When I first installed windows vista ultimate, I had three themes, Windows
Aero, Windows Vista, and Windows Classic. Then yesterday, I noticed that
Windows Aero theme was missing from the list of themes, but my desktop was
actually using aero (with transparency, and with the cool windows + tab task
switching).

I had some problems with theme and Nero 7, so I thought maybe it messed it
up. Since the box was newly setup, I formatted C:\ drive and did a clean
install of Windows vista ultimate again. To my surprise, as soon as I
installed the correct video driver (and rebooted of course), my desktop
theme automatically went to aero, but aero was still not listed at all. My
theme manager says I was using "modified theme", but if I switched it to
"windows vista", it still had transparency and all that, only the desktop
background changed to the greenish vista picture.

I wonder why this was the case. At first, I suspected some windows updates
removed aero and forced vista theme to be aero, but it couldn've been the
case because that happened right after I did a fresh install, before any
updates were done. My box uses nVidia GeForce 8400 GS... could the nvidia
video card driver be causing this? Has anyone else seen this problem?

Worth mentioning here, is that my laptop (running vista ultimate, using
nvidia geForce 8400M GS) is also seeing this problem, but with a twist - aero
is not listed among the themes. To conserve power, I initially chose not to
use aero, and currently it doesn't have transparency.



Can someone help?

Well, the first thing you can make sure you do is have the latest video card
driver installed: http://www.nvidia.com

You might need to refresh your Windows Experience Index (WEI) rating.
1. Click Start
2. In the search box, type Performance Information and Tools, hit enter
3. Click the Update my score link
4. Click Continue on the User Account Control dialog

Ensure the following services are running:
- Desktop Windows Manager
- Themes

(Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Services).
--
Andre
Blog: http://adacosta.spaces.live.com
My Vista Quickstart Guide:
http://adacosta.spaces.live.com/blog...3DB!9709.entry
"Jim" <Jim@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:8AB44992-B150-4C9D-9569-2757443E301C@xxxxxx

> When I first installed windows vista ultimate, I had three themes, Windows
> Aero, Windows Vista, and Windows Classic. Then yesterday, I noticed that
> Windows Aero theme was missing from the list of themes, but my desktop was
> actually using aero (with transparency, and with the cool windows + tab
> task
> switching).
>
> I had some problems with theme and Nero 7, so I thought maybe it messed it
> up. Since the box was newly setup, I formatted C:\ drive and did a clean
> install of Windows vista ultimate again. To my surprise, as soon as I
> installed the correct video driver (and rebooted of course), my desktop
> theme automatically went to aero, but aero was still not listed at all.
> My
> theme manager says I was using "modified theme", but if I switched it to
> "windows vista", it still had transparency and all that, only the desktop
> background changed to the greenish vista picture.
>
> I wonder why this was the case. At first, I suspected some windows
> updates
> removed aero and forced vista theme to be aero, but it couldn've been the
> case because that happened right after I did a fresh install, before any
> updates were done. My box uses nVidia GeForce 8400 GS... could the nvidia
> video card driver be causing this? Has anyone else seen this problem?
>
> Worth mentioning here, is that my laptop (running vista ultimate, using
> nvidia geForce 8400M GS) is also seeing this problem, but with a twist -
> aero
> is not listed among the themes. To conserve power, I initially chose not
> to
> use aero, and currently it doesn't have transparency.
>
> Can someone help?
>
>
>

"Jim" wrote:

> When I first installed windows vista ultimate, I had three themes, Windows
> Aero, Windows Vista, and Windows Classic. Then yesterday, I noticed that
> Windows Aero theme was missing from the list of themes, but my desktop was
> actually using aero (with transparency, and with the cool windows + tab task
> switching).
>
> I had some problems with theme and Nero 7, so I thought maybe it messed it
> up. Since the box was newly setup, I formatted C:\ drive and did a clean
> install of Windows vista ultimate again. To my surprise, as soon as I
> installed the correct video driver (and rebooted of course), my desktop
> theme automatically went to aero, but aero was still not listed at all. My
> theme manager says I was using "modified theme", but if I switched it to
> "windows vista", it still had transparency and all that, only the desktop
> background changed to the greenish vista picture.
>
> I wonder why this was the case. At first, I suspected some windows updates
> removed aero and forced vista theme to be aero, but it couldn've been the
> case because that happened right after I did a fresh install, before any
> updates were done. My box uses nVidia GeForce 8400 GS... could the nvidia
> video card driver be causing this? Has anyone else seen this problem?
>
> Worth mentioning here, is that my laptop (running vista ultimate, using
> nvidia geForce 8400M GS) is also seeing this problem, but with a twist - aero
> is not listed among the themes. To conserve power, I initially chose not to
> use aero, and currently it doesn't have transparency.
>
> Can someone help?
>
>
>

Jim,

To the best of my knowledge, once you start running a DreamScene
desktop your theme settings are changed to "Modified". Are you using a
DreamScene desktop?

Have a nice day.

C.B.

Hi CB, and Andre,

No, I am not using dream scene, just a solid picture for background. And
yes, both Desktop window manager session manager and theme services are
running, and are configured as automatic.

The windows experience index is up to date, and my nvidia driver is freshly
downloaded from nvidia.com. The box was cleanly rebuilt at the wee hours of
this morning, but windows aero never appeared in the list.

When vista booted for the first time, it didn't recognize the video card, so
I could understand why aero wasn't listed. Then I installed the nvidia
driver, and as soon as I did that, it automatically switched to aero, even
aero was missing from the list. It seems like aero had hijacked windows
vista theme, and I cannot use the non-transparent windows vista theme on the
desktop. This box has a WEI of 3.4

My laptop does the opposite, although I didn't re-install vista. Aero
doesn't show up in the list. The current theme is windows vista theme, no
transparency, no windows+tab switching. on my laptop, I cannot use the aero,
although the WEI has a pretty decent 3.4 also.


"CB" wrote:

>
>
> "Jim" wrote:
>

> > When I first installed windows vista ultimate, I had three themes, Windows
> > Aero, Windows Vista, and Windows Classic. Then yesterday, I noticed that
> > Windows Aero theme was missing from the list of themes, but my desktop was
> > actually using aero (with transparency, and with the cool windows + tab task
> > switching).
> >
> > I had some problems with theme and Nero 7, so I thought maybe it messed it
> > up. Since the box was newly setup, I formatted C:\ drive and did a clean
> > install of Windows vista ultimate again. To my surprise, as soon as I
> > installed the correct video driver (and rebooted of course), my desktop
> > theme automatically went to aero, but aero was still not listed at all. My
> > theme manager says I was using "modified theme", but if I switched it to
> > "windows vista", it still had transparency and all that, only the desktop
> > background changed to the greenish vista picture.
> >
> > I wonder why this was the case. At first, I suspected some windows updates
> > removed aero and forced vista theme to be aero, but it couldn've been the
> > case because that happened right after I did a fresh install, before any
> > updates were done. My box uses nVidia GeForce 8400 GS... could the nvidia
> > video card driver be causing this? Has anyone else seen this problem?
> >
> > Worth mentioning here, is that my laptop (running vista ultimate, using
> > nvidia geForce 8400M GS) is also seeing this problem, but with a twist - aero
> > is not listed among the themes. To conserve power, I initially chose not to
> > use aero, and currently it doesn't have transparency.
> >
> > Can someone help?
> >
> >
> >

>
>
> Jim,
>
> To the best of my knowledge, once you start running a DreamScene
> desktop your theme settings are changed to "Modified". Are you using a
> DreamScene desktop?
>
> Have a nice day.
>
> C.B.

I feel like a dumb bass... as it turned out, Windows Aero is NOT A DESKTOP
THEME, rather it is a COLOR THEME.

There are only two desktop themes: Windows Vista and Windows Classic.

To turn on/off Aero, I have to go to Personalize -> Window Color and
Appearance -> [Open classic appearance properties for more color options] if
it is current aero -> choose between Windows Aero and Windows Vista Basic
from the list...

thank you all.

"Jim" wrote:

> When I first installed windows vista ultimate, I had three themes, Windows
> Aero, Windows Vista, and Windows Classic. Then yesterday, I noticed that
> Windows Aero theme was missing from the list of themes, but my desktop was
> actually using aero (with transparency, and with the cool windows + tab task
> switching).
>
> I had some problems with theme and Nero 7, so I thought maybe it messed it
> up. Since the box was newly setup, I formatted C:\ drive and did a clean
> install of Windows vista ultimate again. To my surprise, as soon as I
> installed the correct video driver (and rebooted of course), my desktop
> theme automatically went to aero, but aero was still not listed at all. My
> theme manager says I was using "modified theme", but if I switched it to
> "windows vista", it still had transparency and all that, only the desktop
> background changed to the greenish vista picture.
>
> I wonder why this was the case. At first, I suspected some windows updates
> removed aero and forced vista theme to be aero, but it couldn've been the
> case because that happened right after I did a fresh install, before any
> updates were done. My box uses nVidia GeForce 8400 GS... could the nvidia
> video card driver be causing this? Has anyone else seen this problem?
>
> Worth mentioning here, is that my laptop (running vista ultimate, using
> nvidia geForce 8400M GS) is also seeing this problem, but with a twist - aero
> is not listed among the themes. To conserve power, I initially chose not to
> use aero, and currently it doesn't have transparency.
>
> Can someone help?
>
>
>

"Jim" wrote:

> I feel like a dumb bass... as it turned out, Windows Aero is NOT A DESKTOP
> THEME, rather it is a COLOR THEME.
>
> There are only two desktop themes: Windows Vista and Windows Classic.
>
> To turn on/off Aero, I have to go to Personalize -> Window Color and
> Appearance -> [Open classic appearance properties for more color options] if
> it is current aero -> choose between Windows Aero and Windows Vista Basic
> from the list...
>
> thank you all.
>
> "Jim" wrote:
>

> > When I first installed windows vista ultimate, I had three themes, Windows
> > Aero, Windows Vista, and Windows Classic. Then yesterday, I noticed that
> > Windows Aero theme was missing from the list of themes, but my desktop was
> > actually using aero (with transparency, and with the cool windows + tab task
> > switching).
> >
> > I had some problems with theme and Nero 7, so I thought maybe it messed it
> > up. Since the box was newly setup, I formatted C:\ drive and did a clean
> > install of Windows vista ultimate again. To my surprise, as soon as I
> > installed the correct video driver (and rebooted of course), my desktop
> > theme automatically went to aero, but aero was still not listed at all. My
> > theme manager says I was using "modified theme", but if I switched it to
> > "windows vista", it still had transparency and all that, only the desktop
> > background changed to the greenish vista picture.
> >
> > I wonder why this was the case. At first, I suspected some windows updates
> > removed aero and forced vista theme to be aero, but it couldn've been the
> > case because that happened right after I did a fresh install, before any
> > updates were done. My box uses nVidia GeForce 8400 GS... could the nvidia
> > video card driver be causing this? Has anyone else seen this problem?
> >
> > Worth mentioning here, is that my laptop (running vista ultimate, using
> > nvidia geForce 8400M GS) is also seeing this problem, but with a twist - aero
> > is not listed among the themes. To conserve power, I initially chose not to
> > use aero, and currently it doesn't have transparency.
> >
> > Can someone help?
> >
> >
> >

Jim,

Just a note: DreamScene will not function, and will be disabled, if you
are running software that is not compatible with Vista. The same MAY hold
true concerning Aero. I don't know.
Have a nice day.

C.B.

Dreamscene depends on AERO which depends on the Desktop Window Manager.
Usually DWM is disabled by incompatible Java based programs if you don't
have a compatible version of JAVA installed.
--
Andre
Blog: http://adacosta.spaces.live.com
My Vista Quickstart Guide:
http://adacosta.spaces.live.com/blog...3DB!9709.entry

"CB" <CB@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:5CEBB8AB-83AB-494C-A978-B44317C2B1B7@xxxxxx

>
>
> "Jim" wrote:
>

>> I feel like a dumb bass... as it turned out, Windows Aero is NOT A
>> DESKTOP
>> THEME, rather it is a COLOR THEME.
>>
>> There are only two desktop themes: Windows Vista and Windows Classic.
>>
>> To turn on/off Aero, I have to go to Personalize -> Window Color and
>> Appearance -> [Open classic appearance properties for more color options]
>> if
>> it is current aero -> choose between Windows Aero and Windows Vista Basic
>> from the list...
>>
>> thank you all.
>>
>> "Jim" wrote:
>>

>> > When I first installed windows vista ultimate, I had three themes,
>> > Windows
>> > Aero, Windows Vista, and Windows Classic. Then yesterday, I noticed
>> > that
>> > Windows Aero theme was missing from the list of themes, but my desktop
>> > was
>> > actually using aero (with transparency, and with the cool windows + tab
>> > task
>> > switching).
>> >
>> > I had some problems with theme and Nero 7, so I thought maybe it messed
>> > it
>> > up. Since the box was newly setup, I formatted C:\ drive and did a
>> > clean
>> > install of Windows vista ultimate again. To my surprise, as soon as I
>> > installed the correct video driver (and rebooted of course), my
>> > desktop
>> > theme automatically went to aero, but aero was still not listed at all.
>> > My
>> > theme manager says I was using "modified theme", but if I switched it
>> > to
>> > "windows vista", it still had transparency and all that, only the
>> > desktop
>> > background changed to the greenish vista picture.
>> >
>> > I wonder why this was the case. At first, I suspected some windows
>> > updates
>> > removed aero and forced vista theme to be aero, but it couldn've been
>> > the
>> > case because that happened right after I did a fresh install, before
>> > any
>> > updates were done. My box uses nVidia GeForce 8400 GS... could the
>> > nvidia
>> > video card driver be causing this? Has anyone else seen this problem?
>> >
>> > Worth mentioning here, is that my laptop (running vista ultimate, using
>> > nvidia geForce 8400M GS) is also seeing this problem, but with a
>> > twist - aero
>> > is not listed among the themes. To conserve power, I initially chose
>> > not to
>> > use aero, and currently it doesn't have transparency.
>> >
>> > Can someone help?
>> >
>> >
>> >

> Jim,
>
> Just a note: DreamScene will not function, and will be disabled, if
> you
> are running software that is not compatible with Vista. The same MAY hold
> true concerning Aero. I don't know.
> Have a nice day.
>
> C.B.

DWM is disabled from a lot of different programs, for example my TV card
software and others..

seems to me that the whole Aero concept - engine is flaky technology...

it should have had one step down incriment to it, so it would function like
windowblinds, which of course
does not get disabled when running "non vista aero" compatible apps, yet it
does support transparencies and per pixel rendering of windows.....

what can I say? Vista is shyt


"Andre Da Costa[ActiveWin]" <andred25@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:e8NSLc%23WIHA.5348@xxxxxx

> Dreamscene depends on AERO which depends on the Desktop Window Manager.
> Usually DWM is disabled by incompatible Java based programs if you don't
> have a compatible version of JAVA installed.
> --
> Andre
> Blog: http://adacosta.spaces.live.com
> My Vista Quickstart Guide:
> http://adacosta.spaces.live.com/blog...3DB!9709.entry
>
> "CB" <CB@xxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:5CEBB8AB-83AB-494C-A978-B44317C2B1B7@xxxxxx

>>
>>
>> "Jim" wrote:
>>

>>> I feel like a dumb bass... as it turned out, Windows Aero is NOT A
>>> DESKTOP
>>> THEME, rather it is a COLOR THEME.
>>>
>>> There are only two desktop themes: Windows Vista and Windows Classic.
>>>
>>> To turn on/off Aero, I have to go to Personalize -> Window Color and
>>> Appearance -> [Open classic appearance properties for more color
>>> options] if
>>> it is current aero -> choose between Windows Aero and Windows Vista
>>> Basic
>>> from the list...
>>>
>>> thank you all.
>>>
>>> "Jim" wrote:
>>>
>>> > When I first installed windows vista ultimate, I had three themes,
>>> > Windows
>>> > Aero, Windows Vista, and Windows Classic. Then yesterday, I noticed
>>> > that
>>> > Windows Aero theme was missing from the list of themes, but my desktop
>>> > was
>>> > actually using aero (with transparency, and with the cool windows +
>>> > tab task
>>> > switching).
>>> >
>>> > I had some problems with theme and Nero 7, so I thought maybe it
>>> > messed it
>>> > up. Since the box was newly setup, I formatted C:\ drive and did a
>>> > clean
>>> > install of Windows vista ultimate again. To my surprise, as soon as I
>>> > installed the correct video driver (and rebooted of course), my
>>> > desktop
>>> > theme automatically went to aero, but aero was still not listed at
>>> > all. My
>>> > theme manager says I was using "modified theme", but if I switched it
>>> > to
>>> > "windows vista", it still had transparency and all that, only the
>>> > desktop
>>> > background changed to the greenish vista picture.
>>> >
>>> > I wonder why this was the case. At first, I suspected some windows
>>> > updates
>>> > removed aero and forced vista theme to be aero, but it couldn've been
>>> > the
>>> > case because that happened right after I did a fresh install, before
>>> > any
>>> > updates were done. My box uses nVidia GeForce 8400 GS... could the
>>> > nvidia
>>> > video card driver be causing this? Has anyone else seen this problem?
>>> >
>>> > Worth mentioning here, is that my laptop (running vista ultimate,
>>> > using
>>> > nvidia geForce 8400M GS) is also seeing this problem, but with a
>>> > twist - aero
>>> > is not listed among the themes. To conserve power, I initially chose
>>> > not to
>>> > use aero, and currently it doesn't have transparency.
>>> >
>>> > Can someone help?
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >

>> Jim,
>>
>> Just a note: DreamScene will not function, and will be disabled, if
>> you
>> are running software that is not compatible with Vista. The same MAY hold
>> true concerning Aero. I don't know.
>> Have a nice day.
>>
>> C.B.

>
>

Thank you all for replying. I don't care for windows dream scene. Actually
I dont care for aero either, only that when I thought it was missing, I was a
little concerned what else could be wrong.

Vista has some new concepts, especially security-wise, that people had been
long wanting to see. But of course, Aero is not nearly as good as they made
it to be. When I first saw aero, I was like "that's it?" Linux and Mac has
been doing this for ages...

"CB" wrote:

>
>
> "Jim" wrote:
>

> > I feel like a dumb bass... as it turned out, Windows Aero is NOT A DESKTOP
> > THEME, rather it is a COLOR THEME.
> >
> > There are only two desktop themes: Windows Vista and Windows Classic.
> >
> > To turn on/off Aero, I have to go to Personalize -> Window Color and
> > Appearance -> [Open classic appearance properties for more color options] if
> > it is current aero -> choose between Windows Aero and Windows Vista Basic
> > from the list...
> >
> > thank you all.
> >
> > "Jim" wrote:
> >

> > > When I first installed windows vista ultimate, I had three themes, Windows
> > > Aero, Windows Vista, and Windows Classic. Then yesterday, I noticed that
> > > Windows Aero theme was missing from the list of themes, but my desktop was
> > > actually using aero (with transparency, and with the cool windows + tab task
> > > switching).
> > >
> > > I had some problems with theme and Nero 7, so I thought maybe it messed it
> > > up. Since the box was newly setup, I formatted C:\ drive and did a clean
> > > install of Windows vista ultimate again. To my surprise, as soon as I
> > > installed the correct video driver (and rebooted of course), my desktop
> > > theme automatically went to aero, but aero was still not listed at all. My
> > > theme manager says I was using "modified theme", but if I switched it to
> > > "windows vista", it still had transparency and all that, only the desktop
> > > background changed to the greenish vista picture.
> > >
> > > I wonder why this was the case. At first, I suspected some windows updates
> > > removed aero and forced vista theme to be aero, but it couldn've been the
> > > case because that happened right after I did a fresh install, before any
> > > updates were done. My box uses nVidia GeForce 8400 GS... could the nvidia
> > > video card driver be causing this? Has anyone else seen this problem?
> > >
> > > Worth mentioning here, is that my laptop (running vista ultimate, using
> > > nvidia geForce 8400M GS) is also seeing this problem, but with a twist - aero
> > > is not listed among the themes. To conserve power, I initially chose not to
> > > use aero, and currently it doesn't have transparency.
> > >
> > > Can someone help?
> > >
> > >
> > >

> Jim,
>
> Just a note: DreamScene will not function, and will be disabled, if you
> are running software that is not compatible with Vista. The same MAY hold
> true concerning Aero. I don't know.
> Have a nice day.
>
> C.B.