Win 10 GPO - this one will stump ya

[dbwillis]

OK, I havent been able to get this one resolved, neither have the architects that I asked to create this GPO.

I have a set of machines, about 30, running Win 10 enterprise 64bit 1809, domain level is set to 2008R2 as we still have some 2008 DC's to replace.
These machines run an Evertz VLPro application, which requires an eye blinding RGB color equaling hot pink, the dual video output of these machines is each run into an Evertz video router, which overlays graphics and sends the output, over fiber, to the desks where the operators sit, they are viewing on 2x 24inch monitors.
This specific RGB color is needed, the VLPro application uses this as a 'green screen' in TV talk, so on the actual machine desktop/screen that the operator sees is not hot pink, its black.

On Win7, we just used BGinfo to set the RGB color, on Win10, we tried BGinfo and it sets the right color, BUT, the Evertz overlay doesnt work until the background type is changed from Picture to Solid Color.

I have been unable to set the background type to Solid Color in a GPO, I can get GPO to set the RGB color, and that works, but I havent found a setting to change the type.

Anyone feel lucky?

Win7 bginfo example attached (wear sunglasses)

 

[xx0xx]

I believe registry keys can accomplish this. It's odd. I tested and it seemed to work after restarting explorer.exe, but the personalization settings window still said it was set to "picture" even though it wasn't. Effectively, the "type" seemed set to Solid Color, even if the UI didn't reflect it.

I'm only somewhat familiar with GPOs. Is it possible to do a custom one that makes 3 registry changes?

Maybe this would do it?


(I believe this is the key that technically determines whether color, picture, or slideshow, I just can't find basically ANY documentation on it, period, as to what values equal what... I believe 2 = slideshow and 1 = solid color, and maybe 0 = picture?)
Change 1:
HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Wallpapers
Value name BackgroundType
Value type REG_DWORD
Value data 0x1 (1)

Change 2:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop
Value name WallPaper
Blank out the value

Change 3:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Colors
Value name Background
Set to RGB value desired

 

[dbwillis]

Ah.

I checked our GPO list, found the one the guys were testing with (internal version 1.1) contained these :>

(1) (matches your #2)
Hive HKEY_CURRENT_USER
Key path Control Panel\Desktop
Value name Wallpaper
Value type REG_SZ
Value data C:\windows\web\wallpaper\nothing.jpg
*I think we set 'nothing.jpg' due to windows going with the default background if it was empty

(2) (matches your #3)
Hive HKEY_CURRENT_USER
Key path Control Panel\Colors
Value name Background
Value type REG_SZ
Value data 255 0 255

Ill test with your #1

 

[xx0xx]

I can definitely confirm via ProcMon that my Change #1 does change whenever I switch it in settings

Slideshow always goes to value 2
Picture always goes to value 0
Solid Color always goes to value 1

Only thing I don't know is if there's a whole host of other subtle registry stuff going on in addition to these.

Hopefully the test proves successful

 

[dbwillis]

The upper level guy is out of the office til next week, so I tested at home on my AD setup, can get the GPO to create the keys, but I cant seem to get them to create in the 'current user', from the GPO picks, seems to only go to the .Default location, which I dont know why, doesnt apply to new profiles even

 

[dbwillis]

My GPO for this is the "W10 - Solid Color Wallpaper v1.2"

Created on ‎11/‎28/‎2019 at 9:30:41 AM


RSOP data for BUSINESS\JD2 on ENTERPRISE01V : Logging Mode
-----------------------------------------------------------

OS Configuration: Member Workstation
OS Version: 10.0.17763
Site Name: Home-Aldbourne
Roaming Profile: N/A
Local Profile: C:\Users\JD2
Connected over a slow link?: No


COMPUTER SETTINGS
------------------
CN=ENTERPRISE01V,OU=Workstations - Test,OU=Aldbourne,DC=Business,DC=pvt
Last time Group Policy was applied: 11/28/2019 at 9:21:03 AM
Group Policy was applied from: Business-AD1.Business.pvt
Group Policy slow link threshold: 500 kbps
Domain Name: BUSINESS
Domain Type: Windows 2008 or later

Applied Group Policy Objects
-----------------------------
Windows Security Settings v1.0
W10 - Windows Update Settings
W10 - Default Logon Screen v1.0
W10 - Computer Settings v1.2
W10 - File Copy v1.0
W10 - Solid Color Wallpaper v1.2
Business Default Domain Policy

The following GPOs were not applied because they were filtered out
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Local Group Policy
Filtering: Not Applied (Empty)

The computer is a part of the following security groups
-------------------------------------------------------
BUILTIN\Administrators
Everyone
BUILTIN\Users
NT AUTHORITY\NETWORK
NT AUTHORITY\Authenticated Users
This Organization
ENTERPRISE01V$
Domain Computers
Authentication authority asserted identity
System Mandatory Level


USER SETTINGS
--------------
CN=John 2. Doe,OU=Users - Test,OU=Aldbourne,DC=Business,DC=pvt
Last time Group Policy was applied: 11/28/2019 at 9:26:12 AM
Group Policy was applied from: Business-AD1.Business.pvt
Group Policy slow link threshold: 500 kbps
Domain Name: BUSINESS
Domain Type: Windows 2008 or later

Applied Group Policy Objects
-----------------------------
W10 - Logon Scripts v1.0
W10 - User Settings v1.2

The following GPOs were not applied because they were filtered out
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Local Group Policy
Filtering: Not Applied (Empty)

The user is a part of the following security groups
---------------------------------------------------
Domain Users
Everyone
BUILTIN\Administrators
BUILTIN\Users
NT AUTHORITY\INTERACTIVE
CONSOLE LOGON
NT AUTHORITY\Authenticated Users
This Organization
LOCAL
IT2
Authentication authority asserted identity

 

[dbwillis]

Ive gotten farther, but hit the same issue still.
background is always 'Picture', even if I have the GPO set the 255 0 255 RGB color, while Im in the personalization/background section, I can scroll the type up and down and the wallpaper changes from default to hot pink, its the damn default choice I cant change !

 

[cyclone3d]

Are you running the GPO in the "user" context?

Looks to me like you are using a "computer" GPO and not a "user" GPO.

That right there will make in NOT apply to the "current user".

Also check all other GPOs and make sure that none have anything set for the background/wallpaper.

Have you tried contacting the makers of Evertz to see if they have an updated version that works properly with BGinfo?

 

[dbwillis]

Duh, yeh, I had it in the computer section of the GPO.
I moved it to the user section, seems to only work AFTER the first logon and after a GPUpdate, ie:

built new machine (vm), placed into the test OU, let sit for 10 min, new profile/never logged on, log in: get the default wallpaper and background type is Picture, log off and on, same thing, log off and on, same thing, log on, gpupdate /R..shows policy applied, log off and on, same thing, log on, gpupdate /force, log off and on, get correct RGB background and type is now Solid Color.
Tried this with several test accounts (JD1, JD2, JD3, JD5) (JD=John Doe), also tried with JD1, JD2 being local admins and JD3, JD5 not admins..no difference)
BUT
after I get an account to show the right RGB and type, a few reboots or log in/out of other accounts, that working account goes back to default wallpaper and type...?
Was reading up on clearing the wallpaper cache with a log off script..then grocery shopping interrupted my testing

I did ask the guys in that dept to contact Evertz to see if they have this fixed on there end....they didnt, this one app is a PITA, its a java based app and runs fully from a single folder of ~800mb, and is dependent on a specific version of java (maybe not specific version, but the JRE locations are coded in the apps settings file, so Java updates need to be re-pathed in the settings file)