PRB: Applications Cannot Change the Desktop Bitmap

ID: Q74366

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Win32 Software Development Kit (SDK)
Microsoft Windows Software Development Kit (SDK) versions 3.0, 3.1

SYMPTOMS

The desktop bitmap is not updated when an application updates the Wallpaper entry of the [Desktop] section of WIN.INI and then sends a WM_WININICHANGE message to the desktop window.

RESOLUTION

By design, there is no supported method for an application to dynamically change the desktop bitmap under Windows 3.0 and 3.1.

MORE INFORMATION

Please note that an application could accidentally (or maliciously) reference a desktop bitmap in a format that would GP fault the system. For additional information, please see the following article(s) in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q69292 : PRB: Video Driver GP Faults When Handling Large Bitmaps

Because the entry in WIN.INI has changed, this means that Windows will GP fault every time the user tries to start it in the future, making Windows no longer available.

In Windows 3.1, the application can call

SystemParametersInfo(SPI_SETDESKWALLPAPER,....)

which has safety checks built in.

Additional query words: WM_WININICHANGE WIN16SDK


Keywords          : kbNTOS kbSysSettings kbGrpUser kbWinOS 
Version           : 
Platform          : 
Issue type        : kbprb

Last Reviewed: March 7, 1999