Microsoft posts a manually-downloadable fix for their Win7 “Stretch” black wallpaper bug

Topic

New Reply

This just out. Friday afternoon news dump time. KB 4539602 Wallpaper set to Stretch is displayed as black in Windows 7 SP1 and Server 2008 R2 SP1 This
[See the full post at: Microsoft posts a manually-downloadable fix for their Win7 “Stretch” black wallpaper bug]

6 users thanked author for this post.

Nibbled To Death By Ducks, AJNorth, GreatAndPowerfulTech, Myst, abbodi86, Microfix

Reply | Quote

Replies

hmm..given the size of the patch and the size of the inconvenience (or not), I think I’ll pass on this for now. The bug isn’t exactly a show stopper but the fix might be..

extract from Microsoft Catalog to indicate sizes of patches:

If debian is good enough for NASA...

6 users thanked author for this post.

Nibbled To Death By Ducks, FakeNinja, AJNorth, Myst, PDX5802, Cybertooth

Reply | Quote

I’m not having problems with the wallpaper but I checked for updates and Kb 4539601 came in unchecked so I hid it.

Windows 11 Pro
Version 23H2
OS build 22631.4890

Reply | Quote

It is preview of monthly rollup so that means we  recive next week full rollup? Or i have to install this preview? I have never installed preview before, i waited for full rollup anytime.

Reply | Quote

Oh boy! This is getting more memorable with every passing week… Now the patch to fix a patch needs another patch to fix it? I thought that this month was going to be the blessed end of my Windows patching concerns — for all time — but maybe it’s not?

Or maybe the MS people in charge of making Win 7 ready to ride into the sunset thought that the black screen was what people were really asking for and that their old wallpaper was what they wished to be rid of. So, maybe all this is just a big misunderstanding.

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
Intel Iris Pro GPU with Built-in Bus, VRAM 1.5 GB, Display 2880 x 1800 Retina, 24-Bit color.
macOS Monterey; browsers: Waterfox "Current", Vivaldi and (now and then) Chrome; security apps. Intego AV

Reply | Quote

When I installed the January roll up, my wallpaper was set on Center and I had no problems with the black screen. Everything has worked just fine since and now that there is a FIX, I’ll pass on it for now. I’ve seen how well Microsoft fixes things and I don’t want to chance it.

1 user thanked author for this post.

Nibbled To Death By Ducks

Reply | Quote

anonymous, You say in your post #2136692 that you had your wallpaper set to center when installing Jan. roll up and had no problems with Black screen so my question to you is does this mean that if you now just try setting your display to “stretch” mode that it does not go Black or it does go Black and you just choose not use stretch mode in general?

THANKS

Reply | Quote

I have always used Center and my screen resolution is 1600 x 900 and I always have used wallpaper that matches the screen resolution. I would try to set it to stretch, but I don’t want to chance getting the black screen and not being able to put it back to the Center setting.

Reply | Quote

Hi. I’m a different person. I also don’t use stretch mode, but tested it after hearing of the bug.

What it seems to do is just leave the previous wallpaper in place. Whatever setting it was on, the image remains the same. It didn’t turn black-I suspect that would only happen if I rebooted.

I also note that Windows repeatedly reset my wallpaper to slideshow mode while I was messing with the wallpaper options, and I had to manually shut it off when changing back to my normal settings.

Any other setting besides stretch works perfectly fine.

Reply | Quote

Anonymous: I you did not have it in “Stretch” mode and changing the mode to :Stretch” kept the Wallpaper unchanged, you had it in “Fit to Screen” mode. Both modes make the wallpaper look the same, at least if it is shaped with the same aspect ratio as the monitor screen. The other modes don’t. Somewhere, in an older thread here, from when the bug first was known to be around, someone, maybe Susan Bradley (?), posted a series of screen shots showing how each mode looks like. I have always had mine in “Fit” Mode.

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
Intel Iris Pro GPU with Built-in Bus, VRAM 1.5 GB, Display 2880 x 1800 Retina, 24-Bit color.
macOS Monterey; browsers: Waterfox "Current", Vivaldi and (now and then) Chrome; security apps. Intego AV

Reply | Quote

No, I switched it to Stretch mode, as I said. And the result was whatever the previous setting was, even if I changed which image I set as the wallpaper. The problem was that Windows refused to change the wallpaper.

The bug has been widely reported as being in Stretch mode. So, when I see the “Stretch” option in the dropdown, I’m obviously going to pick that one to test. I only tested the others to confirm they were not messed up.

The bug means that the wallpaper is not changed when the Stretch mode option is applied. If this is applied via the settings, then the previous wallpaper remains. If the mode is applied at boot, then the background remains black, as it is right before Windows 7 loads its desktop. This all makes perfect sense.

Reply | Quote

[abbodi86]

KB4539602 is a replacement for security only update KB4534314
compared to it, KB4539602 only contan new user32.dll

it seems weird that all Win 7 users will get “free” preview monthly rollup, but only ESU users will get the next security monthly rollup
unless they decided to push back Win 7 EOS to February 11

don’t get too attached to MU catalog dates 🙂

• This reply was modified 5 years, 1 month ago by abbodi86.

2 users thanked author for this post.

Sandman, RDRguy

Reply | Quote

The following article from Born city gives the KB number for the new patch for the Black Screen Blight as KB4539602 and fixes the bug in the Security Only patch KB4534314:

https://borncity.com/win/2020/02/07/windows-7-update-kb4539602-fixes-black-desktop/

Also this is what searching for this this new patch KB takes one at MS Central:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4539602/wallpaper-set-to-stretch-is-displayed-as-black

Unlike what abbody86 ( #2136771 ) has posted before this comment of mine, the article in Born City suggests, at least to me, that one has to have the Black-Screen afflicted Security Only already installed before, on top of it, this new patch is installed. In other words, unlike in some previous occasion, this patch fixes the faulty patch, does not replace it.

Can someone here confirm or correct this assessment? Thanks.

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
Intel Iris Pro GPU with Built-in Bus, VRAM 1.5 GB, Display 2880 x 1800 Retina, 24-Bit color.
macOS Monterey; browsers: Waterfox "Current", Vivaldi and (now and then) Chrome; security apps. Intego AV

1 user thanked author for this post.

RDRguy

Reply | Quote

This is not the first time an out-off-band update fix and replace security-only update 🙂

they were professional once and mentioned that explicitly in KB article

comparing KB4539602 and KB4534314 sizes should give a hint, they are almost idenical
you can also use 7-zip to inspect the contents

like i said, only user32.dll component is updated in KB4539602
the rest are same components in KB4534314

anyway, it will not hurt to have both updates installed for Group B

4 users thanked author for this post.

Sandman, RDRguy, AJNorth, OscarCP

Reply | Quote

I have “NOT” yet installed the jan. rollup kb4534310 but when i do i most likely will get the Black screen if in stretch mode and would need kb4539602? or does kb4539602 “replace” kb4534310? I’m thinking kb4539602 is a hot fix patch to correct the Black stretch mode screen caused by kb4534310 and thus installing both is correct? I am a group A patcher so i did get the optional preview rollup kb4539601 and woody states it also contains the fix but who knows what headaches installing that would cause.

Reply | Quote

kb4534310 is a Rollup.
kb4539602 is the equivalent of a Security-only patch, so DOES NOT replace kb4534310.
Group A needs to have kb4534310 installed to be patched through Jan, then needs to install the patch that fixes the screen issue if so desired.

1 user thanked author for this post.

RDRguy

Reply | Quote

PKcano,Thanks for the response,
Just have one more for ya. You stated (Group A needs to have kb4534310 installed to be patched through Jan, then needs to install the patch that fixes the screen issue if so desired). Since i read woody saying the preview rollup in WU optional updates kb4539601 also has the screen issue fix contained in it should i be installing that patch (fully knowing we never install preview patches) or best move is microsoft catalog for the kb4539602 patch?

Reply | Quote

The 2020-01 Rollup has been approved by Woody (DEFCON-3). Be sure your wallpaper is NOT “stretch” and you should be fine.

If you look at the size between kb4539602 and kb4539601 will find a BIG difference. Take your pick, I don’t think there has been any big problems reported – but I’d wait till Woody gives the go-ahead.

Reply | Quote

PKcano,
Let me see if i am understanding you. I am aware woody put us at (DEFCON-3) for installing the jan. patches and i will be installing those by monday. But what i hear you saying i think is that Woody will be informing us as to the best patch to install kb4539601 or kb4539602 for fixing the stretch bug? If correct than i will wait on Woody’s word for fixing that issue?

Reply | Quote

PKCano wrote:

but I’d wait till Woody gives the go-ahead.

It seems PKCano was clear with the above caveat.

Reply | Quote

@PKCano …

As KB4539602 is the equivalent of a ”Security-only patch”, can we get it added to the ongoing list of “Group B” monthly updates for Win7?

Thanks

Win7 - PRO & Ultimate, x64 & x86
Win8.1 - PRO, x64 & x86
Groups A, B & ABS

Reply | Quote

It’s not listed as a Security-only patch. Equivalent doesn’t mean it IS a security-only patch.
It is listed only and 2020-01 Update for Win7, not as 2020-01 Security only Quality Update. As long as MS doesn’t classify it as such, I hesitate to put it on the Group B list.

Reply | Quote

I downloaded KB4539602 with a size of 29.2MB for the 32 bit and 50.1MB for the 64 bit. I installed the 32 bit patch on my desktop computer, rebooted, changed to stretch and it works with no problem.

Got coffee?

1 user thanked author for this post.

OscarCP

Reply | Quote

This Message in 4539601 suggest it includes the Nag

IMPORTANT Starting on January 15, 2020, a full-screen notification will appear that describes the risk of continuing to use Windows 7 Service Pack 1 after it reaches end of support on January 14, 2020. The notification will remain on the screen until you interact with it. This notification will only appear on the following editions of Windows 7 Service Pack 1:

Also look at these update details, I noticed something that at least to me seems funny.

This non-security update includes improvements and fixes that were a part of KB4534310 (released January 14, 2020) and also includes these new quality improvements as a preview of the next Monthly Rollup update:

In each update detail, it meantions the one before it and always says “includes improvements and fixes”. Does this mean that every update going back was broken by something fixing the one before it?

Reply | Quote

[PKCano]

For those in Group B:
Please be aware that the 2020-01 Preview for Win7 KB4539601 is a ROLLUP not a Security-only patch. It is a large update that contains the Jan. SQMR KB4534310 plus additional fixes.

If you are in group B, use the download only patch KB4539602 which is a small patch and does not contain the Rollup. But you should wait for Woody’s go-ahead to install.

Edit: to correct KB numbers

• This reply was modified 5 years, 1 month ago by PKCano.

2 users thanked author for this post.

plodr, SueW

Reply | Quote

PKCano, your post is very confusing. Your sentences are contradictory.

2020-01 Preview for Win7 KB4359601 is a ROLLUP

patch KB4359601 which is a small patch

You say it is a rollup, then you say it is a small patch. There is no KB4359601.

Got coffee?

1 user thanked author for this post.

PKCano

Reply | Quote

Sorry about that. Corrected the KB numbers.

Reply | Quote