Happy Birthday Mad!

Having a think about the wallpaper problem, do you use a default Windows background image or a personal image?

My Windows 7 desktop background was one I downloaded from the internet and right clicking on the image (saved in My Pictures) and selecting "set as wallpaper" worked fine after the update.

I have photos that I took on my desktop. I don't have just one selected as wallpaper. I think I always set mine up under "change the theme" and I have the photos change every half hour. Can you try changing the theme instead of setting as wallpaper?

Thanks for the birthday greetings

Jenny100
Thanks for that but when I did my “system restore” that particular update was removed and it didn’t make any difference.
[And it’s no longer available at the Windows Update site.]

Winx
I use all sorts of things as “wallpaper” by having them sit in my Pictures Library.
Screenshots from games, carefully vetted images I’ve simply downloaded from web sites, family photographs …. etc etc etc.
Whatever I fancied and put into the folder always worked fine as wallpaper.

Oldbroad
I know what you mean about using my own pictures with “changing the theme” but the same problem applies. The black background refuses to go away.

Draclvr
When my Son in Law has some spare time I'll pass the links you've provided on to him.
[There's no way I want to attempt any of that fiddling myself ]

It's SO ridiculous that Microsoft should take away this option. And I don't understand why they DID

Some of the people at sevenforums think Microsoft did it on purpose to force people onto Windows 10.
I think it's more likely that Microsoft just doesn't care about proper testing.
Which doesn't say much for their current level of support for any of their operating systems, including the "currently supported" Windows 10.

I hope your tech is able to fix your computer back to the way it was.

But if Microsoft did this on purpose, why didn't it affect everybody?

What they did on purpose was not bother to test their update properly.

And this isn't the first time their so-called updates for Windows 7 have caused problems -- both with messing up peoples' computers so they wouldn't boot and with actually compromising Windows 7 security instead of fixing it.

Thanks. I do know other updates have also caused problems at times.

Mad,
I hope your tech is able to fix the problem with your desktop soon.
If the solution turns out to be something simple (or relatively simple) I'd be curious to know what it was.

Since System Restore didn't fix the problem, I wondered whether a file had been damaged by the update, and whether running
sfc /scannow
from an Administrator prompt would fix it. (sfc is the system file checker)

Apologies if you've already tried this.

Hi Jenny100 and All

An actual "mind boggling happening" just happened !!!!

Earlier today, when I switched my Win7 computer on, I was once again looking at the horrible black desktop background.

But when I switched the machine on again a few moments ago and once all had fully booted, a little spinning circle came on screen for a few seconds - immediately followed by a small message box.
The box disappeared right away - before I had any chance to see whatever message might have been in it - but THEN the desktop background suddenly reverted to the picture that had been showing before it was wiped out by the Windows Update

What the heck enabled that I have absolutely no idea

But I'm very happy to be able to change wallpapers at will once more and wanted to share the good news right away. YAHOO !!!!

I hate those message boxes that disappear before you can see what they say but glad you are apparently back in business!

How strange!

Maybe the box was the useless message about Windows 7 not being "supported" anymore.

If you want to check if the message is listed in eventviewer, check this article:
*** Error Message Screen Disappears before you can read it ***

Hopefully your desktop is back for good.
Don't install any more "updates" for Windows 7.
Just take Windows 7 offline -- or at least disable the network card in Windows 7 through Device Manager.

Oh, good. I see Jenny has already suggested looking in Event Viewer. But I'm she's correct it was that dumb Windows 7 not supported message.

And, indeed, get that thing offline! It's perfect as it is!

Just my opinion but I don't think they would put that message in a small, quickly disappearing box. The day after support ended, I turned on my DIS-connected computer and received the full screen notice.

HAHA! Good point.
But keep in mind the update messed up Mad's desktop, so it obviously malfunctioned.

Ha, ha! So, you're saying they got right in your face and screamed at you!

Yes they did, and I had to manually close the screen. It did not close itself. And, I have seen those little black boxes before which is why I know I hate them. I'm always like "what was that?" "what's wrong?" and then I worry about it (and never find out what it was).

Ccleaner is still at it, too !! Adverts are showing permanently now

I'm not following what you mean about Ccleaner

I don't get it either? What advertisements are permanent?

For months now they have been constantly pushing the sale of the "paid for" version. It's become a fixture in the bottom right hand corner of the opening screen.

And at bottom left is the now daily promotion of a version for mobiles, etc.

Aren't you seeing these ??

No. I turned off CCleaner running in the background entirely. I got one initially and declined it and then never saw it again. I also disabled it in the Options/Updates setting.

Hm. I do have Ccleaner installed on Windows 7 but don't really use it. I'm sure I get ads about it being out of date but not sure about anything else.

I don't have Ccleaner running in the background. It's "installed" but I just use it as and when I wish

I thought you meant you were getting the popup all the time. If you don't want to see the ads, just go into Options and turn them off.