Aero mini previews missing after a while...

[richc46]

Go to control panel..... performance information.... adjust visual effects. Make sure that the box for peek is checked. While in that area, make sure that all the boxes that may have an effect on your problem are checked. I have peek checked and thumbnails checked. Two separate boxes.
Ill be back shortly.

 

[zzz2496]

System File Verification is running, now at 53%, I've adjusted everything in "control panel performance information adjust visual effects" to "Adjust for best appearance", everything is checked...

 

[richc46]

If this is a new problem, we could try system restore. That always works for me

 

[zzz2496]

System File Checker done, "Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations."...

By the way, I found another way to make windows forget the mini previews, run a program with compatibility mode -> Disable Composition checked, exit the program (Aero will restart), mini preview still MIA. Aero will 100% forget the mini preview(s)...

 

[zzz2496]

I don't think this is a serious issue, but is annoying... I think this is a bug, what do you think, Rich?

 

[richc46]

I don't think this is a serious issue, but is annoying... I think this is a bug, what do you think, Rich?

I mentioned before that I was looking through the forum for answers on this topic, several answers were that it was a bug.

Several questions for your though: Have a good graphics card?
Did you check all drivers?

Did you check your memory? Go to search type in memory diagnostics, see what happens?
BTW how much ram do you have?

It may be a bug, but if not, I would really like to get it working. If I could, this would be a very fulfilling day for me.

Ill be away for 30 min or so, but I will not give up, until that is mutually agreed.

 

[zzz2496]

You can see my specs, I filled it... memory is OK (I ran several OSes, so a memtest was mandatory to make sure that my computer can run 24/7). By the way, as far as hardware goes, this computer is stable, it ran XP before Windows 7 averaging 2 months uptime (restarts was needed for updates on the system), every 6 months I check everything... The hardware is OK.

 

[richc46]

As a last resort before I write it up to a bug. Do a repair install.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html?ltr=R

 

[zzz2496]

Before I do the repair install (this is a production system, so I need it to be running), I will install it cleanly on another computer (it has a Nvidia GeForce 8600GT 512MB gfx card, so it'll run Aero just fine), I'll update you when it's done.

 

[richc46]

Before I do the repair install (this is a production system, so I need it to be running), I will install it cleanly on another computer (it has a Nvidia GeForce 8600GT 512MB gfx card, so it'll run Aero just fine), I'll update you when it's done.

Thanks

I hope you are not installing on two compters at the same time.

 

[zzz2496]

The installation is done, and I see the same issue...

Aero is running, Flip3D operational, Aero peek is running... still keep on forgetting [the mini preview] after a while

 

[richc46]

If the problem is still there it is a bug or done intentionally. You did a clean install, the repair install would not change anything. It is the same on the other computer too

I am sorry that I could not give you more help, but this situation gives me the opportunity to wish you and your loved ones A Happy New Year, on behalf of everyone here at Windows 7

 

[zzz2496]

No worries
Happy New Year to you too, Rich

I guess I'll have to wait if this issue is going to be resolved by Microsoft (maybe by the time SP1 comes out?)

And for now, I'm 99.9999% sure this is a tiny tiny tiny bug that is somewhat annoying, but I'm sure I can live with it

Well, I'm off to get some sleep then... (almost 7AM over here)

Cheers,

zzz2496

 

[logicearth]

Does the preview always disappear during moments of high load? Mostly Concerning RAM? You normally see this "just an icon" when the application is minimized and trying to keep itself from taking any memory, either the system RAM or video RAM. Actually that is kind of misleading...the application does not actually handle that, DWM does. DWM flushed the data for the minimized window to make room for others, since the window is minimized it does not send updates to DWM.

Then again depending on the application, it may also tell DWM not to render it when minimized. Don't recall Windows Explorer doing that however.

 

[zzz2496]

logicearth, it's not just explorer, it's anything that sits too long, it will loose the mini preview image.
Read my post where I put screenshots of my mini previews, you will see what I mean. Normally I can see the mini preview. It will disappear when I leave that app too long.

I only use Explorer as an example. Here's a way to invoke the bug, run an app, anything to your liking (say firefox), make it use the "Disable desktop composition" ticked. Now open any app (say windows media player classic, play a video), minimize it, make sure you can see the mini preview image (with video playing). Now start the app that you set compatibility (firefox), it will switch Aero OFF (DO NOT STOP media player classic from playing). Glance back at the mini preview of the minimized test app (media player classic), it will turn to "List View". Exit the compatibility enabled app (exit firefox), Aero will kick back in, glace back at the test app (media player classic), it will not show you the window state, instead you see an icon. I say this is a bug of whatever managing the windows instance, the Window Manager (DWM)

...Actually that is kind of misleading...the application does not actually handle that, DWM does. DWM flushed the data for the minimized window to make room for others, since the window is minimized it does not send updates to DWM....

See, the logic for a window's live preview/mini preview or whatever, should be associated with the window instance, so whatever the window looks like, the mini preview should show that image to you, whatever the state of the window (minimized or not), thus I call this a tiny tiny tiny annoying bug.

zzz2496

 

[logicearth]

Why are you using "Disable desktop composition"?

 

[zzz2496]

logicearth, I use it to make sure that the "bug" (window mini preview MIA) is invoked, just to speed things up... OR, you can just leave an explorer window minimized for an hour...

 

[logicearth]

So...what I said it correct then. This is not a bug. Disable desktop composition turns off DWM and flushes its memory, all of it. All of the minimized windows are then removed until they are un-minimized. Now, unless an application is programmed to do so, it does not repaint itself when minimized. For example, Windows Media Player does not repaint itself when minimized unless it is playing a video. Leaving a Windows Explorer window minimized for an hour is of course going to push it out of DWM's buffer and make room for active windows. That is just how it works. Resources are not limitless.

 

[zzz2496]

logicearth,

Ok, we are at different wave length here...

Here's my (so called) logic.

If DWM is trully a window manager, is should manage every single instance of a window, including it's "mini previews" or "thumbnails" or whatever we should call it. Like in MacOS, Aqua maintains the window state, a minimized window in MacOS will show in the dock, along with it's latest "view state". In Linux, the latest incarnation of KDE's window manager do the same thing (and compiz too), for whatever reason, if the behavior is when you hover to a "proxy" (in this case, a taskbar button), it will show the latest visual view of the window.

Now, if I stand by that logic, the mini previews are NOT gimmick, it's a visual representation of the window's content graphically, in many ways must show whatever the reason might happen to your DWM, it should still show. In Windows 7's case, it doesn't do that, the behavior is different... as your words, and I quote:

...All of the minimized windows are then removed until they are un-minimized. Now, unless an application is programmed to do so, it does not repaint itself when minimized...

This is a BUG, a window manager that doesn't show the content of it's "child object" that it's managing is bugged, it doesn't do the way it should do. Why do I say it's bugged, an app when you start it will create a window object, and registers it to the DWM so that DWM can draw it to the screen. Now, once it registers, it will keep on doing what it does... changing it's content, etc... It's up to the DWM process to maintain the visual presentation of the window it's managing, which in facts, it forgotten if the "buffers" are flushed...

My point is, this behavior is inconsistent, the inconsistency is the bug. If a Desktop Window Manager truly manages windows that are shown in our desktop, it should do just that consistently, for whatever reason the buffers are flushed or anything, it should "repaint" in the background without us asking it, it's the manager, it is its duty to do that, not us. This is just like "Windows Search" for desktop clients all over again, tacked on without reasonable logic... *sigh* (this is for another thread...)

zzz2496

 

[logicearth]

Well maybe it would help you understand, DWM is not a Window Manager despite its name. It handles the graphical output only. This is why you can turn it off and on without closing any windows. If you are wanting to compare it to something, Mac OS X: Quartz Compositor, Linux: Compiz. (Compiz is not a Windows Manager)