How do I keep a user from changing the desktop background?

Discussion in 'Mac Basics and Help' started by SamEB, Nov 21, 2012.

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  1. SamEB, Nov 21, 2012

    SamEB macrumors newbie

    Joined:
    Mar 10, 2012
    #1
    Our department shares a computer and someone keeps changing the desktop background, with weird sayings that don't make sense and are also inappropriate.

    Is there a way to disable Desktop and Screensavers in System Preferences but nothing else? Unfortunately we need access to everything else but that.
    I changed the permissions on com.apple.desktop.plist but the background can still be changed through System Prefs.
     
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  2. Johnny Vegas, Nov 21, 2012

    Johnny Vegas macrumors member

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2011
    #2
    You can remove the system preference by moving/deleting the prefPane file found at:
    HDD -> System -> Library -> PreferencePanes -> DesktopScreenEffectsPref.prefPane

    However a user can still change the background by right-clicking on an image. Locking the .plist file will at least reset the background every time the computer logs on. If you have access to OS X server, there are ways to lock the background using Work Group Manager.

    ~JV
     
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  3. SamEB, Nov 21, 2012

    SamEB thread starter macrumors newbie

    Joined:
    Mar 10, 2012
    #3
    Thanks. I removed it from System Prefs. At some point I also made it so that you can't right-click a picture on our computer to change the background, so that option is gone.
    Now the only way I can see for anyone to change it is to right-click a photo online.

    The account is local, so I can't change it in WGM.
     
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