Desktop Wallpaper Images

The images below were designed to be displayed on 800x600 desktop settings, but will work on all. You don't need to make any system display mode changes to use these Wallpaper images but there's a good chance your system isn't set up to view images the way they were meant to be seen. To check what your system is set at, look at the "Optimum Viewing" section below.

How to install your Desktop Wallpaper Image

Windows Users (MAC users instruction at bottom of page)
Click on the Image you want and wait for it to fully load. Then RIGHT click on the image and choose 'Set as Wallpaper', that's it, your done. If your browser is older, it might not have the 'Save as Wallpaper' option, use the Optional method below.

Optional installation method for Windows 95 users. Click on the Image you want and wait for it to fully load. Then go to 'File' on the menu bar and choose 'Save As' and save it to your disk. Then open a graphics program, like 'Imaging' in your 'Accessories' group and open the picture you just saved. Go to 'File' on the menu bar, then choose 'Save 'As' and save it as a BMP (Bitmap) file in your Windows Directory. Now click on the 'Start' button, then 'Settings', then 'Control Panel', then double click on the 'Display' icon, this will open the 'Display' window. Click on the 'Background' tab, then in the 'Pattern' box choose '(none)'. In the 'Wallpaper' box choose the name of the picture you just converted to a bitmap file. Click the 'Apply' button and you should see the your new C25 Wallpaper.


Setting up your computer for Optimum Viewing
Your Windows 95/98 computer might be set up to display images in low quality. If your not sure what your computer is set at, read this section and see if some changes might be in order. If after reading this you want to change your Desktop display settings, then DO NOT make any changes until you read all of this section and print it. Changing your Windows display settings is usually trouble free, but there is always a chance it will cause problems so proceed at your own risk. If you have an old Video Display Card you might not have all the options we will talk about.

Windows is capable of displaying your desktop in several different display modes, the most common are 640x480, 800x600 and 1024x768. This Web Site was designed to be viewed at 800x600. To see which mode you are currently using, click on the 'Start' button, then 'Settings', then 'Control Panel'. Look for the 'Display' icon and double click on it. Now click on the 'Settings' tab and look in the section that says 'Desktop Area', you will see your current Windows setting. Most people have their Desktop set at 800x600. In my humble opinion, you should not use the 640x480 resolution unless you have poor eyesight, web pages look much better at 800x600. You can change it by moving the slider, but don't click on 'OK' or 'Apply' yet.

One of the other variables that you will see on the 'Settings' tab is your current setting of the 'Color Palette'. The 'Color Palette' is the amount of colors that can be displayed on your system at one time. If your system is set to only 256 colors then you've been missing out. When you view a picture in the 256 color mode it can appear grainy, speckled or shaded areas can appear stepped because your system can't view all the colors the picture was designed to display. Many of the pictures you see on Web Sites have a color depth of 16.7 million colors, if your system can only see 256 colors then Windows has to squeeze all those colors down to just 256, degrading the quality. By clicking on the 'Down Arrow' in the 'Color Palette' you can change the color depth. I have mine set to 16.7 million colors (True Color). Don't click on the 'OK' or 'Apply' yet.

Once you've made the changes, DOUBLE CHECK each of the settings on the 'Settings' tab before you click the 'Apply' button. Don't be surprised if some of the changes you made have mysteriously changed back, do to your Video Cards inability to display in that combination of settings. If that happens, choose the best settings your card will allow. When you are sure you have the settings you want, click on the 'Apply' button. Windows might ask you to restart the computer, do it, then open the 'Control Panel' again and check all your new settings on the 'Settings' tab to make sure they are what you want. If you moved up to higher display mode, you might want to change the 'Font Size' to 'Large Font' on the 'Settings' tab if you have trouble seeing text on the screen. Your new display settings might not fill your screen completely, or be offset. Use the control buttons on your monitor to resize the picture to fill the screen.

Warning
If you decide you want to change your systems display setting, you should write down your current settings from the 'Settings' tab in 'Control Panel'. If your system hangs, you will need to restore these original settings to recover. If you make changes and it hangs, then shut the computer off and start it in 'Safe Mode'. To do this, turn on your computer and keep tapping the 'F8' key until the 'Microsoft Windows 95/98 Startup Menu' appears. Choose 'Safe Mode'. Windows will start in a stripped down version that will allow you to fix the problem. Now click on the 'Start' button, then 'Settings', then 'Control Panel', then the double click on the 'Display' icon, click on the 'Settings' tab and reset the modes to your originals settings. Click 'Apply' and close Windows the normal way. Restart your computer and it should be back to normal, if not, don't call me ;-)

MAC users
Macintosh types using system 8.5, the way to add these images is:
1. download the image to the desktop (or some other handy place).
2. open the appearance control panel and under the desktop button select the image and press the set desktop button.