When deploying BGInfo across multiple machines in an enterprise Windows 7 environment, we face a configuration management issue. The tool inherently creates user-specific configuration files containing environment variables that only resolve correctly for the creating user account. This becomes problematic when trying to establish a standardized deployment.

By default, BGInfo stores its configuration in %APPDATA%\BGInfo\ which translates to different paths for each user. When you run BGInfo interactively, it generates a .bgi file containing references to user-specific paths like:

FontName=Segoe UI
FontSize=10
Background=0
Position=4
ImageFile=%USERPROFILE%\Desktop\background.bmp

We need to implement a system-wide approach that works for all users while maintaining a single configuration source. Here's the complete implementation:

@echo off
:: BGInfo Enterprise Launch Script
:: Deploy to: C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\

set BGI_PATH=C:\Program Files\BGInfo
set CONFIG_FILE=C:\ProgramData\BGInfo\EnterpriseConfig.bgi

if not exist "%CONFIG_FILE%" (
    xcopy "%BGI_PATH%\SampleConfig.bgi" "%CONFIG_FILE%" /Y
)

"%BGI_PATH%\bginfo.exe" "%CONFIG_FILE%" /NOLICPROMPT /TIMER:0 /SILENT

1. Central Configuration Storage: Place your master .bgi file in C:\ProgramData\BGInfo\
2. Environment Variable Neutralization: Edit the config file to remove user-specific paths:
Replace %USERPROFILE%\Desktop\background.bmp with C:\Corporate\Wallpapers\login_bg.bmp
3. Deployment Methods: Choose one:
- Group Policy Preferences (for Active Directory environments)
- System image inclusion (for bare-metal deployments)
- Configuration management tools (SCCM, Chef, Puppet)

For more dynamic environments, consider this PowerShell deployment script:

# BGInfo Enterprise Deploy.ps1
$BGIInstaller = "\\fileserver\software\BGInfo\BGInfo64.exe"
$ConfigTemplate = "\\fileserver\configs\BGInfo\EnterpriseTemplate.bgi"
$DestConfig = "C:\ProgramData\BGInfo\EnterpriseConfig.bgi"

# Silent installation
Start-Process -FilePath $BGIInstaller -ArgumentList "/VERYSILENT /SUPPRESSMSGBOXES" -Wait

# Deploy configuration
Copy-Item -Path $ConfigTemplate -Destination $DestConfig -Force

# Set startup entry
$StartupPath = "$env:ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\BGInfoLauncher.cmd"
@"
@echo off
"C:\Program Files\BGInfo\bginfo.exe" "C:\ProgramData\BGInfo\EnterpriseConfig.bgi" /NOLICPROMPT /TIMER:0 /SILENT
"@ | Out-File -FilePath $StartupPath -Encoding ASCII

1. Permission Problems: Ensure the SYSTEM account has read access to the configuration file location
2. Path Resolution: Use 8.3 format paths if encountering long path issues (C:\PROGRA~1\BGInfo)
3. Multiple Monitor Support: Add /MONITOR:ALL parameter if needed
4. Configuration Refresh: Include /RTF:ON if displaying dynamic RTF content

For environments where BGInfo's limitations become problematic, consider:
- Creating a custom GPO-based desktop information solution
- Developing a PowerShell alternative that writes system info to a controlled wallpaper
- Using enterprise monitoring tools that include endpoint information display features

When deploying BGInfo across an enterprise Windows 7 environment, the configuration file (.bgi) typically contains user-specific paths and settings. The main pain point emerges when the configuration file generated under one user profile fails to work for others due to:

• Absolute paths containing username references
• User-specific registry entries in desktop settings
• Permission issues with the configuration file location

The solution involves creating a configuration that uses environment variables instead of absolute paths. Here's the proper directory structure I recommend:

C:\BGInfo\
│── Bginfo.exe
│── Config\
│   └── EnterpriseConfig.bgi
└── Scripts\
    └── LaunchBGInfo.cmd

First, generate a template configuration on a test machine:

1. Run BGInfo.exe and configure your desired display settings
2. Save the configuration to C:\BGInfo\Config\EnterpriseConfig.bgi
3. Edit the .bgi file (it's XML) to replace user-specific paths with environment variables:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<background_config>
  <image>
    <!-- Change from user-specific to system location -->
    <filename>%SystemDrive%\BGInfo\background.bmp</filename>
    <!-- Other configuration elements -->
  </image>
</background_config>

Create LaunchBGInfo.cmd with this content:

@echo off
pushd "%~dp0"

:: Set common variables
set BGINFO_PATH=C:\BGInfo\Bginfo.exe
set CONFIG_FILE=C:\BGInfo\Config\EnterpriseConfig.bgi
set LOG_FILE=C:\BGInfo\Scripts\BGInfo.log

:: Run BGInfo with logging
"%BGINFO_PATH%" "%CONFIG_FILE%" /TIMER:0 /NOLICPROMPT >> "%LOG_FILE%" 2>&1

popd

For enterprise-wide deployment, use Group Policy to:

1. Copy the BGInfo files to C:\BGInfo on all machines
2. Create a logon script that runs the batch file
3. Set proper permissions on the BGInfo directory:

icacls "C:\BGInfo" /grant "Users:(OI)(CI)RX"
icacls "C:\BGInfo\Config" /grant "Users:(OI)(CI)R"
icacls "C:\BGInfo\Scripts" /grant "Users:(OI)(CI)R"

After deployment, verify the solution works across different user types:

• Standard users (non-admin)
• Domain administrators
• Local machine administrators
• Service accounts if applicable

Check the log file (C:\BGInfo\Scripts\BGInfo.log) for any permission errors or configuration issues.

If BGInfo fails to run for some users:

1. Verify the file permissions using icacls "C:\BGInfo"
2. Check if the background bitmap is accessible to all users
3. Confirm the configuration file doesn't contain hardcoded paths
4. Test running the batch script manually from an affected user account