How to Change the Desktop Background in Windows 7 Starter and Home Basic Editions
Information
By default the
Windows 7 Starter and
Windows 7 Home Basic editions do not include the
Personalization features such as
change desktop background,
Desktop Slideshow,
Screen Saver, and
Windows Color and Appearance.
This tutorial will show you how to add these features to the
Windows 7 Starter and
Windows 7 Home Basic editions.
By default, the
Windows 7 Home Basic edition will only allow you to change the desktop background by right clicking on a image and clicking on
Set as desktop background.
Tip
Warning
If you ever do a
in-place upgrade to another higher level edition of Windows 7 in the future, then be sure to uninstall this
Oceanis Change Background Windows 7 or
Personalization Panel program first to avoid incompatibility issues with it in the new edition of Windows 7. It was designed to only work in the Windows 7 Starter and Home Basic editions.
OPTION ONE
Using the "Oceanis Change Background Windows 7" Program
Note
This will show you how to download and use the program
Oceanis Change Background Windows 7 provided by Oceanis so that you can
change the desktop background with a optional
desktop slideshow (shuffle) in the Windows 7
Starter and
Home Basic editions.
If the Oceanis program is closed, then the desktop background goes with it. You will need to leave the Oceanis program running to keep the background.
- You must be using the Windows 7 Basic theme.
- If the Oceanis Change Background Windows 7 program no longer works properly after installing some Windows Updates, then uninstall and reinstall the Oceanis Change Background Windows 7 program to have it run properly again.
- If you get the black wallpaper in Windows 7 Starter and the above did not help, then also see if this solution by Foe may be a possible fix.
- Run a sfc /scannow command, and restart the computer afterwards. You may have some corrupted system files causing the background wallpaper to not display.
1. Click on the Download button below to download the Oceanis Change Background Windows 7 ZIP file provided by Oceanis, click on Save, and save it to your Desktop.
2. Open the downloaded ZIP file, select the Oceanis_Change_Background_W7.exe file, click on the Extract all files button. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: This is what you will see if you are using the default built-in ZIP handler in Windows 7 and not a 3rd party ZIP program.
3. Click on Extract. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: Make sure that it is extracting the Oceanis_Change_Background_W7.exe file to your desktop.
4. Run the Oceanis_Change_Background_W7.exe file.
NOTE: You will be prompted to restart the computer to finish installing this program.
5. When your computer restarts, you will see this as your desktop background. Click on the Oceanis Change Background Windows 7 shortcut to change your desktop background. (see screenshot below)
6. Browse to the images that you want to use and check (select) a image, or more than one image to have a desktop slideshow. Select the Picture position for how you want the images displayed, and any desktop slideshow settings if you selected more than one image. (see screenshots below)
NOTE: These options are just like the default ones in the other editions of Windows 7 here that are now being allowed by this program by Oceanis for the Windows 7 Starter edition.
7. When done, click on Save changes. (see screenshots above)
OPTION TWO
Using the "Personalization Panel" Program
Note
1. Download and install the Personalization Panel program at the Download link below.
NOTE: For more information about this program, see: Personalization Panel
2. When finished installing, you can now right click on the desktop and click on Personalization.
3. If prompted by UAC, then click on Yes.
4. From here you can select and set the Appearance and Personalization options you like. (see screenshot below)
5. Desktop Background
A) In Windows Starter
B) In Windows Home Basic
6. Windows Color
A) In Windows Starter
B) In Windows Home Basic
7. Sounds
A) This is the same Sounds settings as in the other editions of Windows 7.
8. Screen Saver
A) This is the same Screen Saver settings as in the other editions of Windows 7.
That's it,
Shawn
Desktop Background - Change in Windows 7 Starter 
