Windows 7 - Theme Problems

**renthor** · 01-13-2009

I've been experiencing a strange problem with my themes. Sometimes 7 will stop displaying the desktop background. It just becomes a black screen. I can try changing the desktop image, refreshing, show/hide icons...nothing works. The background just stays black. If I change themes, the UI color will change, but the background will stay black. The only way I can fix the issue is to reboot.

Any ideas?

Note, this almost always happens during the transition from Aero to Basic (e.g. if I run a program that doesn't support Aero), but will also happen randomly.

**mSeliga** · 01-13-2009

I've had this issue as well. Usually when I unlock my pc or exit a game.

**renthor** · 01-13-2009

Hmm so apparently not isolated to the graphics card..as I run an ATI card, and you run an nVidia card. I too will run into the problem frequently when exiting games.

STormdce · 01-13-2009

Ive got the same problem every once in a while when I exit games, Haven't figured it out yet. Oddly, it doesn't seem to happen at all when i'm using a single file for my background.

**renthor** · 01-13-2009

Quote: Originally Posted by STormdce

Oddly, it doesn't seem to happen at all when i'm using a single file for my background.

Yeah, I've noticed the same. Though once the problem has happened, switching to a single file doesn't seem to have any effect.

STormdce · 01-15-2009

Im going to leave my background on a single file for a little while longer, i may just not be getting into the right situation to recreate the error...

**johngalt** · 01-15-2009

All you having this issue check and see if DWM is running in task manager - if it is, try restarting it - if not, try starting it.

**mSeliga** · 01-16-2009

Quote: Originally Posted by johngalt

All you having this issue check and see if DWM is running in task manager - if it is, try restarting it - if not, try starting it.

What is the name for DWM? Just type that in?

**ces973** · 01-16-2009

Just encountered this issue switching between the classic theme and a Windows 7 one. Killing dwm.exe and restarting it fixes the issue.

**johngalt** · 01-16-2009

Quote: Originally Posted by mSeliga

What is the name for DWM? Just type that in?

In taskmanager, it should be dwm.exe

Quote: Originally Posted by ces973

Just encountered this issue switching between the classic theme and a Windows 7 one. Killing dwm.exe and restarting it fixes the issue.

I thought so - *now* trying using DriverSweeper from Safe mode to remove your graphics driver and then reinstalling it after a reboot and Windows 7 installs your standard WDDM by installing your current driver *over* it...

Windows 7 - Theme Problems

Theme Problems problems?