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MeSleeper

Join Date 12/2005

Menu Goes Black

I know this has been discussed on the forum, but I don't think I've ever seen a solution or definitive cause described. Not saying there isn't one, just sayig I haven't ever seen either and the search function isn't working for me today! There are a handful of skins, mostly older ones, where the right context menus and drop down menus turn black during use. The only way to read the text is to mouse over the dark menu. Is this a resource leak, a video driver problem, or what? Is there a solution other than re-boot? I've seen this only with version 6 and it's not any better on my system with version 6.1. I'm sure someone smart here has some some info

Thanks!

windowblinds

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Daiwa

Join Date 07/2001

+350

First things first.

Open WindowBlinds Config, go to the System Info Tab, click on the Copy Text button, come back here and paste the text in a new reply.

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you could try the transparency switch, open it in sks6 and go to controls-menus and check the boxes named trans and alpha, reapply the skin.

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There are two responses in this forum that get under my skin ... no pun intended

The first one is copy and paste the system information. The second one is update with SDC. Daiwa if you know what you're talking about, and think you might have a substantive answer, I'll happily paste that information here. If you're asking in order it to see I dropped 20 bucks, save your energy. If your response after I paste that information is update to a newer version using SDC, I don't use SDC or Impulse.

What I describe is and has been an ongoing problem. It's been discussed often, but I don't know if there is a solution. What's root cause. Is it issues with the skin, like the ones voidcore suggests? Is it WB code? Is it video driver? Or it all of the above?

Thanks voidcore, I may try that if I can get a hint to the cause.

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MeSleeper...

Every once in a while we see files that are whacked out being posted by those not posting cracked versions. I've seen file dates of 1904, 1969 and a couple of others.

They had updated recently and somewhere a file just borked.

Seen some where they had just been doing a straight updates instead of uninstall then install the newest and somewhere along the line old files got latched onto which eventually caused problems

For some updating via SDC or Impulse fixed it.

could be the skin, especially if it's some skins not all, it could be video drivers, could be the graphics card, could be a system using a weak chipset, could be a system has issues with anything per pixel

quite often posting the system info can help narrow things down.

people with more tech than troll in them can see what graphic you're using then ask which drivers and make suggestions as to whether you might need to update or rollback or possibly give the new beta a try

people might be able to spot a file or 2 that way out dated for whatever reason

you never know

For what's it worth, Daiwa's been here a lot longer than I have and in the 5 yrs I've been trolling these forums I don't recall him asking for the system info just to see if it's a crack

Cheers

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Daiwa

Join Date 07/2001

+350

MeSleeper -

If you don't want help, why bother to ask? Legit owners can have whacked or outdated versions. Especially if the purchased version was installed without first uninstalling the trial version.

You don't want to provide useful information, nobody here is likely to 'divine' your problem. A translucency issue is certainly possible, but without detailed information about your installation and the settings for the menus in question, we're all flying blind.

Your choice.

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Daiwa

Join Date 07/2001

+350

And BTW, MeSleeper (& you, too, Bichur

)-

I have no problem asking for that information for the sole purpose of determining if it's a crack. The only thing in this forum that really gets under my skin is crack owners asking for help here - they'll receive none from me. Legit owners have no problem posting their system info and I gladly help them if I have some useful knowledge to share on the issue in question.

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Thanks Bichur -

I understand. I have no problem posting information if the request has a real purpose. I'm pretty certain my WB installation is solid. This problem has been documented on the forum for awhile. The only solution I've seen is to re-boot, possibly suggesting memory or resource leaks.

OS = Windows XP

WindowBlinds version : WindowBlinds 6.1 (build 55 x86)

WindowBlinds is installed correctly on this PC
WindowBlinds appears to be activated on this PC
Your machine supports per pixel borders on WindowBlinds skins.

(ViewSonic VX2035wm SERIES) 1 is attached to NVIDIA GeForce 8500 GT

Wblind.dll 2008/05/06 11:05:20
Wbsrv.dll 2008/04/29 21:58:10
Wbconfig.exe 2008/04/29 21:58:32
Wbload.exe 2008/04/26 16:14:14
Wbhelp.dll 2008/04/26 16:14:07
Wbui.dll 2008/04/26 16:14:05
Tray.dll 2008/04/26 16:14:21
Screen.exe 2008/04/26 16:14:18

I have the most up-to-date NVidia video driver. I don't think the issue is driver related. My sense is it's related to WB code or the skin. One of the worst skins exhibting this problem is Diamond. The Diamond version that came with the 6.1 update was no better than the version that came with 6.0. There are a few threads describing Diamond's problem, but for whatever reason my connection to this webpage and the search function has too slow to use today.

I may install SkS 6 and give what voidcore suggests a try, unless you or PI Daiwa has another suggestion (other than update with SDC

)

Thanks,

Sleep

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do you have nView turned on?

I've seen posts with issues and nView

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Even though you don't want to hear it:

Upgrade through SDC or Impulse (install either of them if you don't have them).

I say that because some of your files are out of whack (showing newer versions than are really released) namely:

Wbload.exe 2008/04/26 16:14:14
Wbhelp.dll 2008/04/26 16:14:07
Wbui.dll 2008/04/26 16:14:05
Tray.dll 2008/04/26 16:14:21
Screen.exe 2008/04/26 16:14:18

They definitively don't have the same date on my XP system......

Edit: after seeing Kitty's post, I am not so sure anymore whether this has anything to do with your WB files.

Can you please post a link to some of the skins that don't work? I would like to check them out on my systems.

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Here's a forum link that does a good job (with screenshots) describing what I see:

WWW Link

As poster Electo describes, the problem occurs only with certain skins and is random. I find if I do a lot of skin changes, the menus on the "problem" skins can be made to go black. Other than Diamond, most of my problems are with older skins (pre-WB 6). Issue started with WB 6 and didn't get better with WB 6.1. Never happened with WB 5, at least not to me.

I've "solved" the problem by simply ditching the problem skins, but unfortunately I lose out on otherwise excellent skins that way (e.g. Diamond and AeroGlass V5 are two that come to mind).

AeorGlass V5:

WWW Link

Thanks to anyone who has suggestions.

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interesting. I just updated to build 55 (dialup):

WindowBlinds version : WindowBlinds 6.1 (build 55 x86)

WindowBlinds is installed correctly on this PC
WindowBlinds appears to be activated on this PC
Your machine supports per pixel borders on WindowBlinds skins.

(hp pavilion f50) 1 is attached to NVIDIA GeForce4 MX 440 with AGP8X

Wblind.dll 2008/05/06 15:25:20
Wbsrv.dll 2008/04/28 11:35:10
Wbconfig.exe 2008/04/29 21:02:32
Wbload.exe 2008/04/28 11:35:14
Wbhelp.dll 2008/04/28 11:35:07
Wbui.dll 2008/04/28 11:35:05
Tray.dll 2008/04/28 11:35:21
Screen.exe 2008/04/28 11:35:18

but I don't get the blackening issue (currently using Diamond)

every once in a while my start menu comes up blank and so does WB config, but i suspect it's a video card thing

the start happens sporadically, some days never happens - haven't paid attention to what I have running at the time... but have noticed the WB config coming up black pretty much happens if I have ODock running for a while

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Electro seemed to be able to solve the problem by uninstalling - rebooting - re-installing WB. Have you tried that?

I just downloaded and applied 'AeroGlassV5' from the link you provided.

On both system (Vista64 and XP SP3) the skin applies normally, and I don't have any black in the start-menu at all.

Your 8500 GT shouldn't have any problems running that skin. What drivers are you using?

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(& you, too, Bichur )-

I have no problem asking for that information for the sole purpose of determining if it's a crack.

Didn't say you would Daiwa, just said I didn't recall... I have no short term

and if I'm not mistaken... you do differentiate between those that have been here a while and those that just popped in.. no?

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aufisch - Electo's "solution" was not anything but an artifact of the problem. What happens is random. I'll bet if he weighs in here, he'd confirm he saw it again after the re-install.

I did an uninstall/re-install recently. I saw this problem with version 6.0. When 6.1 was released, I uninstalled 6.0 and re-installed 6.1. I'm pretty anal about what goes on my hard drive, so am careful and cautious when I update. I rarely install on top of an old installation. The problem re-appeared with 6.1.

Bichur - try changing skins a few times and then go back to Diamond. Check a few drop-down menus. They start to darken slightly, then change a few more skins and look at the menus. If you're having a problem, they'll go completely black. I know it's not normal to change skins like that, but the process accelerates the problem. Sometimes I get the total black menu when I first boot-up. Only way to get rid of it is to keep re-booting until it goes away. Sounds like a conflict between the video drivers, WB and/or skin. Only certain skins do this. Skins that I use often and never have a problem are 5imple, aerial, Acrylic (where is danilloOc, he/she does incredible work!), NovumOS, AppleGlass and Vista 6205.

Curiously I do have nView running in the backgroud. It defaults on when one installs the video driver. I'll see if I can find where to shut it down. There's no obvious toggle off (at least that I can find) and it doesn't start up with the services so I can turn it off there. I noticed everyone in the thread I posted is using NVidia graphics. Perhaps it's as simple as nView running.

Appreciate you guys weighing in.

EDIT: aufisch - I'm using the recent nVidia release 175.16. Happens with it it as well the previous release 169.21.

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Curiously I do have nView running in the background. It defaults on when one installs the video driver. I'll see if I can find where to shut it down. There's no obvious toggle off (at least that I can find) and it doesn't start up with the services so I can turn it off there. I noticed everyone in the thread I posted is using NVidia graphics. Perhaps it's as simple as nView running.

Right now, turning nView off is most likely your best chance of resolving your problem. There have definitively been reports about nView clashing with WB since the release of WB6.
I am using the 169.25 drivers on my Vista rig without problems (the XP laptop uses Sony proprietary drivers from around 2005), but since your last driver update didn't make any difference.....

As far as I can remember, I got asked during the installation of the nVidia drivers whether I want to run nView or not. Otherwise, you should be able to turn off nView by right-clicking on the nVidida system-tray icon and then go to "Desktop Manager" somewhere in there is the setting to turn off nView. (I can't find it right now, as I have not only turned off nView, but also removed the nVidia system-tray icon).

After turning off nView it will probably take a reboot to improve things with WB.

aufisch is crossing her fingers...

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Daiwa

Join Date 07/2001

+350

you do differentiate between those that have been here a while and those that just popped in.. no?

For sure, Bichur. But next time you have a problem, be sure to post your system info.

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Bichur/aufisch - after further review, I don't have NView Desktop Manager running. There are actually two Nvidia control functions installed into Control Panel. One is NView Desktop Manager, the other is the NVidia general setting icon. It is the general setting function that starts up by default and shows up as an icon in the tray. It changes simple things like resolution size. NView Desktop Manager is not started by default. One has to start it intentionally and I've not done that.

I'll do a forum search when I get some time to see what the NView conflict is all about. If you hear anything else about this issue, I'd appreciate hearing about it.

There are other threads describing the problem besides the one I posted in #10 above. This is not a widespread problem. If it were, it would would be a prioroty to fix. It's obviously a result of some complicated video interaction. Careful trial and error is probably the only way to get to the root cause. Voidcore's suggestion to change skin settings may be the answer. I haven't forgotten that suggestion voidcore. I may check the settings on the 6 or so skins I use regularly and never had a problem with the ones I know have problems. It's a tedious process, but worth the education.

Thanks again folks.

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Disable tray icon in NVidia control panel.

Start/ Run - type msconfig. Under the Startup tab un-check 'NvMcTray'. Apply. Re-boot. On the msconfig prompt after boot, check "Do not show again" and OK. rundll32 process will now be shut off.

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If there is anyone else still encountering the "black menu" problem, here's a brief update. I tried a few registry tweaks from SD Tech Support without success. I forwarded the log reports back for evaluation. Tech Support is aware of the problem and are still working on recreating and solving this issue. No one had a solution as of week ago. I'm sure it will be solved eventually.

The problem is skin specific. SD's own Diamond causes problems. I've found another skin that reproduces this issue almost immediately and consistently - Butch123's BlackGlass2:

WWW Link

All I need to do is install BlackGlass2 and re-boot. My drop-down menus darken after the re-boot. If I change the skin to something else and then back to BlackGlass, the drop-down menu's are black just like in this screenshot:

WWW Link

If anyone who's experienced this problem has found a solution, I'd appreciate hearing about it. Otherwise, I'll stay in touch with SD Support until a solution is found.

Thanks.

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