Windows 7: 'Please Wait' time period during theme change

Hello everyone,



since I could not find an answer anywhere else, let me ask you if there is a way to get rid of the "Please Wait" time period between theme changes that freezes your computer till the new theme is applied.

I'm new to Windows 7 but I remember that problem from previous versions of Windows. Some people do have to wait for seconds during a theme change, others can change them on the fly - just like that.

Why is that? - Is this a graphics card/driver issue - or a simple registry entry?

Thanks in advance,
Frank

Welcome to the Seven Forums

I'm not 100% sure but it could be a couple different reasons 1 could be how fast of a computer you have, 2 could be how many elements need to be changed when going from one theme to another, as an example if you are using a theme that is saved then you change the wallpaper and save it as a new theme when you switch back and forth you may not even see that "Please Wait" but if you change the sound, screensaver, window color etc. it will take longer for all of the elements to change.

Jerry

Thanks to your reply so far, Bongo.

I have a new AMD FX8150, a SSD and a new GForce 670. So it's not a speed related issue.

What I remember from WinXP, I also had to wait during the theme changes for about 15 seconds - until I bought a new graphics card. After installing the new card, I could change themes on the fly.

Strange that I couldn't find any reference within the net about that strange behavior...

Cheers,
Frank

Correct me if I'm wrong, but windows also restarts explorer during the theme change. It has to unload in use system files, apply the new files, restart explorer to display the new changes. I don't know of any way to prevent this. It is usually only a few seconds, but depends on how many elements are being changed as Jerry stated. But the explorer restart would always be there. A Guy

Quite frankly, I don't know if that's the case in Windows 7. All I know is that I could change themes instantly in XP after installing a new graphics card. And I suspect that XP did have to restart Explorer and system files as well.

I don't even know what the "Please Wait" screens official name is. Is it also a "lock screen"?

I don't know if it has any name. It is a text version of a spinning cursor, so to speak. Mine only displays for less then 1 second when changing themes BTW. How long is yours displaying? A Guy

And as a side question to everyone else - Who of you readers in here is actually able to change themes instantly within a second or two without having a "Please Wait" screen at all?

I never stopped the time but it is certainly more than 10 seconds. Which is pretty annoying if you love to try themes quite often... Maybe it's a graphics driver issue after all, who knows...

I just checked the time needed for theme changes. 21 to 24 seconds...

That is unusual, it seems to be hanging on something. I would 1st try a clean start to see if something is interfering. Safe mode will not help in this instance, and a clean start is the best way to disable things that may be conflicting.

Troubleshoot Application Conflicts by Performing a Clean Startup

Are you changing only windows own themes, or do you have 3rd party themes? How did you patch your system if using 3rd party? And is the delay the same chaning to windows own themes, or the classic theme if using 3rd party as well?

A Guy