Windows 7 - Taskbar icons

When I put my mouse pointer over the task bar icons I get a square box with the name of what it is. I would like them to show me the picture of what the icon info is. So when I run my mouse over Excel instead of showing me just the name in a square box I would like to see the preview picture of my spreadsheet. I don't know how it got this way but I would like to know how to bring it back. I notice that the Properties "Use Aero Peek to preview the desktop" is gray out so I wonder if something happened to my video card? Also my taskbar color has changed to a grayish type of color.

What mode are you running? Basic mode will only show the name. To get the Picture of the application you need to be running Aero, and have Aero Peek checked in Properties. Hope this helps.

Only Aero supports the preview.
If you are already in Aero, right click on task bar and hit properties.
Check mark, Use aero peek to preview the desktop and click ok.
Post back your results.

Right click on desktop, select Personalize, choose an Aero Theme.

If the window frames don't become transparent, type Aero into Start Search box and use the Aero troubleshooter.

Check also Control Panel>System>Advanced System Settings>Performance Settings to Show Desktop Preview Thumbnails..

Taskbar Thumbnail Previews - Enable or Disable

What's your Windows Experience Index score?
You can get that info from Computer - Properties or by hitting Windows Key+Pause break.

Index is 4.8 and I am using Aero Theme Windows 7 but when I go to task bar properties the Aero Peek check box is grayed out. I was using this before and that is why I can't figure out what happened.

Try here..
Aero Peek - Turn On or Off

Is this only an issue on Excel, or with Excel open?

Taskbar Preview Pane not Showing Excel 2007 Contents

A Guy

Aero Peek check box is grayed out and peek at desktop is grayed out and I tried everything suggested and it won't come back in. Could something have happened to my hardware because I do have an index of 4.8 and gaming is at 6.2. This has really got me bug.

Ask the Internet and it will take you to a group that can answer your question
1.Click on Start menu.
2.Type the following text into the Start Search box: Aero and press enter.
3.Select “Find and fix problems with transparency and other visual effects” from the menu (i.e. control panel).4.An “Aero- Troubleshoot computer Problems” wizard dialog will appear.
5. Click on Next button.
6. The troubleshooting wizard will try to detect any problem by running a series of checks against various components required to make Aero works and running, such as video memory, Desktop Windows Manager (DWM) service, color depth, theme, power settings and etc. At the end of the analysis, the wizard will attempt to fix the issues related to Aero service and restart the Aero feature.