Transparency terminates after some time with WB6 on Vista

Initially works fine, when applying skin from Aero... Then transparency terminates and can't get Aero back

from Stardock Forums
Okay, this is difficult to explain, so I took a bunch of screenshots. A picture's worth a thousand words, right?

I'm running Windows Vista Ultimate, SP1. For the majority of the time since Vista came out, I've been using the Aero skin, with really only "glass" color changes to match wallpaper, iconpackager and objectdock changes. I used WindowBlinds off and on, but truly I was pretty happy with Aero running most of the time.

A few months ago, I got the craving to use WindowBlinds again. Specifically, I wanted to use Stardock's fabulous Aero Executive theme for that hardwood look.

But here's the problem:

If I start in Aero and apply the Aero Executive theme in WB6.1, everything works fine. The skin looks and functions as it should.

However, over time (maybe 1 full day to 2 days of use), transparency just suddenly stops. I've never noticed the "transition point" at the moment it happens, but I'd walk back to my computer and see that it had happened.

My first clue is that the taskbar doesn't have the nice rounded edges with transparent background behind the corners. Instead, I see a light gray background. Also, (although it's hard to tell because the background is dark at the bottom of the screen), the taskbar has lost transparency:

Taskbar

Taking a tour around the desktop, I also notice that the Start Menu has lost transparency:

Start Menu

Title bars have also lost transparency and the wood grain looks a little "coarser":

Titlebar

Strangely, a few title bars start to show up in a Windows Classic appearance, but with colors set to match the Aero Executive theme:

Titlebar 2

If I go to the WB Config window, "Aero Executive (Vista)" is selected, and it is rendered (in the preview) appropriately, with transparency. However, this is not what is happening on the system.

WB Config

If I try reloading the theme, transparency is not restored. If I try loading a different theme, transparency is not restored. If I turn off transparency ("Never use per-pixel borders on a skin") and then re-enable it and reload the skin, nothing changes.

If I unload WindowBlinds, then Windows reverts to Windows Standard (ugly!):

Windows Standard

Notice that Windows Vista Basic is listed in the color scheme options. If I click on that in an attempt to get back to Aero, I get Windows Vista Basic but not Aero:

Windows Vista Basic

Nothing I do at this point gets me back to Aero. Re-running WindowBlinds and re-loading a per-pixel skin does not restore transparency.

The only way to get back to Aero is to unload WindowBlinds and reboot the computer.

Finally, if I run WindowBlinds and load a per-pixel skin (from Aero, again), then everything is fine. But repeatedly, at some point, transparency fails and I'm back to the above sequence of events (unload WB, get Windows Standard, try unsuccessfully to get Aero back, stuck with Windows Vista Basic, and need to reboot, reload WB, reload per-pixel skin, works fine, transparency fails, ...).

Any thoughts?? It's driving me crazy!

~ Alessandro (cavalierex)




Your computer has a Windows Experience Index base score of 3.4
Your Windows Graphics Experience score is 5.9

WindowBlinds version : WindowBlinds 6.1 (build 91 x86 - Vista Edition)

WindowBlinds is installed correctly on this PC
WindowBlinds appears to be activated on this PC
(Generic PnP Monitor) 1 is attached to ATI MOBILITY RADEON 9700 Series

Wblind.dll         2008/03/17 12:45:20
Wbsrv.dll         2008/02/13 17:15:29
Wbconfig.exe         2008/02/20 14:52:33
Wbload.exe         2008/02/14 12:05:14
Wbhelp.dll         2007/08/27 12:54:07
Tray.dll              2007/09/12 17:58:21
Wbload.dll              2007/09/12 17:58:28
Screen.exe         2008/01/14 18:02:18

windowblinds
10,047 views 14 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top
Oh, and another thing I forgot to mention is that the Start Bar icon flickers. This happens even when transparency is working properly. I was unable to capture the event with a screenshot because it is too quick, but essentially the Start Bar icon vanishes and is replaced by black (or perhaps the wallpaper, which is black at the bottom of the screen) but then instantaneously is replaced. The frequency is approximately once every 5-10 seconds.

I've noticed that it happens predominantly when the desktop was in focus, but then focus changes to something else. (Specifically, I have x-mouse features activated. So if the desktop is in focus, and then I mouse over a window to activate it [but don't click in the window] the flickering begins. If I click on that window to begin working [for example, focus on a text field on a web page] then the flickering stops.)

This problem may be independent of the above changes in transparency. If you want, we could put this question in a separate thread.

Thanks again for the help.
~ Alessandro (cavalierex)
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
[cleaned up the double post for you...]
Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
What name brand of laptop is this [hp,dell or what?]
I believe that ati graphics is the problem and it is failing during the screensaver or hibernation mode being used with your laptop. Bad thing about those mobility ATI drivers is they do not support as much as is really needed in Vista. They will run Vista Aero and such. But I've seen where there are power problems with that graphics by ATI mobility
If you can not tell I'm not a very good fan of ATI. Being this is a aptop - about the only thing you could do is try not to use your hibernation and or screensavers as much as you probably already are. This can lead to other power problems with USB ports failing and such with later results with motherboard power failure.
I bet it is a dell laptop too!

Just my thoughts for now - I need more info about the brand of machine you are using there!

SGT ;) 
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I've had that flashing around my start button for over a month now, it's quite noticable with dark desktops/skins as it's pure white on mine. no trigger event, just comes and goes. Seemed to show up after one update or another.No other known problems with WB6.May be an unrelated issue as I run a HP PC, nVidia 6150SE, Vista Home Basic with no aero. I did mention it to support,I just try to ignore it. A separate thread may be a good idea just to see if others see it too.
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Just for grins, open the Aero Executive skin folder & delete any cache files there (*.wb4, *.*~, ~*.*), then reload the skin, see what happens.
Reply #8 from Stardock Forums Top

@Neil Banfield:
Would this happen about the time your laptop power gets low?
End of quote


No, neither the loss of transparency, nor the flickering of the start menu button happen when the battery gets low. I use my laptop predominantly plugged-in, just haul it back-n-forth between home and work.

@ShelbyGT:
What name brand of laptop is this [hp,dell or what? I believe that ati graphics is the problem and it is failing during the screensaver or hibernation mode being used with your laptop.
End of quote


Yes, it is a Dell Inspiron 9200. You're probably right that it is an ATI mobility problem with sleep mode. I have all the latest drivers for it, so I guess there's nothing I can do about this. Hmm...

However, I've never lost Vista Aero, even though the screensaver/sleep settings were always the same. The loss of transparency only happened once I was running WB skins.

Thanks everyone for the feedback so far.
Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I gave up on the ATI drivers a year or so ago. I'd recommend trying the omega drivers. You can always go back to ATI WWW Link
Reply #10 from Stardock Forums Top
@Lantec:
I'd recommend trying the omega drivers.
End of quote


Thanks for the suggestion. I checked out the Omega site, but there aren't any ATI Radeon/Mobility-compatible drivers for Vista (yet).

Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top
When transparancy stops, check if Vista Service "Desktop Windows Manager Session Manager" has stopped.
If so, re-start and transparancy may return.
Reply #12 from Stardock Forums Top
@Rabinak:
check if Vista Service "Desktop Windows Manager Session Manager" has stopped.
End of quote


Yes, DWM stopped. However, I'm unable to restart it -- That is, it starts, but then terminates within a few seconds, and no change in window appearance occurs during this interval.
Reply #13 from Stardock Forums Top
On the bright side, the problem hasn't occurred for the last 3 days, which is a change.

I don't know if this has anything to do with it -- On a whim, I disassembled the laptop and blew out the system fans to remove 2 years' worth of dust. Perhaps it was just the GPU overheating?

As for that, probably not. I had measured CPU and GPU temperatures before, and they weren't excessive. So it's probably just coincidence that I haven't had the problem since then.
Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I am having the exact same issue on 2 PCs. One a custom desktop with an nvidia 8800GTS, the other an HP laptop with an ATI x1600. Except even if I uninstall WB, I cannot get Aero back. There is no option for it at all. My Windows experience scores on the desktop are all 5.9 except for memory, which is 5.7. Im running Vista Business x64 with 4GB on both PCs.

It worked for a few days, but then it just stopped working. I can't remember if there was an error or crash, its been many weeks.

*MD*