How to Retrieve the Desktop Wallpaper in Windows XP From Its Default Location

I have had quite a few customers who lost oryou have to change some settings. Since "Local
deleted the original picture for their wallpaper.Settings" and all of its subfolders, is kind of a
Windows caches and stores the picture in asystem folder, you most probably have it hidden
specific location. It converts it into .bmp formatby default. Open up Windows Explorer, click on
(which is the native picture format for theTools, Folder Options, View, tick "Show Hidden
Windows operating system) and puts it intoFiles and Folders", Untick "Hide Protected
C_Documents and Settings_username_LocalOperating System Files. Now you can browse
Settings_Application Data_Microsoft.your way to the wallpaper file.
Replace "username" with the account name youSome people might have their operating system
are logged into, copy the whole path (replace theon a different partition or a different hard drive. In
underscore with backslash), paste it into Windowsthis case you will need to browse the partition or
Explorer and hit "Enter". You will land up in a folderhard disk that contains the system files, that is,
where you will see a file called "wallpaper1.bmp".replace "C" with whatever drive letter your
This is the actual location and actual file thatoperating system is on and you should be fine. As
displays on your desktop.you can see it is not rocket science but it is
Another way is just to browse to the folder buttricky if you haven't dealt with this.