BGInfo error occurred opening the Default Desktop registry key

Question

Running the very nice BGInfo tool to uniquely identify various computers. However, in trying to run on Windows 2008 Server R2, I am getting following error:

"An error occured opening the Default Desktop registry key. Please ensure the current user has rights to change the Logon Desktop settings: Access is denied."

The program is started via a shortcut placed in "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup", and that shortcut is specifying a .BGI configuration file (versus reading settings from the Registry). Thoughts on why the error happens for user other than the Administrator?

On a more in-depth level, I am curious if anyone knows why BGInfo must open the "default desktop registry key" and what it is updating in the "logon desktop settings" (phrase in quotes taken from the original error message)?

Solution

BGInfo needs to update the registry to set a default login desktop for all RDP users.

You need to run BGInfo with elevated privileges initially. That can be done as described by creed929 or by right-clicking on bginfo.exe and running as administrator. Once the settings are saved, subsequent user logins will not need the elevated privilege to see the BGInfo background.