Solved Resource Monitor window is totally transparent.

[Britton30]

From your RAM, CPU and mobo specs I don't think disabling aero would not be noticeable in performance. I suspect you also have quite a capable GPU too.

 

[IML8]

Oh, it's noticeable, but it's not significant. Maybe it's because I still have the Performance Options set to Adjust for Best Performance. So, even with Areo, many of the superfluous visual effects are disabled. I dunno. All I know for sure is that it isn't enough of a drop in performance to be bothersome, but that's just my subjective opinion, of course.

Almost forgot to mention, still researching GPU's. I'd like to find a good bargain. Not a big gamer or video editing kind of guy, so I don't really need too much to be content.

 

[AddRAM]

Could you post a snip of this transparent Resource Monitor.

 

[IML8]

There's a snip of it on page 1. As per Britton30's suggestion, I checked and although the problem disappears with Aero themes, it still persists with the Windows Classic theme as well as all other non-Aero themes. Odd, eh? I'm still fairly new to Windows 7, but I'm eventually going to chase this bug down if it kills me.

Update: I have to walk it back a little bit. Resource Monitor also works fine when using the Windows 7 Basic theme as well and it doesn't seem to matter if I customize it or not.

On a hunch, I set Performance Options to both Let Windows Decide and Adjust for Best Appearance, but that, in various theme combinations, had no effect.

The hunt continues.

 

[UsernameIssues]

.........I'll go through all the disabled services, enable them one at a time....

...the problem disappears with Aero themes, it still persists with the Windows Classic theme as well as all other non-Aero themes....
~~~
The hunt continues.

Did you disable some services or are you talking about the few services that are disabled in a fresh install?

 

[IML8]

UsenameIssues, I modified several services, but have since reset them to their default settings and it had no effect on the problem.

Since it looks like themes are related to the problem, I thought for sure it would be somehow be related to visual effects in performance options, but that doesn't seem to be it. However, When I disable visual effects with the Aero themes or the Windows 7 Basic them, I still have that effect of that semi-transparent window appearing over desktop icons when I mouseover them (which I hate with a passion). Whenever that effect is in operation, the Resource Monitor looks fine. When it isn't, it doesn't. I can't help but think there is a causal relationship there somewhere.

 

[UsernameIssues]

I'm unable to replicate that type of a window - so my guess is that it is a combination of your video driver and the theme settings.

 

[IML8]

Just to be clear, it is this mouseover effect that I'm talking about and I hate:



Maybe it's unrelated, but whenever this effect is...well, in effect...Resource Monitor looks fine. When it isn't, Resource Monitor is 100% transparent. I thought disabling visual effects would get rid of this mouseover behavior, but, at least in Areo themes and the Windows 7 Basic theme, it doesn't.

There are no updates available for the video driver. Maybe I should reinstall the existing driver? Maybe I'll be getting a GPU sooner rather than later.

EDIT: I never really solved the issue, but concluded that it must have had something to do with setting up User Data on a separate drive from the OS (I may have included Program Data. I can't remember for sure now). Anyway, I installed Windows 8 in the same configuration via relocate.xml and it is no longer an issue so I thought I should mark this thread as solved.

 

[ebbing82310]

IML8 - Discovered an identical 'Resource Monitor' issue today. After toggling desktop backgrounds from a JPEG image of earth from mars, back to a Aero Theme the Resource Manager started working as advertised. I left Resource Manager running and cycled the back to the JPEG. From there I opening a second minimized instantiation of Resource Manager - with borders and header, all else is transparent. I'm new to this forum and have read you've moved onto Win8, wanted to inquire if you're still around, or if others have any additional thoughts?

 

[UsernameIssues]

Welcome to the Seven Forums, ebbing82310.

Nice additional info.

Let's see if other members can help you with this.

 

[paleolith]

Yes, I know this discussion happened 3+ years ago ... but the answers were never clear. And some of us are still running Win7 and do not consider downgrading to Win8 to be a solution. In fact, some of us only recently installed Win7 ... like me.

I'm glad I found this thread, because the inability to run Resource Manager (RM) was a mystery to me.

Just to be clear about the symptoms: the RM window isn't really transparent. Rather, RM never draws to the window. This is obvious when I launch RM on a system that's already busy, no desktop visible. Initially RM appears to be invisible -- I see the application(s) behind it though the frame. But then when I move its window, a copy of what I was seeing in the RM window moves with the window. RM just never draws over it.

It's definitely linked to the theme -- in particular, the theme that is active when RM is launched. If Windows Classic is active at RM launch, RM never draws to its window, not even if I change the theme to Win7 Basic. If Win7 Basic is active at RM launch, RM operates normally, and even continues operating normally if I then switch back to Windows Classic. (Which I will. There are various things about the appears of Classic that I prefer to Win7 Basic or to any of the aero themes. My preference is based on appearance, not performance.) My guess is that RM picks a mode of drawing when it launches and sticks with it, and that what it picks when Classic is active doesn't work.

I did not try any of the high contrast or aero themes. Presumably RM works fine with aero. The high contrast themes probably affect it the same way as either Basic or Classic; if this matters to anyone, they can quickly figure out which it is.

Edward

 

[originaljgf]

FWIW, five years later this is still an irritant. Found this thread while researching why my Resource Monitor was just a title bar, menu bar, and frame. Interesting "solutions", but not for me. I run my computer like a business - if all employees get along except for one recalcitrant person, guess who gets replaced. I'm now seeking a replacement for Resource Monitor.

 

[Megahertz07]

That is a bug.
Resource Monitor doesn't work if you're using Classic theme.
If you choose any aero theme it will work.