Command, Favorites and Menu Bars are blacked out

[BerwynEd]

I am running Explore 8 and all my menu bars are blacked out. To see what I

mean you can go here http://berwyned.com/screen.html



Any ideas on what when srong and how I can fix it?

 

[Bill Bradshaw]

This problem has been going around for a long time. It shows up on my

computer every once and a while. I do not know if it is the video card,

video drivers, or IE 8. You would think by know somebody at Microsoft would

have figured it out.

--





Brought to you from Anchorage, Alaska.



BerwynEd wrote:

> I am running Explore 8 and all my menu bars are blacked out. To see

> what I mean you can go here http://berwyned.com/screen.html

>

> Any ideas on what when srong and how I can fix it?

 

[rob^_^]

You would think someone at Stardoc or Alienware would have figured it out.



"Bill Bradshaw" wrote in message

news:emii#$CqKHA.3748@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

> This problem has been going around for a long time. It shows up on my

> computer every once and a while. I do not know if it is the video card,

> video drivers, or IE 8. You would think by know somebody at Microsoft

> would have figured it out.

> --

>

>

> Brought to you from Anchorage, Alaska.

>

> BerwynEd wrote:

>> I am running Explore 8 and all my menu bars are blacked out. To see

>> what I mean you can go here http://berwyned.com/screen.html

>>

>> Any ideas on what when srong and how I can fix it?

>

>

 

[FrankV]

Go to System Properties>Advanced>Settings>Visual Effects>Custom and blank

the first four items. It may not be all 4 but it should fix the problem. Or

go back to IE7 which also corrects it. I have XP so do not know if it is

the same for any other OS.



Frank



"Bill Bradshaw" wrote in message

news:emii%23$CqKHA.3748@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

> This problem has been going around for a long time. It shows up on my

> computer every once and a while. I do not know if it is the video card,

> video drivers, or IE 8. You would think by know somebody at Microsoft

> would have figured it out.

> --

>

>

> Brought to you from Anchorage, Alaska.

>

> BerwynEd wrote:

>> I am running Explore 8 and all my menu bars are blacked out. To see

>> what I mean you can go here http://berwyned.com/screen.html

>>

>> Any ideas on what when srong and how I can fix it?

>

>

 

[AlPomey]

The problem is with IE8 and Windows Classic desktop theme. I'm using WinXP.

Right click on the desktop, go to Properties, then Themes. Change it to

Windows XP, click apply. The menu bars should be okay. Now you can

immeidately change the desktop back to Windows Classic and the menu bars

should be visible. You might have to do this each time you start IE8.



"BerwynEd" wrote:



> I am running Explore 8 and all my menu bars are blacked out. To see what I

> mean you can go here http://berwyned.com/screen.html

>

> Any ideas on what when srong and how I can fix it?

>

 

[Bill Bradshaw]

If you review the many postings you will see it is WinXP and Windows Classic

theme users that have the problem. So don't you think maybe it is something

in the WinXP program that is a problem?

--





Brought to you from Anchorage, Alaska.





rob^_^ wrote:

> You would think someone at Stardoc or Alienware would have figured it

> out.

> "Bill Bradshaw" wrote in message

> news:emii#$CqKHA.3748@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

>> This problem has been going around for a long time. It shows up on

>> my computer every once and a while. I do not know if it is the

>> video card, video drivers, or IE 8. You would think by know

>> somebody at Microsoft would have figured it out.

>> --

>>

>>

>> Brought to you from Anchorage, Alaska.

>>

>> BerwynEd wrote:

>>> I am running Explore 8 and all my menu bars are blacked out. To see

>>> what I mean you can go here http://berwyned.com/screen.html

>>>

>>> Any ideas on what when srong and how I can fix it?

 

[rob^_^]

Stardoc publish Windows Blinds and AlienGuise (for Alienware). These are

desktop theme customization programs that tweak the system metrics.



1000% sure.



Other causes are

1. applying XP themes to Vista

2. applying third-party themes that have been incorrectly crafted

3. applying third-party themes that contain font declarations that aren't

installed on your machine (small font in search results pages). This problem

seems prevalent in themes from Japanese Authors



again 1000% sure.



Yes. There is a problem with the Three-D objects in the System Metrics

dialog. Change the background and font color of Three-D objects then go to

Menu Objects... you will see that Menu objects will inherit the background

color (because some menus are now also three-D object (toolbars, not classic

windows menus) but not the font color.



So

Three-D objects - Background=Black, Font color = White

if the user does not check then menu objects will be

Menu objects - Background=Black (Inherited (from the Kernel) from 3D

objects), font color=Black



Windows Blinds and AlienGuise add entries to the Windows Startup and startup

menu so the faulty desktop themes are reapplied each time windows is booted

or the Desktop is refreshed.



Regards.



"Bill Bradshaw" wrote in message

news:uQVa9#OqKHA.3824@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

> If you review the many postings you will see it is WinXP and Windows

> Classic theme users that have the problem. So don't you think maybe it is

> something in the WinXP program that is a problem?

> --

>

>

> Brought to you from Anchorage, Alaska.

>

>

> rob^_^ wrote:

>> You would think someone at Stardoc or Alienware would have figured it

>> out.

>> "Bill Bradshaw" wrote in message

>> news:emii#$CqKHA.3748@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

>>> This problem has been going around for a long time. It shows up on

>>> my computer every once and a while. I do not know if it is the

>>> video card, video drivers, or IE 8. You would think by know

>>> somebody at Microsoft would have figured it out.

>>> --

>>>

>>>

>>> Brought to you from Anchorage, Alaska.

>>>

>>> BerwynEd wrote:

>>>> I am running Explore 8 and all my menu bars are blacked out. To see

>>>> what I mean you can go here http://berwyned.com/screen.html

>>>>

>>>> Any ideas on what when srong and how I can fix it?

>

>

 

[BerwynEd]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Changing the themes on the fly seems to work

but did come back the next time I started IE8 in the Classic desktop. when I

checked the cutom set up as someone else mentioned I did not have any of the

first 4 boxes checked. Will keep my eye on that suggestion. I think I will

just go back to IE7 and be done with it. I tend to prefer Mozilla anyway.



What really seems to be troubling is that I have another machine with IE8

and Classic desktop view and IE8 works OK. All-in-all I am glad to hear that

other are having the same problem and just maybe it will get microsofts to

fix list.



"AlPomey" wrote:



> The problem is with IE8 and Windows Classic desktop theme. I'm using WinXP.

> Right click on the desktop, go to Properties, then Themes. Change it to

> Windows XP, click apply. The menu bars should be okay. Now you can

> immeidately change the desktop back to Windows Classic and the menu bars

> should be visible. You might have to do this each time you start IE8.

>

> "BerwynEd" wrote:

>

> > I am running Explore 8 and all my menu bars are blacked out. To see what I

> > mean you can go here http://berwyned.com/screen.html

> >

> > Any ideas on what when srong and how I can fix it?

> >

 

[Bill Bradshaw]

I am not trying to pick a fight. I have this problem once and a while on my

computer running WinXP and Windows Classic theme. In fact had it today. I

do not have the Blinds or Guise program. I have no problem with IE8 on my

computer that runs Windows 7 Pro.

--





Brought to you from Anchorage, Alaska.



rob^_^ wrote:

> Stardoc publish Windows Blinds and AlienGuise (for Alienware). These

> are desktop theme customization programs that tweak the system

> metrics.

> 1000% sure.

>

> Other causes are

> 1. applying XP themes to Vista

> 2. applying third-party themes that have been incorrectly crafted

> 3. applying third-party themes that contain font declarations that

> aren't installed on your machine (small font in search results

> pages). This problem seems prevalent in themes from Japanese Authors

>

> again 1000% sure.

>

> Yes. There is a problem with the Three-D objects in the System Metrics

> dialog. Change the background and font color of Three-D objects then

> go to Menu Objects... you will see that Menu objects will inherit the

> background color (because some menus are now also three-D object

> (toolbars, not classic windows menus) but not the font color.

>

> So

> Three-D objects - Background=Black, Font color = White

> if the user does not check then menu objects will be

> Menu objects - Background=Black (Inherited (from the Kernel) from 3D

> objects), font color=Black

>

> Windows Blinds and AlienGuise add entries to the Windows Startup and

> startup menu so the faulty desktop themes are reapplied each time

> windows is booted or the Desktop is refreshed.

>

> Regards.

>

> "Bill Bradshaw" wrote in message

> news:uQVa9#OqKHA.3824@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

>> If you review the many postings you will see it is WinXP and Windows

>> Classic theme users that have the problem. So don't you think maybe

>> it is something in the WinXP program that is a problem?

>> --

>>

>>

>> Brought to you from Anchorage, Alaska.

>>

>>

>> rob^_^ wrote:

>>> You would think someone at Stardoc or Alienware would have figured

>>> it out.

>>> "Bill Bradshaw" wrote in message

>>> news:emii#$CqKHA.3748@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

>>>> This problem has been going around for a long time. It shows up on

>>>> my computer every once and a while. I do not know if it is the

>>>> video card, video drivers, or IE 8. You would think by know

>>>> somebody at Microsoft would have figured it out.

>>>> --

>>>>

>>>>

>>>> Brought to you from Anchorage, Alaska.

>>>>

>>>> BerwynEd wrote:

>>>>> I am running Explore 8 and all my menu bars are blacked out. To

>>>>> see what I mean you can go here http://berwyned.com/screen.html

>>>>>

>>>>> Any ideas on what when srong and how I can fix it?

 

[rob^_^]

Hi,



Yep no bar fights... intended..



Here's a link to an article I wrote

http://iecustomizer.com/Resources/Articles/BlackToolbars.aspx



It will show you the steps to reproduce black toolbars through XP to Win7. I

know it exists, no doubt about it, but it is not limited to IE as the

article explains. You don't necessarily have to have installed any third

party desktop themes or software.



I may be wrong or there may be other reasons so let us know if you cannot

fix it by either restoring Windows Classic or XP Themes or changing the Font

color of Menu objects in the Windows Colors Control Panel.



Regards.



"Bill Bradshaw" wrote in message

news:O560bTWqKHA.5116@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

> I am not trying to pick a fight. I have this problem once and a while on

> my computer running WinXP and Windows Classic theme. In fact had it

> today. I do not have the Blinds or Guise program. I have no problem with

> IE8 on my computer that runs Windows 7 Pro.

> --

>

>

> Brought to you from Anchorage, Alaska.

>

> rob^_^ wrote:

>> Stardoc publish Windows Blinds and AlienGuise (for Alienware). These

>> are desktop theme customization programs that tweak the system

>> metrics.

>> 1000% sure.

>>

>> Other causes are

>> 1. applying XP themes to Vista

>> 2. applying third-party themes that have been incorrectly crafted

>> 3. applying third-party themes that contain font declarations that

>> aren't installed on your machine (small font in search results

>> pages). This problem seems prevalent in themes from Japanese Authors

>>

>> again 1000% sure.

>>

>> Yes. There is a problem with the Three-D objects in the System Metrics

>> dialog. Change the background and font color of Three-D objects then

>> go to Menu Objects... you will see that Menu objects will inherit the

>> background color (because some menus are now also three-D object

>> (toolbars, not classic windows menus) but not the font color.

>>

>> So

>> Three-D objects - Background=Black, Font color = White

>> if the user does not check then menu objects will be

>> Menu objects - Background=Black (Inherited (from the Kernel) from 3D

>> objects), font color=Black

>>

>> Windows Blinds and AlienGuise add entries to the Windows Startup and

>> startup menu so the faulty desktop themes are reapplied each time

>> windows is booted or the Desktop is refreshed.

>>

>> Regards.

>>

>> "Bill Bradshaw" wrote in message

>> news:uQVa9#OqKHA.3824@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

>>> If you review the many postings you will see it is WinXP and Windows

>>> Classic theme users that have the problem. So don't you think maybe

>>> it is something in the WinXP program that is a problem?

>>> --

>>>

>>>

>>> Brought to you from Anchorage, Alaska.

>>>

>>>

>>> rob^_^ wrote:

>>>> You would think someone at Stardoc or Alienware would have figured

>>>> it out.

>>>> "Bill Bradshaw" wrote in message

>>>> news:emii#$CqKHA.3748@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

>>>>> This problem has been going around for a long time. It shows up on

>>>>> my computer every once and a while. I do not know if it is the

>>>>> video card, video drivers, or IE 8. You would think by know

>>>>> somebody at Microsoft would have figured it out.

>>>>> --

>>>>>

>>>>>

>>>>> Brought to you from Anchorage, Alaska.

>>>>>

>>>>> BerwynEd wrote:

>>>>>> I am running Explore 8 and all my menu bars are blacked out. To

>>>>>> see what I mean you can go here http://berwyned.com/screen.html

>>>>>>

>>>>>> Any ideas on what when srong and how I can fix it?

>

>

>

 

[VanguardLH]

Bill Bradshaw wrote:



> I am not trying to pick a fight. I have this problem once and a while on my

> computer running WinXP and Windows Classic theme. In fact had it today. I

> do not have the Blinds or Guise program. I have no problem with IE8 on my

> computer that runs Windows 7 Pro.



From what I recall reading in past posts, those using the Classic theme and

having the blacked out problem were due to those users updating their video

drivers. Newer doesn't mean better. It just means some code to fix old

problem and new code that might cause new problems. You may have to walk

through old versions of your driver software to revert incrementally back

through them to see when the problem goes away.

 

[Bill Bradshaw]

Interesting article. For me the problem is very intermittent. So it does

not really bother me. It just shows up every once and a while and then goes

away.

--





Brought to you from Anchorage, Alaska.



rob^_^ wrote:

> Hi,

>

> Yep no bar fights... intended..

>

> Here's a link to an article I wrote

> http://iecustomizer.com/Resources/Articles/BlackToolbars.aspx

>

> It will show you the steps to reproduce black toolbars through XP to

> Win7. I know it exists, no doubt about it, but it is not limited to

> IE as the article explains. You don't necessarily have to have

> installed any third party desktop themes or software.

>

> I may be wrong or there may be other reasons so let us know if you

> cannot fix it by either restoring Windows Classic or XP Themes or

> changing the Font color of Menu objects in the Windows Colors Control

> Panel.

> Regards.