suggestions???

Thanks

 

Try a seach for each of these .jpg,.jpeg,.bmp,.png with hidden files enabled in the documents and settings folder.
drive:\Documents and Settings\user name\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft
Check the above path for all usernames also

 

try running Crap Cleaner on her machine

http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=4191

 

nope still there tried all three suggestions, and the damned thing is still there, got rid of lots of garbage .dll though. This is so goofy, any new suggestions?

 

and BUMP!!!

 

Long shot,try cleaning the prefetch folder.

 

Is it the logon screen or boot screen you are seeing?

 

This might work for you:

Old Wallpaper "flashes" at startup and exit

When you have a wallpaper set, but not Active Desktop, you only have the one
wallpaper that ever shows. Active Desktop, however, actually loads a bit
later (and closes a bit earlier) in the process than the original desktop.
So, what you are seeing is your non Active Desktop wallpaper before Active
Desktop loads, and then again after Active Desktop unloads.

How to get rid of the "old" one? One of the quickest ways I can remember is
to right click on the desktop, select properties, then select desktop.
Select NONE as the background. Reboot the computer. You should notice no old
wallpaper. Now, set your current wallpaper to whatever you want. BUT realize
that if you use a non Active Desktop wallpaper (usually means a bitmap, as
opposed to a JPG), then the next time you switch to one using the features
of Active Desktop, you are right back where you started.


Steve

 

Question for Matacumbie. Would this tweak get rid of it permanently?


Go to run, type regedit press ok.
when that comes up go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER>Control Panel>Desktop
Now find the orginalwallpaper, right click and select modify.
In the text box type the path to the file you want to be your orginal desktop wallpaper.

 

I would take the article/info exactly as suggested.

It's windows, what is permanent?

Steve

 

tried the lot still no luck, all the registry settings are point to a desired file but the same photo keepsw popping up. It appears after the boot screen, and before where the login screen would usually appear. Absolutely no clue why this is being so stubborn... Any other decent apps anyone knows that might help???

Thanks so much for the continued suggestions!

Chad

 

Does the wallpaper appear at all if you log on as a different user?

Empty your temp files. Clear your caches. Run CCleaner if you'd like.

Turn on Active Desktop and set your wallpaper to nothing. Restart. Go back in and Turn Active Desktop off and set your wallpaper to nothing. Restart.

Still no change? Try this:
Browse to C:\Windows\Web\Wallpaper. Make sure the offending image is not there. Also check in C:\Windows, C:\Windows\System32 and My Pictures.

Still nothing? Try this:
In regedit, browse to
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Desktop\General. Check the values Wallpaper and BackupWallpaper. Do they point to the offending image?

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Wallpaper\MRU. Export the MRU key to save it (I'm only 99% certain that these values aren't necessary... MRU means "Most Recently Used", however) and then delete all the values contained in MRU except Default.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Themes\LastTheme. Change the data of the Wallpaper value to nothing, or point it to another image.

 

Search for the photo, and delete it…….start, search, if xp use pictures, music, video and then use pictures, photos…..find the photo and delete it……….at next start, you’ll get the can’t find window…….wobbles

 

Also try editing C:\Documents and Settings\<your login id>\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows\Themes\Custom.theme (it's a text file). Look for Wallpaper= and change it to something more desireable.