When I “image” a computer using a Task Sequence, I want new users to have a default custom desktop image. They should have the option to change it, so I do not want to use Group Policy. I also can’t use the user side of a GPO with Loopback, so setting the Windows Theme and/or a login script is not an option.
That said, what I have been doing for the last few years is renaming the normal default desktop image at %systemroot%WebWallpaperWindowsimg0.jpg and then dropping in the custom image with that original name. That has worked well (and continues to work).
Windows feature upgrades have recently started breaking that model. I run the same rename/replace script as part of the upgrade TS, and when it is done, the correct files sit where they should. However, the desktop background for any user is the default, “blue-light window” picture. The settings window will show a mini version of what I expect to see, but the actual desktop is of the default image. This is true for existing profiles and for new profiles. They point to the custom image, but use the Windows image (from some hidden, unknown source).
Clearly, Microsoft is doing something funky, and I can’t resolve it. Thus, I figured I have to use a different method of setting a default, custom desktop image.
I am already loading, modifying and unloading the DefaultNTUSER.DAT file in order to set some other default options, so I just added an additional line:
REG LOAD HKLMDefaultUser %SystemDrive%UsersDefaultNTUSER.DAT
REG ADD "HKLMDefaultUserControl PanelDesktop" /v "Wallpaper" /d "%ProgramData%MySettingsCustomDesktop.jpg" /t REG_SZ /f
:: other adjustments
REG UNLOAD HKLMDefaultUser
That works in that after the TS is done, the DefaultNTUSER.DAT file does have the correct path to the custom image, however users have the default path, C:WindowsWebWallpaperWindowsimg0.jpg in their HKCUControl PanelDesktop Wallpaper registry key. All the other adjustments to the default registry file remain for new profiles, but not that one.
This shouldn’t be that hard! And, someone else must be doing this!
What is the “trick”?
Thanks.
