go to PC page and gange the picture to anything from your file
right click on it and click set as background.
Right click your desktop background and choose personalize. Or if you have the file right click it and set as background. Windows Starter Edition will need third party software as it's not built into the version.
Unless you want to set up a homegroup, a feature of windows 7, on your network you won't really need a windows 7 computer
The same way you do on a Windows 7 desktop.
Aero
You can set up file sharing between windows 7 and Linux mint 16 by simply installing the Ext2 Installable File System on windows which allow windows to read and write into the Linux file system.
Yes - although you might have to set the compatibility mode up.
DVD or bootable USB.
Windows 7 is a favorite, but most operating systems can handle a network.
I am going to assume you bought this laptop recently. Windows 7 is a little different from XP. Instead of getting "Properties" you get "Personalize" when you right click on a blank space on the desktop. Windows 7 gives you many choices. If you want to have your own background just click on "Background Images" and find your image.
2
Windows 7 Starter is a small edition of Windows 7. It's not able to change background without third party software.