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Transparent address & tool bars


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#1
edhalfdead

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My friends computer (HP, P3, XP Home) has what seems like transparent address and tool bars. The icons are also invisible unless cursor is on them, but only shows the name.
Any suggestions?

I should have stated that this occurs when windows is actually open, not on desktop.

Edited by edhalfdead, 17 November 2007 - 07:03 PM.

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#2
flowergirl

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Hello 'Ed'.
Since I have been having a desktop problem also and doing some
studying, I have a little suggestion about your invisible icons.

Go to Control Panel, click on Display, then Appearance, then Effects.

Then clear the Show window contents while dragging box.

Press OK.

See if that helps.

Something else that many may not know.
You can change the color of the Information box below the Icons.

Right click on a clear place on your computer screen.
Then click on properties, desktop, pick a color, click apply (wait a bit) then OK.

If none of the above work; I won't be giving any more suggestions on here for awhile! :)
Janie flowergirl

Edited by flowergirl, 17 November 2007 - 12:10 PM.

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#3
flowergirl

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Or maybe this is all you need to do!

Question:

My kid was messing something up with computer while I was not looking and now icons on desktop are invisible. Worse than that what ever icon I try to place on desktop is invisible too. I used to have lot icons on desktop and this really annoys me. I have tried to find what option he activated (or deactivated) but I without success. Would you be so kind to tell me how to fix this?

Answer:

Do not worry. This is not problem at all. Just right click anywhere on desktop. Pop up menu will show presenting you few options. Choose first option (Arrange Icons by) and sub menu will appear. Near the end of that sub menu is option Show Desktop Icons. Click on it to show check mark in front of it. Now your icons will appear again on desktop arranged as they used to be.

Edited by flowergirl, 17 November 2007 - 01:55 PM.

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#4
flowergirl

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EEK...I should never have tried to help.

After doing some Internet searches, I see some people LIKE
to have invisible toolbars and Icons. (But apparently you don't.) :)

I could go back and delete but guess I will let you waste your time
reading my suggestions anyway. :)

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#5
wannabe1

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Your suggestions are all good ones, flowergirl...let's see if any of them fix the problem. :)
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#6
edhalfdead

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flowergirl, thanks for the suggestions but it happens when windows is open, not on desktop.
my mistake, edited original post.
don't stop your suggestions because of my mistake, they were all good ideas.
the folks here are usually swamped and appreciate the help from us common members :)
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#7
flowergirl

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Ok Ed HALF ALIVE :) ....I will keep trying.

I know absolutely NOTHING about this problem but I did do some
Google searching and since this is a Saturday night and there is not
as much action here as on week days, I will give another suggestion.

My thought is to REVERSE these below instructions as it might already be set this way.
I will put in Bold what I am referring to.
Janie flowergirl :)


This means you could select the background area of your image, designate it as transparent, and thereby allow the underlying cells show through. To make a transparent area in your image, follow these steps:

1. Select the image you want to modify.
2. The Picture toolbar should be visible. If it is not, use the Toolbars option from the View menu to turn on the Picture toolbar.
3. Click on the Set Transparent Color tool on the toolbar. (This is the second tool from the right.) The mouse cursor changes to look like the tool itself.
4. In the image, click on the color you want to be transparent.

If you can't select the Set Transparent Color tool in step 3, then you might not be able to set a transparent color in the image. Excel allows you to set the transparency color for bitmapped graphics, but not for other types. If you later want to turn off the transparency color, then you need to click the Reset Picture tool on the Picture toolbar.

Edited by flowergirl, 17 November 2007 - 07:53 PM.

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#8
edhalfdead

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Thank you again flowergirl for another good suggestion, but she doesn't use excel.
Let me try to explain again, hopefully more clearly :).

When she opens windows explorer, or say the recycle bin the menu bar and the standard tool bar are there but there seems to be a part of a picture or something. The menu bar words are there but they blend in to the background until the cursor is on them. The toolbar icons are(were) transparent and so is their text until the cursor is on them.
Maybe this picture will help.
Posted Image
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#9
flowergirl

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Hi Ed.
More than likely someone (one of the Geeks) knows the answer to this.
Your picture and explanation should help a lot.
(I will be watching here for the solution.)

It is probably just a few clicks here and there. :)

We can put a background picture in our browser but we don't want
just part of a picture. haha

It almost seems like her tool bar is just not showing everything.
Have you tried clicking on VIEW, TOOLBARS, STANDARD BUTTONS, LOCK TOOLBAR?

Could it be possible your friend downloaded a program to MAKE the toolbar
transparent? (Maybe she has a browser hijacking; that is possible.)
If that is the problem, the GEEKS can tell you how to remove it.

I wonder if you would download Firefox, if her browser would look the same?
(Instructions on downloading below.)

I much prefer FF to IE. It even underlines in red misspelled words, even as I am
typing here! It has haha underlined in red...says it isn't spelled correctly. haha

Janie flowergirl :)

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#10
wannabe1

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What happens if you change the Theme in Display Properties? Does a different theme exhibit the same issue?
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#11
edhalfdead

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I tried changing things in the view menu, but no help. She says that she doesn't remember any program like that and I checked her programs and they seem to be alright. As far as firefox goes, 2+ years and she really hates when she has to use ie because this or that company only uses ie with their program or site to work correctly.
As far as theme display wannabe1 there is no difference.
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#12
wannabe1

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I have to admit that this is a problem I haven't seen before.

How long has this been going on?
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#13
edhalfdead

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I think about 2 weeks. Or that is how long I've noticed it. She isn't around to ask right now.

Edited by edhalfdead, 18 November 2007 - 04:44 PM.

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#14
wannabe1

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Try a system restore to a date before the problem began...see if that straightens it out.
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#15
edhalfdead

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I did as you suggested, but still the same. Just to make sure I had gone back far enough I went back a second time to 2 months previous, still same outcome.
With all of the time working on this, I think that it's a picture of her last dog that she had as her desktop background for a while. Maybe that will help out a little in solving this.
Thanks for the help so far flowergirl & wannabe1

Edited by edhalfdead, 20 November 2007 - 08:39 AM.

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