Taskbar thumbnails ... how do I get them?

I just installed the Windows 7 full version Home Premium on my Dell XPS M1530 32bit, which previously had Vista.

I noticed in the little booklet that came with software that when you hold your mouse over an icon in the taskbar (internet explorer, for example), it should bring up little thumbnail pictures of what you have open. However, when I do that, I just get a list. I would much rather have the pictures, because I think that would be quicker for me to remember which page was which. I've putzed around trying to figure out how to change that, but can't find it.

Any suggestions?

mitchell65 said:

beau159 said:

I just installed the Windows 7 full version Home Premium on my Dell XPS M1530 32bit, which previously had Vista.

I noticed in the little booklet that came with software that when you hold your mouse over an icon in the taskbar (internet explorer, for example), it should bring up little thumbnail pictures of what you have open. However, when I do that, I just get a list. I would much rather have the pictures, because I think that would be quicker for me to remember which page was which. I've putzed around trying to figure out how to change that, but can't find it.

Any suggestions?

Have you got Aero turned on? The thumbnails only show with an Aero theme!

I did initially try an Aero theme. It still doesn't work.

At this point, I selected the Windows 7 Aero theme, but I selected my own photos to be used as a slideshow on the desktop.

There was a little sentence I could click on to troubleshoot. I ran it and it told me that:
The current video card may support Aero with a driver that is compliant with the Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM). Contact the manufacturer of your computer or video card for a WDDM-compatible driver.



So basically, I don't have the right driver on my video card.

Any ideas what this means and/or what I need to download from Dell?

Edited to ADD: I also cannot do the glass colors like the little booklet describes. All I get is the old-looking color changes like back from Windows 97!! Would that also be associated with my video card?

If you know what the make and model of the video card is you can go to Nvidia or ATI and get the latest driver package.

alphanumeric said:

If you know what the make and model of the video card is you can go to Nvidia or ATI and get the latest driver package.

Where can I look up what video card/make/model I currently have?

alphanumeric said:

If you know what the make and model of the video card is you can go to Nvidia or ATI and get the latest driver package.

Not for a laptop. You want to stick to the OEM drivers for those

beau159 said:

Where can I look up what video card/make/model I currently have?

If it is your computer, this is something you should know off the top of your head, considering it factored into the purchase of the computer. However, Dell makes it very easy. Go to Welcome to Dell Support and put in your service tage number. It will bring you to the latest drivers for your laptop.

DeaconFrost said:

alphanumeric said:

If you know what the make and model of the video card is you can go to Nvidia or ATI and get the latest driver package.

Not for a laptop. You want to stick to the OEM drivers for those

beau159 said:

Where can I look up what video card/make/model I currently have?

If it is your computer, this is something you should know off the top of your head, considering it factored into the purchase of the computer. However, Dell makes it very easy. Go to Welcome to Dell Support and put in your service tage number. It will bring you to the latest drivers for your laptop.

Well I purchased it over 3 years ago, so I can't say it was something I committed to memory. The currrent computer I am talking about though, is the replacement Dell sent for my original "lemon" I ordered (that's an entirely different issue).

I have already gone to the Dell page with my service tag number and I did look at the video drivers. However, I always feel hesitant to download things I may not need or things that might not be correct.

It lists this under the Video tab:

dia GeForce 8400M
Release Date:10/23/2008Version:7.15.11.7644, A03Download Type:DriverFile Format:Hard DriveFile Size:52 MB

Does that sound about right?

I tried looking up what video card I had like in Computer or Control Panal, but I couldn't find it.