Windows 10: Custom default Wallpaper for new users after installation

Hey all, I know about the method for creating the default profile for users by sysprepping during the install but after installation how do I change the default wallpaper new users will see upon first login without using GPOs?

So far I've found the C:\Windows\Web\Wallpaper\Windows\img0.jpg file and replaced it with my company's wallpaper but then saw that new users were still getting a cached version of the default wallpaper. I saw the cached wallpaper location was under %AppData% and checked under the default profiles appdata and couldnt find any cached wallpaper setting there, and checked under where the lockscreen wallpaper is cached under C:\programdata\Microsoft\Windows\SystemData but couldnt find anything there either.

Thanks for any help!

:)

 

Windows 10 displays default wallaper with external monitor

I have a user that has windows 10 (standalone - no domain). She has an external monitor attached to her laptop. From time to time, the wallpaper, with no rhyme or reason, will revert to the default windows wallpaper. If she closes the lid of the laptop then
opens it again, it comes back, only to revert back to the default after a time.

The OS is installed via MDT. During the build phase, until you activate Windows, you cannot display the custom wallpaper. If you connect an external monitor, it displays the custom wallpaper, but still disallows customization until you activate. I have confirmed
that you must activate before you can set the wallpaper, but I find it odd that closing the lid displays it.

windows is actiavted if you are wondering - just stating the anomaly...

Any ideas on why the wallpaper craps out, but comes back? Pretty frustrating......

 

My Samsung Focus Flash freezes sometimes when I get a text message...are Microsoft and Samsung aware of the issue and working to repair it?

I've tryed with default wallpaper (no customizations after a hard reset) and the problem remained. You are lucky, I guess.

 

The wallpaper new local users will see when their accounts are created and they sign in first time will most definitely be the one set in Audit Mode if the COPYPROFILE component in answer file is set to TRUE.

This also applies to those Microsoft account users who have disabled theme sync. MS account users with theme sync enabled will always see their own synced wallpaper when account is first time signed in.

All MS account synced settings replace any customizations made to the default profile.

If your local users will not see the company wallpaper, you have done something wrong.

 

Sorry I should have worded that better. I meant that while I know of that method to change the users desktop in Audit Mide, I am looking for a way to change the default desktop users will see if Windows 10 is already installed on the machine.

Thanks

 

OK.

Have you tried the workaround described in this article: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/977944 (scroll down until you find title Workaround).

 

The value that is in that registry entry is the correct one that is leading to the correct image, but there is a cached version of the previous image that is being displayed whenever a new user logs on to the machine.

Thanks,

 

I am quite sure this would work, although it involves a bit more work. If you give it a go, please realize you do it at your own risk. I would test it first on a technician machine. The procedure is based on the fact that you can sysprep an existing Windows installation.

• Boot to Audit Mode with command %windir%\system32\sysprep\sysprep /audit /reboot in an elevated Command Prompt
• Customize the default user profile as you wish (theme, background, screensaver, File Explorer view settings, icon settings and spacing and so on)
• Create a simple answer file to copy customizations to the default user profile:

Code: <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend"> <settings pass="specialize"> <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"> <CopyProfile>true</CopyProfile> </component> </settings> <cpifflineImage cpi:source="wim:X:/sources/install.wim#Windows 10 Pro" xmlns:cpi="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:cpi" /> </unattend>[/quote] Change the following details if needed (see the parts in red in above code):

• The value of variable ProcessorArchitecture must be "amd64" if you are installing a 64 bit Windows regardless of if you have an Intel or AMD processor, and "x86" if you are installing a 32 bit Windows
• The value in CopyProfile tags must be True if you want the customizations to be copied to default user profile
• On the last line of code, change the location of Windows 10 install media. In this example the media is on drive X:
• Following the install media location, separated with #, see that you have the Windows version correctly (Windows 10 HOME, PRO, EDUCATION or ENTERPRISE)

Save the answer file to C:\Windows\System32\Sysprep folder naming it unattend.xml. Now sysprep with command %windir%\system32\sysprep\sysprep /generalize /oobe /reboot in an elevated Command Prompt.

From here on, all new user accounts will get the customized defaults. Notice that this will not affect already existing user accounts!

Seems complicated and involves some time and effort but it should work.

 

Thanks Kari!

I was thinking that audit mode could've only been ran during installation for some reason. It was a pain in all sorts of nether regions having to run a bunch of PS commands listed here (https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/2769827) to uninstall .Net packages installed only for the Administrator user to get it to work and then go through setup partially again but it worked and now I have a computer I can image so I wont have to go through this again so many more times.

Thanks again!