Microsoft To Fix Windows 7 Black Wallpaper Defect for ESU Customers

Microsoft states that a bug fix will be delivered for organizations that bought Windows 7 Extended Security Updates (ESU) to fix a recently recognized issue leading to the desktop wallpaper being replaced by a blank black screen. Windows 7 also reached its End of Life on January 14, therefore there will be no other bug fixes or free security updates from now on.

However, as Microsoft gives explanation on the new known issue’s Windows Health Dashboard entry, this threat is also experienced on Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 systems. “After installing KB4534310, your desktop wallpaper when set to “Stretch” might display as black,” Microsoft explains. “We are working on a resolution and figure a solution will be available in mid-February for organizations who have purchased Windows 7 Extended Security Updates (ESU).”

Even though not all Windows 7 will get a bugfix, there are measures you can take to fix your wallpaper from going blank. To extenuate this newly noticed known issue, Microsoft recommends doing one of the following:

• Set your custom image to an option other than “Stretch”, such as “Fill”, “Fit”, “Tile”, or “Center”, or

• Choose a custom wallpaper that matches the resolution of your desktop.

Users of Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Enterprise, and Windows 7 Ultimate will still acquire updates if they enroll in Microsoft’s Windows Extended Security Updates program, available through volume licensing. While Redmond says that ESU doesn’t include or provide customers with user-requested non-security updates, new features, or design change requests, it seems that bug fixes will still roll in if the issues they fix is view as worth patching.