Window Blinds Interferes with Third-Party Start Menu

from Stardock Forums

I've tried two different third-part Start Button utilities for Windows 8.1:  Start8 and Classic Shell.  In each case, when a Window Blinds theme is installed, right clicking any application on the taskbar of the Desktop UI causes the menu entries in the Start Button menu to change color and be unreadable.  I initially noticed this with the Precision theme of Window Blinds, but have experienced the exact same effect with all other themes - except the Default theme.

Please help.  I really like Window Blinds and particularly the Precision theme, but this problem makes it unusable - and I have paid for it and registered it.

Thanks in advance for any help.

windowblinds
13,036 views 17 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top

Could you supply a screenshot of what you mean?

Start8 is also a Stardock product and there should be no problems with that and WindowBlinds.

Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top

Neil,

 

I made the screenshots, but am unable to find a way to attach/insert them into my reply on the Stardock Forum (I know I'm going to be embarrassed about this!).  Clicking on the insert/edit icon does not seem to give me a way to attach my screenshot.  Could you please give me an e-mail address where I can send them to you from my normal e-mail program?

Bob Blum

 

 

Curtains - Customize Windows with additional styles
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Bob....posting of images on these forums is via link to an upload file sharing site of your choice.

An alternative, albeit a little slower is to upload it/them here in the 'screenshot' gallery...and once approved can be linked [it's what I do]...;)

Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top

Hope I'm doing this right.

 

Start8 menu before error occurs:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3746163/Start8%20-%20Before%20Problem.jpg

Start8 menu after error occurs (not certain what actions are triggering the error condition):

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3746163/Start8With%20Problem.jpg

---------------------------------------------------------

Classic Shell menu before error occurs:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3746163/Classic%20Shell%20-%20Before%20Problem.jpg

Classic Shell menu after error occurs:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3746163/Classic%20Shell%20-%20With%20Problem.jpg

----------------------------------------------------------

 

What I mean by "the error" is the graphical degradation of the degradation of the text in the Start menu.

With Classic Shell, right clicking on any application pinned to the taskbar produces the problem.

With Start8, there is less certainty as to what provokes the problem:  opening and closing a few applications.

In both cases, logging out and logging back in resolves the problem temporarily until it is evoked again.

 

 

Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Sounds like Windowblinds is trying to override Start8. Perhaps uninstalling Windowblinds, run CCleaner or the like, reboot and re-install Windowblinds then reboot again. Just a suggestion. 

Reply #7 from Stardock Forums Top

Uvah,

Sounds like it's worth a try.  I'll uninstall Window Blinds, run CCleaner, including its registry cleaner function, reboot, then reinstall Window Blinds.  I'll post the results after I have re-tested it for the problem condition.

 

 

Reply #8 from Stardock Forums Top

Tried everything suggested by Uvah.  Seemed to work okay for awhile, then experienced the same degradation of the fonts.  Logging out and logging back in solved the problem.  I have experimented with a number of different keyboard and program combinations and am unable to determined what is triggering the problem.  With Classic Shell, which I have since uninstalled (deep uninstall, including all registry entries), the problem was always produced by right-clicking on the taskbar apps;  not so with Start8.

Reply #9 from Stardock Forums Top

More:  Did some further experimenting and found that degradation occurs after I have been working with applications on the Metro UI (Windows 8.1), but unable to determine any single Metro app that is causing the problem.

Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top

You can close the apps one by one I think. Also try working in the traditional desktop rather than the Metro UI. Access the programs from there and see what happens.

Reply #11 from Stardock Forums Top

Programs on Desktop work without any detrimental effect on Start8.  With Start8, problem is the Metro UI.  Hard to determine what combination is triggering it.

Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Okay...try disabling Start8. If the problem disappears then you know its that. If it persists then the only thing I can suggest is sending an email to support@stardock.com with a reference to this thread. Its kinda hard to know what's going on because I'm running Windows 7 not 8. 

Reply #13 from Stardock Forums Top

It is Start8 that is being affected:  that is where the text is becoming blurred.  Disabling Start8 is not going to tell me what is causing the problem.  However, when I disabled Window Blinds by selecting the default theme, instead of Precision or any other theme, the problem went away.  That's why I think there is a conflict and wanted to know whether the participants in the forum could provide a solution, a patch, or a work-around. 

I'm going to work on it more and see if there is anything in my Windows 8.1 system that is causing the problem.  Thus far, though, I have spent a great deal of time on it because I am really trying to avoid contact with the Metro UI in Windows 8/8.1.

Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top

With Start8 and Windowblinds installed together Windowblinds always takes the lead. You can't have a Start8 styled startmenu & taskbar + Windowblinds for the windows.

Reply #15 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting c242, reply 14

With Start8 and Windowblinds installed together Windowblinds always takes the lead. You can't have a Start8 styled startmenu & taskbar + Windowblinds for the windows.
End of c242's quote

Actually with Start8 1.3 and higher you can have a Start8 theme on the start menu rather than the WB one if you wish,

Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Ooooh, I didn't know that. :-)