I have no idea when this occurred. I lost the onboard video a few weeks ago and installed an nVidea card. But that's about it. If I right click any image type in Windows, the above message does not appear in the context menu. If I right click an image within any browser, I get the option in the context menu.



I've searched and read most threads pertaining to this issue here, but none have helped. I'd wouldn't mind a SysRestore, but I don't know a date when this began don't want to go back so far that a number of installs/uninstalls would be affected.

Any help is appreciated.

Originally Posted by tanuj_chadha

In the RUN Box type in "regsvr32 shimgvw.dll" (Without the quotes).

Thanks for the response, tanuj_chadha. Upon running it I get the following:



Suggestions?

Unfortunately, I have the same problem as a result of a recent MS Windows Update on my media server.

I have fought all night to find the information to repair the missing Context Menu data, but after a dozen or more hits on admins complaining about 'locking down their users from being able to change backgrounds', and various work-arounds for how they accomplished locking users out of the Context Menu, or locking them out by group policy or other settings, I cannot find a single article telling me how to restore the Context Menu to where it has the simple 'Set as desktop background' command in the context menu, not a single person knows how to rebuild this command line either - although there are some nice videos on YouTube on how to custom build OTHER functions for custom Context Menus.

Even Microsoft only has a one-direction 'how to disable' tech article. Seems everyone expects you to disable it, but no one expects it to be destroyed by a hacker, bad program, or over-zealous Microsoft update, so they aren't going to tell you how to fix it. Great target for a virus or malicious program, that's for sure. Then again, that's PROBABLY how mine was blown away to begin with.

The solution you were given on reinitiating the DLL was for situations where you disabled the DLL to start with, and is part of the 'high school system administrator' method of disabling Context Menu background settings, once a group policy of a 'system-set' background is in place. If you didn't intentionally do this to your system, and you own and are the administrator of your system, then no person on earth has a fix for you, unless the famous 'reinstall your operating system' comment wasn't expected.

In my case, I'm just leaving the context menu dead, since microsoft doesn't care, I don't change my background that much, I am NOT reinstalling my operating system after I just reinstalled it 2-months ago due to another over-zealous 'security update' from Microsoft, and the subsequent 27-gb of programs on 112 disks that I have to repeat over an 11-hour timespan, just to accomplish the rebuild. It just isn't worth it.

If anyone DOES have the intelligence to know how to actually rebuild a command to allow me to replace the missing 'Set as Desktop Background' command, so that I can right-click a link in Windows Explorer, and send a jpg to the desktop as a wallpaper, please, reply. Obviously, everyone seems capable of destruction of systems - doesn't anyone know how to replace this handy menu item, without a lost-day reinstalling a menu item that is most-likely going to get wiped out after it once-again updates with the hundred or more 'Microsoft Security Updates' that destroyed it to begin with?

Originally Posted by markaz

Thanks for the response, tanuj_chadha. Upon running it I get the following:



Suggestions?

First, what browser are you using. Version?

Second, I'm not familiar with the contents of the Media Server. Does it have a control panel as you would find in Vista, 7 or 8?

Originally Posted by markaz

First, what browser are you using. Version?

Second, I'm not familiar with the contents of the Media Server. Does it have a control panel as you would find in Vista, 7 or 8?

I use the latest version of Google Chrome Browser, and Media Server (or Media Edition) was really nothing but a low volume issue version of Vista Home Premium, tweaked for TV and Media Center apps. I have not found any differences in the mechanics between the two, yet.

As for the issue, it exists in BOTH browser AND Windows Explorer. I have used a program (FreshDevices UI), much like the old TweakUI, to check the settings - all are as they should be. I still don't have three line items in my Context menu - they are PREVIEW, SET AS DESKTOP BACKGROUND and either ROTATE, RESTORE or NEW (not sure on that last one, had to go by the context menu on my wife's laptop, which is running 7 to figure out what was missing).

This happened in the last week, unfortunately, I had installed several program updates (Java, google, yahoo, silverlight, and the ever-popular 'Microsoft Security Update'). I don't browse porn, I don't install unknown programs from unknown sources, and it's been several years since I have encountered a virus. This specific system is about as 'clean' as you would want in a computer system - it is hardwired into our home and runs security, TV, radio, printer spool, home surround sound, and more. I would have expected this on my laptop a lot more likely than this old system, but all of our other computers are up and running fine (on Win7), but this one Vista machine has this Context Menu issue. Other than the missing items from the Context Menu, it is working fine.

Oh, did I mention that if you go to Windows Explorer, and right-click on any JPG and select OPEN from the Context Menu, that it will NOT open the JPG? I then point it to MICROSOFT PHOTO EDITOR, and it will open it once, but won't remember the setting to open it a 2nd time. I set it to use MICROSOFT PHOTO EDITOR as default JPG handler, and it won't accept it. I open Windows Explorer 'run as Administrator', and it still won't accept it.

No hits on AV - and am convinced that SOMETHING is quite possibly damaged in the Registry, but that is a domain that I don't fool with.

If is was me, I'd go into the Control Panel > Programs and Features. In the upper left hand portion of Programs and Features look for "View installed updates" and click on it. It should list that particular Microsoft Security update. Uninstall it and then check to see if Set As Background has returned to your context menu. If it has, shut off automatic updates from Microsoft and set it Updates available. You'll get a message pretty quick that the one you just uninstalled is available. JUST PASS ON IT.
As gar as the other updates, I don't think you can uninstall those to check if they're the culprits unless you manually install them and use a program like Revo Uninstaller to install the update. Good Luck.

BTW....what does Microsoft say the purpose and need of the update is/was?

Thanks for the comments. I already did your items, with no avail. It all started with a Netflix "can't play" prompt, an update check, and finding that Microsoft had released a major 170-mb update for security, photo viewer, live, and silverlight, all in one. It was the Silverlight update I needed to watch Netflix, so I installed it, and was when it all went downhill.

I've given up, moved 85-gb to a backpack drive, and going to do a complete system rebuild tonight-tomorrow. Probably time, anyhow.

GEESH, I hate Microsoft! It it wasn't on the media computer, I'd take it over to Linux.

Thanks for your help, though.

Originally Posted by markaz

If is was me, I'd go into the Control Panel > Programs and Features. In the upper left hand portion of Programs and Features look for "View installed updates" and click on it. It should list that particular Microsoft Security update. Uninstall it and then check to see if Set As Background has returned to your context menu. If it has, shut off automatic updates from Microsoft and set it Updates available. You'll get a message pretty quick that the one you just uninstalled is available. JUST PASS ON IT.
As gar as the other updates, I don't think you can uninstall those to check if they're the culprits unless you manually install them and use a program like Revo Uninstaller to install the update. Good Luck.

BTW....what does Microsoft say the purpose and need of the update is/was?

I'm really sorry that you've got to go this route, but I would do the same. Spent countless hours trying to find the registry entry that I could add to the registry (Yes, I don't mind tinkering with the registry) but I could not find nor would anyone give it up (at Microsoft). I started this thread and feel your pain. My solution was to take everything I could off the computer onto flash drives and format/re-install Vista. I also **** off ALL autoupdates from Mircrosoft and software companies that I had installed their programs and chose to be notified when updates were available. I only update what I think is absolutely necessary. Haven't had a problem since.

Good luck to you and the time you have to waste to correct something out of your control.

I had posted a potential fix here last night and today I find it is gone. I can't find the exact page again. this one is for XP but you could do a comparison with your registry to see if there's a potential problem due to registry entries-

Options to change wallpaper may be missing or unavailable on a Windows XP-based computer