Solved Windows Aero is gone, stuck on Windows Classic

theman91

Member
Hey everyone, I'm new to the site!

I've read a lot about this problem lately because I am having the same one. My laptop did an update automatically overnight and the next morning when I booted it up, everything was back to the Classic windows view. Grey start menu, everything is blocked and it does not look too appealing. I tried a System Restore for a few days before it happened, but that didn't work.

-I checked the services to see if DWM and Themes were started, and they were.
-I looked under personalization to see if it was set to 32 bit instead of 16 bit, and it was.
-I tried changing the theme, that didn't work.
-When I go to Windows Color and Appearance, I get the appearance box open and Windows Aero and Vista are there, but when I click on them, the little screen remains black

I'm honestly not even sure what happened. I could definitely use some help though.

I am running Vista home premium, 64 bit. My graphic card is a "Mobil Intel(R) 4 series express chipset family"

Please help people!

Thank you
 

My Computer

System One

  • Memory
    4GB Ram
    Graphics Card(s)
    Mobil Intel(R) 4 Series Express Chipset Family
Try starting with a system file check.
Go to start search and type cmd
while holding down shift and ctrl press enter
Type sfc /scannow in the open box
If errors are found run the test again, up to 3 times.
Reboot before each run
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo Thinkpad T400
    CPU
    Intel Mobile Core 2 Duo P8700 @ 2.53GHz
    Motherboard
    LENOVO 64734VM
    Memory
    2.00GB Single-Channel DDR3 @ 531MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel Mobile Intel 4 Series Express Chipset Family
    Sound Card
    Conexant 20561 SmartAudio HD
    Monitor(s) Displays
    15 inch
    Screen Resolution
    1280 x 800
    Hard Drives
    1x 180GB Intel 530 series SSD
    1 x 120GB Hitachi 5400rmp
    1 x 650GB Western Digital Elements 5400rpm
    1x 1Tb Western Digital Elements 5400rpm
    Internet Speed
    Medium for New Zealand
    Other Info
    Weakest part of my computer is the graphics chipset.
    Only ever used a laptop.
    Also use USB Freeview TV Card
    Lenovo Docking Station
    External Speakers
    Other bits a pieces as needed

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS420
    Memory
    6 gig
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI Radeon HD3650 256 MB
    Sound Card
    Intergrated 7.1 Channel Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell SP2009W 20 inch Flat Panel w Webcam
    Hard Drives
    640 gb
    Cooling
    Fan
    Keyboard
    Dell USB
    Mouse
    Dell USB 4 button optical
    Other Info
    DSL provided by ATT
I tried both of those, still not working :(

This is killing me!
 

My Computer

System One

  • Memory
    4GB Ram
    Graphics Card(s)
    Mobil Intel(R) 4 Series Express Chipset Family

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Custom Built
    CPU
    Intel Core i5 2400 @ 3.10GHz
    Motherboard
    Foxconn H67MP-S/-V/H67MP
    Memory
    8.0GB DDR3 @ 665MHz (2GBx4)
    Graphics Card(s)
    AMD HD Radeon 6870
    Sound Card
    Realtek High Definition Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    SMB1930NW (1440x900@60Hz)
    Screen Resolution
    1280x800
    Hard Drives
    977GB Seagate ST31000524AS ATA Device (SATA) + 250GB WD iSCSI attached Drive
    Case
    Novatech Night
    Keyboard
    Standard PS/2 Keyboard
    Mouse
    Dell HID-compliant mouse

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Self Built
    CPU
    Intel I5-2500K @3.3GHz
    Motherboard
    Asrock P67 Extreme4
    Memory
    16GB G.Skill Ripjaws X (4x4GB)
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA GeForce 750 Ti SC 2GB
    Sound Card
    ASUS Xonar DG 5.1 Channels 24-bit 96KHz PCI Interface Sound
    Monitor(s) Displays
    auria eq2367
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    250GB Samsung 850 EVO SSD
    1TB WD Blue
    1TB Hitachi
    PSU
    SeaSonic X 650W 80 Plus Gold
    Case
    Corsair Obsidian 750D
    Cooling
    Corsair H60, Three 140mm case fans
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wireless Keyboard K520
    Mouse
    Logitech Wireless Mouse M310
    Internet Speed
    Wave Broadband ~ 100 down 5 Up
    Other Info
    Laptop specs: HP g7-1365dx /
    CPU: AMD A6-3420M APU with Radeon(tm) HD Graphics /
    RAM: Crucial 8Gb (2x4Gb) /
    SSD: Crucial M4-CT128M4SSD2 ATA Device/ FW 000F /
    GFX: AMD Radeon HD 6520G /
    OS: Windows 10 Pro x64
I tried those, still nothing. When I did the sfc/scannow it said there were some files that could not be fixed but I wasn't sure how to approach that.

I'd really like my Vista style back:(
 

My Computer

System One

  • Memory
    4GB Ram
    Graphics Card(s)
    Mobil Intel(R) 4 Series Express Chipset Family
Hi,
This is a real stab in the 'dark;.
If all courses of action mentioned appear not to have worked could it possibly have something to do with the
'Video card driver settings'?
Or am I way off target?









‘I do not seek to follow in the footsteps
of the men of old,
I seek the things they sought‘

Basho (1644-1694) Japanese Haiku
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Hewlett-Packard SR5019UK
    CPU
    AMD Athlon 64 processor 3800 + 2.40GHz
    Motherboard
    M2N68-LA (Narra)
    Memory
    2.50GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    nVidia GeForce
    Sound Card
    Realtec ALC888 Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    17" LCD Monitor
    Hard Drives
    160 Gb Usable Hard Drive
    Other Info
    HP G56 Laptop Win 7 64bit. 4Gb Ram DDR2's. Hitachi 450Gb Hard Drive. Pentium(R) Duel-Core CPU.
theman91
Hi,
Sorry my last post was intended as a question to the other guys who have been helping you.
Not to you directly!!
Sorry.










‘I do not seek to follow in the footsteps
of the men of old,
I seek the things they sought‘

Basho (1644-1694) Japanese Haiku
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Hewlett-Packard SR5019UK
    CPU
    AMD Athlon 64 processor 3800 + 2.40GHz
    Motherboard
    M2N68-LA (Narra)
    Memory
    2.50GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    nVidia GeForce
    Sound Card
    Realtec ALC888 Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    17" LCD Monitor
    Hard Drives
    160 Gb Usable Hard Drive
    Other Info
    HP G56 Laptop Win 7 64bit. 4Gb Ram DDR2's. Hitachi 450Gb Hard Drive. Pentium(R) Duel-Core CPU.
kesume, I was thinking the same thing. I don't really know how to update my drivers though. Whatever can get rid of classic! haha
 

My Computer

System One

  • Memory
    4GB Ram
    Graphics Card(s)
    Mobil Intel(R) 4 Series Express Chipset Family
To update drivers. Follow these simple instructions
How to Find Drivers
search Google for the name of the driver
- compare the Google results with what's installed on your system to figure out which device/program it belongs to
- visit the web site of the manufacturer of the hardware/program to get the latest drivers (DON'T use Windows Update or the Update driver function of Device Manager).
- if there are difficulties in locating them, post back with questions and someone - will help you search Google for the name of the driver
- compare the Google results with what's installed on your system to figure out which device/program it belongs to
- - if there are difficulties in locating them, post back with questions and someone will try and help you locate the appropriate program.
- The most common drivers are listed on this page: http://www.carrona.org/dvrref.html
- - Driver manufacturer links are on this page: http://www.carrona.org/drvrdown.html
and here
http://www.edbott.com/weblog/the-vista-master-driver-list/
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS420
    Memory
    6 gig
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI Radeon HD3650 256 MB
    Sound Card
    Intergrated 7.1 Channel Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell SP2009W 20 inch Flat Panel w Webcam
    Hard Drives
    640 gb
    Cooling
    Fan
    Keyboard
    Dell USB
    Mouse
    Dell USB 4 button optical
    Other Info
    DSL provided by ATT
richc46, i'm not sure what the name of my driver is. where can i find that?
 

My Computer

System One

  • Memory
    4GB Ram
    Graphics Card(s)
    Mobil Intel(R) 4 Series Express Chipset Family

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS420
    Memory
    6 gig
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI Radeon HD3650 256 MB
    Sound Card
    Intergrated 7.1 Channel Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell SP2009W 20 inch Flat Panel w Webcam
    Hard Drives
    640 gb
    Cooling
    Fan
    Keyboard
    Dell USB
    Mouse
    Dell USB 4 button optical
    Other Info
    DSL provided by ATT
richc46, I just tried that and I got a message that said something like "Windows has determined that your driver software is up to date" so I could not go any further
 

My Computer

System One

  • Memory
    4GB Ram
    Graphics Card(s)
    Mobil Intel(R) 4 Series Express Chipset Family
Hello theman91 you can try this:

Start menu...
click control panel...
Click device manager...
View...
Show hidden devices...
Then click open each one and then click update drivers...

Maybe this would be a little easer...

Tom
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    a6530f Desktop
    CPU
    HP-PAVILION
    Motherboard
    M2N68-LA (Narra3)
    Memory
    8 Gigs of Ram/DDR2 PC2-6400 MB/sec
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce 6150SE nForce 430
    Sound Card
    Intergrated Realtex ALC888S Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LG W40 series widescreen
    Screen Resolution
    1600 X 900
    Hard Drives
    1 640 GB Sata transfer rating: 3.0 Gb/sec speed: 7200 RPM
    PSU
    300W
    Case
    Mid-Size ATX
    Keyboard
    HP Multimedia Keyboard
    Mouse
    Microsoft Wireless Mouse 5000
    Other Info
    Processor: AMD Phenom X3 8450 Operating speed: Up to 2.1 GHz, Number of cores: 3, Socket: AM2+, Bus speed: 3600 MHz HT3 (clocked down to 2000 MHz)

    Modem: 56K WinModem/

    Supermulti: 16X DVD(+/-)R/RW 12X Ram (+/-)R DL Lightscribe SATA Drive

    Menory Card Reader: 15-in-1 Multimedia Card Reader

    Media Drive
americancritic, i tried that but still got the same message saying it is up to date
 

My Computer

System One

  • Memory
    4GB Ram
    Graphics Card(s)
    Mobil Intel(R) 4 Series Express Chipset Family
I was using LogonStudio and ViGlance but I uninstalled both of those. I've had them installed for a while though and haven't had any problems
 

My Computer

System One

  • Memory
    4GB Ram
    Graphics Card(s)
    Mobil Intel(R) 4 Series Express Chipset Family
I don't think Logon Studio would affect anything but ViGlance probably replaced a couple of system files and if you just uninstalled without restoring the original files (Vista Glazz has that option for example - not familiar enough with ViGlance and if it would do that manually or automatically upon uninstall) then that may be the reason. I. too experienced this but only after a recent Windows Update. With Vista Glazz I was able to "patch" the needed files to re-enable the Aero effects.
 

My Computer

richc46, I just tried that and I got a message that said something like "Windows has determined that your driver software is up to date" so I could not go any further
Windows update in device manager will almost always say that.
Do as Richc46 said and go to the makers site.
Speccy can help identify your video card.

Speccy - System Information - Free Download
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo Thinkpad T400
    CPU
    Intel Mobile Core 2 Duo P8700 @ 2.53GHz
    Motherboard
    LENOVO 64734VM
    Memory
    2.00GB Single-Channel DDR3 @ 531MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel Mobile Intel 4 Series Express Chipset Family
    Sound Card
    Conexant 20561 SmartAudio HD
    Monitor(s) Displays
    15 inch
    Screen Resolution
    1280 x 800
    Hard Drives
    1x 180GB Intel 530 series SSD
    1 x 120GB Hitachi 5400rmp
    1 x 650GB Western Digital Elements 5400rpm
    1x 1Tb Western Digital Elements 5400rpm
    Internet Speed
    Medium for New Zealand
    Other Info
    Weakest part of my computer is the graphics chipset.
    Only ever used a laptop.
    Also use USB Freeview TV Card
    Lenovo Docking Station
    External Speakers
    Other bits a pieces as needed
Back
Top