How to Remotely Change Another User's Desktop Background Windows 10
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How do I remotely change the desktop wallpaper for an end-user. This is on request of another user who wants to annoy him because Red Sox won and the other guy is a Yankees fan who simply hates Red Sox. Can this be done without messing with the registry or messing up any other end-user settings or his original image?
Posted a somewhat of a How-to on this the other day {here} on spiceworks community.
If your an admin of the domain, it can be easily done.
Just need to set the Security Filter on the GPO to only affect the User and the Machine you want targeted.
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28 Replies
+1 for preparing for April Fool's Day as soon as possible. :-) I do not know the answer, buy would love to know how.
Not exactly what your after but you could:
get nircmd from http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/nircmd.html and run rundll32.exe %SystemRoot%\system32\shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL %SystemRoot%\system32\desk.cpl desk,@Themes /Action:OpenTheme /file:"c:\temp\theme\kitty.theme"
The real question is WHY would IT get involved.
That said... Way to go Sox!
There is a file location buried within the user's profile folders, but it's been quite some time since I have done this and I don't recall off of the top of my head. I'll follow up with the location if I get some time to locate it again today.
jcLAMBERT wrote:
The real question is WHY would IT get involved.
That said... Way to go Sox!
No reason .... I know that both of them are pretty cool guys and don't mind a little bit of fun myself. :)
Tim Good wrote:
Not exactly what your after but you could:
get nircmd from http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/nircmd.html and run rundll32.exe %SystemRoot%\system32\shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL %SystemRoot%\system32\desk.cpl desk,@Themes /Action:OpenTheme /file:"c:\temp\theme\kitty.theme"
Have you tried this before?
You could set a group policy that applies just to that user. Not sure how it would affect the recoverability of his current wallpaper, but it could work.
Just change it when he gets up.
starg33ker wrote:
Just change it when he gets up.
Ok .. hahaha ... that would be convenient.
starg33ker wrote:
Just change it when he gets up.
That isn't NEARLY McGuyver enough!
Mel9484 wrote:
starg33ker wrote:
Just change it when he gets up.
Ok .. hahaha ... that would be convenient.
Yeah I mean the dude has to take a whiz at some point.
;)
yep still the rage of a job site of ours.
Looks like in Windows 8.1 the user's specific wallpaper is here:
C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Themes\TranscodedWallpaper
I tried replacing this file with a different wallpaper, but no change. I haven't rebooted my computer or logged out and back in yet, though.
Why not change his login screen background...
http:/
BrandonNCPP wrote:
Why not change his login screen background...
http:// www.howtogeek.com/ 112110
I like that option as well, and it's quite easy to do, too
This is a great idea if you then put his Sox wallpaper on the requester.
Matt_P wrote:
This is a great idea if you then put his Sox wallpaper on the requester.
This would only be fair. :-)
MarkatCristoRey wrote:
You could set a group policy that applies just to that user . Not sure how it would affect the recoverability of his current wallpaper, but it could work.
but I would SO love to be there if it goes company wide :oP
I would do it via group policy and then make it so he can't just go and change it :-)
Stephen Smith (CES) wrote:
I would do it via group policy and then make it so he can't just go and change it :-)
Me thinkest someone my be "biased" in this discussion, judging from your display picture... ;-)
Know when to say when. Before you know it, someone else is going to want to pull a prank that they don't have the ability to do on their own. Then you keep getting roped into these things and it may make you seem more like a class clown than an IT pro.
Keep in mind that much of the access you have was granted and entrusted to you. Making light of it or over-weilding power might not be taken well by those in a higher pay scale.
Have fun but CYA too.
royterdw wrote:
Know when to say when. Before you know it, someone else is going to want to pull a prank that they don't have the ability to do on their own. Then you keep getting roped into these things and it may make you seem more like a class clown than an IT pro.
Keep in mind that much of the access you have was granted and entrusted to you. Making light of it or over-weilding power might not be taken well by those in a higher pay scale.
Have fun but CYA too.
Well said. Although this is an easy task with basically any scripting language and several programs. I would not condone it. It may come back on you if management hears about it. (Depends on your company)
Posted a somewhat of a How-to on this the other day {here} on spiceworks community.
If your an admin of the domain, it can be easily done.
Just need to set the Security Filter on the GPO to only affect the User and the Machine you want targeted.
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How to Remotely Change Another User's Desktop Background Windows 10
Source: https://community.spiceworks.com/topic/402438-desktop-wallpaper