Desktop picture lost

About a year ago, my wife (she has a G4 aluminum PB 1.33 GHz, 10.3.9) had a desktop picture of our son that originally came from an iChat session. I believe, but I'm not sure, that a screen shot was made of it (can't think how else I could have created a pic. of it) and it became her desktop picture. At some point I went into System Prefs>Desktop & Screensaver and intended to add more pics. to rotate and accidently deleted that pic. It's been gone ever since. I searched all the picture folders in the window and also searched (Find) "Desktop" and "iChat" with no luck. Any idea where the original of the pic. might be?

You can't delete photos from the Desktop & Screen Saver section of System Preferences. The only way to do that is to go to the folder where those pictures were saved and delete it from there.
So, we'll assume for the sake of argument that they were in the Desktop Pictures folder, which is in /Library/Desktop Pictures. Look in there for it or another sub folder you might have chosen. If it's not there, then it's gone forever unless you have a backup somewhere.
Mulder

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Corrupted? Desktop picture lost forever?

I have a problem since installing 10.6.7. My 'desktop' background image must have become corrupted. Prior to the 10.6.7 installation I had a small image surrounded by a colour (selected from colors panel). Since the installation I have only the Apple star wars background (though all previous desktop contents remain.
Checking back through preferences > desktop, I see a large question mark in the well which usually contains a miniature of the desk top screen. This '?' will not allow itself to be clicked and dragged to destruction. But … all the standard Apple offerings and most of the iPhotos can still be used as the desktop background and their transfer to the well removes the '?' - only a few of the images (all Jpeg, I notice), produce the '?'
Strangely, the original desktop background can still be seen in the iPhoto collection … but the moment I try to transfer it, the '?' appears in the well.
Ideally I need to be able to get rid of the '?' before anything else. Can anyone advise?

Right click produces 'show file' and when selected, a blank finder window opens. Zilch!
Which is the key piece of information. Iphoto has lost this photograph, and so it cannot share it with the Desktop.
Try these in order - from best option on down...
1. Do you have an up-to-date back up? If so, try copy the library6.iphoto file from the back up to the iPhoto Library (Right Click -> Show Package Contents) allowing it to overwrite the damaged file.
2. Download iPhoto Library Manager and use its rebuild function. This will create a new library based on data in the albumdata.xml file. Not everything will be brought over - no slideshows, books or calendars, for instance - but it should get all your albums and keywords back.
Because this process creates an entirely new library and leaves your old one untouched, it is non-destructive, and if you're not happy with the results you can simply return to your old one.
3. If neither of these work then you'll need to create and populate a new library.
To create and populate a new *iPhoto 08* library:
Note this will give you a working library with the same Events and pictures as before, however, you will lose your albums, keywords, modified versions, books, calendars etc.
In the iPhoto Preferences -> Events Uncheck the box at 'Imported Items from the Finder'
Move the iPhoto Library to the desktop
Launch iPhoto. It will ask if you wish to create a new Library. Say Yes.
Go into the iPhoto Library (Right Click -> Show Package Contents) on your desktop and find the Originals folder. From the Originals folder drag the individual Event Folders to the iPhoto Window and it will recreate them in the new library.
When you're sure all is well you can delete the iPhoto Library on your desktop.
In the future, in addition to your usual back up routine, you might like to make a copy of the library6.iPhoto file whenever you have made changes to the library as protection against database corruption.
Regards
TD

Lost the ability to resize desktop pictures

I have just recently used onyx to do my general maintenance cleaning. After I restarted my computer I went into system pref. to change my desktop picture and found that I no longer have the option to choose Fill Screen, Stretch to Fill Screen, Center or change the background color. The box where these options normally used to be is now gone and there is only a blank space, as if it was never there. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
MacBook Pro 2.33 GHZ Mac OS X (10.4.9)

HI Patric and Welcome to Apple Discussions.
If you hadn't posted this question I wouldn't have known my Sys Prefs/Desktop Pictures options have also disappeared. All it shows is the name of the photo and the size. Patric, you indicated that you are running 10.4.9 but did you by chance update to the 10.4.10 yet? That could be the glitch.
In the meantime I hope someone else has some suggestions....
Carolyn

When I opened iphoto this morning all my photos since April 2013 are gone. My desktop picture is still current but I can't find my pictures.

When I opened iphoto this morning all my photos since April 2013 are gone. My desktop picture is still current but I can't find my pictures.

Apply the two fixes below in order as needed:
Fix #1
1 - launch iPhoto with the Command+Option keys held down and rebuild the library.
iPhoto 8 (09) and earlier- run the options indicated
iPhoto 9 (11) and later- run Option #4 to rebuild the database
Fix #2
Using iPhoto Library Manager to Rebuild Your iPhoto Library
1 - download iPhoto Library Manager (iPhoto 8 or earlier or IPhoto 11 and later) and launch.
2 - click on the Add Library button and select the library you want to add in the selection window..
3 - Now that the library is listed in the left hand pane of iPLM, click on your library and go to the
File ➙ Rebuild Library (iPhoto 8 or earlier)
or
Library ➙ Rebuild Library (iPhoto 9 or later)
menu option to rebuild the library. Select the checkbox to include orphaned photos.
4 - In the next window name the new library and select the location you want it to be placed.
5 - Click on the Create button.
Note: This creates a new library based on the LIbraryData.xml file in the library and will recover Events, Albums, keywords, titles and comments. However, books, calendars, cards and slideshows will be lost. The original library will be left untouched for further attempts at fixing the problem or in case the rebuilt library is not satisfactory.

Desktop Pictures missing in preferences but not in Library...

When I go to change my desktop picture in system preferences and I click on a folder (like "nature" or "abstract"), the pics in that category do not appear and the preview screen stays blank. I checked and the files are still under Library->Desktop Pictures and I can select them from there if a add a new folder to the system preferences desktop pics list. The problem is that this should not be happening... anyone have a fix?

Not a fix but something I found out the hard way.. When I use quartz images that do not have the same size as my desktop and I scale them to fit my desktop size my graphics in general give trouble. Screen savers that will not run in test mode. Screen savers running black in the background, Photo Booth issues. Depth of the screen is reduced. If you use custom desktop pictures don't resize them to fit your screen, center them or just have them full screen. They somehow don't scale well.
Message was edited by: CodLBi

Only Desktop Picture on TV

I connect my macbook pro to my tv using the mini dvi connector and vga/svga cable, and all i see on my tv is the desktop picture. How can I watch a movie or actually see everything else from my macbook on my tv?

When you plug in any monitor, by default it acts like a second computer monitor...an extension of your desktop. If it's blank, you probably haven't put anything there yet. I'm sure if you dragged something over to the second monitor, like the DVD Player window, it would not be blank anymore.
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10.9.3 on iMac 27", dock displays near middle of screen, desktop picture isn't covering whole desktop. Anyone else having this annoying glitch?

Hello Everyone.
I upgraded an iMac 27" (3.4 Ghz, Intel Core i7, 3TB fusion) from Mac OS X 10.8.6., to Mac OS X 10.9.3 a few days back.
Ever since then, the 2nd user to login on a given day, gets the dock displayed near the middle of the screen. It still interacts OK (e.g. you can launch applications from there), but it is not in it's correct location. The desktop picture (in this case, a shade of solid dark grey), only covers the smaller desktop area (up to where the Dock is). The remaining area of the screen automatically gets a 'light grey' background colour.
So person A logs in, no problem. But when person B comes along (with perosn A still logged in), the user logins, and they get this 'chopped of' version of the screen, with the dock mid-screen. (See screenshot attached).
The users can still click on any dock icons, and the applications will open up. But the dock won't return to it's original home, and refuses to 'jump' back to their proper home (at the bottom of the screen).
I've tried using CSCREEN to change the resolution at startup, via a terminal command and Automator, but that only works on some occasions. Others (like the attached screenshot) boot with the two-colour background, and 'confused' dock. A manual screen resolution change in the Settings area (down and then back up again), resolves the issue for that boot.
I've tried stripping back all non-essential plug-ins, tried removing a variety of start-up items, add-ons etc. I've tried creating a 'test' account, and the same issues appear to this account too.
Is it just me, or are others having problems with a misbehaving dock / screen resolution, in Mac OS X 10.9.3 / on an iMac 27"?
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D.

Hi folks.
I found a solution...Looks like the Dock is the culprit it's self. So, I made an automator app that I fire up automatically at login time. The automator app runs a shell script command:
killall Dock
(make sure you have a capital D on Dock)
The Dock gets closed off, and it then re-opens in the correct spot (bottom of the screen -- not the middle of the screen). Hope this helps someone else!
Enjoy.

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Did you download the PC version? There is no DOS in OSX.
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I am looking for an app that will allow me to change the times on my desktop pictures

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How do I change my Desktop Picture to a solid color?

Hello folks, I'm trying to change my desktop picture to a solid black color in Leopard. How do I do that? I went into the desktop preferences under System Preferences but under solid colors, they do not have black. And I have no idea how to add more colors to the few selections there. Can someone help me out please? Thank you.

http://www.slashdotdash.net/articles/2006/12/19/mac-os-x-desktop-black-backgroun d-wallpaper
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I updated my Macbook, and All of my apple desktop pictures were deleted. How can I get them back?, I updated my Macbook, and All of my apple desktop pictures were deleted. How can I get them back?

I updated my Macbook, and All of my apple desktop pictures were deleted. How can I get them back?, I updated my Macbook, and All of my apple desktop pictures were deleted. How can I get them back?

Oh!
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Failing that, you can retrieve the folder from your original installer disc using Pacifist.
Insert the disc (don't boot from it) and open the installer package with Pacifist. Navigate to the Desktop Pictures folder (might be a bit more fiddly to find in the package structure). When you find it, select the folder, right-click (or ctrl-click) and select 'install in default location' from the context menu.
Exit Pacifist and eject the disc.
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HOw do I change the desktop pictures on macbook air?

I simply can not change the desktop pictures on my macbook air. If anyone knows please help. Thanks.

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How do I change the desktop picture on *all* windows with Lion?

I'm sure I'm just missing a simple setting, but ... I changed the desktop background to something I found I thought I'd like, using right click/use as desktop background. Didn't like it. Went to System prefs to change it, and selected the Pond Reeds pic that comes preloaded with Lion. Great! Except it only changed it to that in one workspace. All the others still have the background I don't like, and going to each workspace, right clicking and choosing "change desktop picture" just shoots me back to the system prefs workspace and doesn't change anything. What's the right answer (It's an older MacBook Pro, but running Lion, just upgraded to it a few days ago.)

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Do Desktop Pictures live in a dedicated folder?

For some reason, I'm having trouble understanding where the various Desktop pictures I've used (which I see as a group of thumbnails whenever I select a new photo for the Desktop) actually reside.
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Thanks.

Niel wrote:
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Desktop picture on display

I have my Macbook Pro configured to change the desktop picture on login, and that works fine. However, I have it hooked up with the 24" cinema display, which will not ever change the image. It chooses one I select, but never changes it when I power down and up again.
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When you have multiple monitors each uses a different configuration. What you want to do is plug in your display then open Desktop and Screen Saver Preference pane in system preferences, make sure you are on the panel for the external display and then check the "Change picture:" and set for on logon. That should do it.

Desktop picture lost

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