Black
Toolbars in Windows Applications
By: Rob Parsons (MSMVP-IE)
Table of Contents:
Introduction.. 1
Replication.. 4
Solution.. 10
Third Party Desktop
Theme Software. 11
References. 12
A common user complaint of IE8 RTW since its release has been
the appearance of a black menu toolbar,
making it impossible for users to navigate the IE menu bar by sight.
Figure 1.a – IE8
Black Menu Bar on Vista x86 SP1
Figure 1.b – IE7
Black Menu Bar on XP SP3 Virtual Image
Figure 1.c – IE8 on Win7 RC1 with High Contrast Black Desktop
theme selected… Menu bar is correctly rendered.
Sample Newsgroup Posts.
IE8 with black tool bars.
have had the same thing happen to me when I up graded to IE8
two days ago.
Now half of my tool and menu bars are black. I have a Dell running windows
xp. I don't know what to do to resolove this either except to get rid of IE8
and go back a few days for a reset. I would also appreciate some advise. I
think I have learned my lesson not to trust Microsoft when they have an
update. It has changed a lot of how my computer works. In Facebook it made
all of the messages bunch up on each other till I found out from someone who
had the same problem how to fix that. Now I have the black tool bars.
I originally replaied to another post but I wanted this to be up there too.
I hope someone can answer this for me as I am tearing my hair out. Things
just don't work the same anymore. I wish I had never upgraded
RE: IE8 Toolbars start in black
just removed the IE8 from the windows components..
fanny it looked like I
was removing the IE8 then asked me to restart and now I have it right all
white frames (regular) to my delight and I still have IE8 installed.. lol
"Paul D." wrote:
>
> I recently downloaded IE8 and the majority of the time the toolbars load
in
> black. When it does this I can't read the headings of the icons, or the
type
> where no icons appear. I have uninstalled it and re-installed and it does
the
> same. Any ideas on how to correct this.
>
>
IE8 with black tool and menu bars
I just downloaded IE8 for the third time, and it is still
coming up with
black tool and menu bars. I have a Dell running windows xp w/SP 2 & 3, I
have
tried everything that I can to reslove this issue, and it still persists. If
anyone can tell me how to fix this, I wolud be grateful. NOTE: Software
people, I don't care who gets their stuff out first, but I use the software
that WORKS! I think those putting out this stuff, should make sure it works
better,( TJMO) this is not the first time I have downloaded this IE, maybe
google IE8 is the one I should download, I didn't have trouble w/IE7 for
google! :(
Sample Answers:
What third-party Windows Theme are you using (e.g., Window
Blinds)?
Your toolbar problem is almost certainly being caused by a
third-party
browser add-on or theme.
1. Start Internet Explorer without add-ons from:
Right-click the IE icon on the desktop. Choose Start without add-ons.
or
Programs> Accessories> System tools> Internet Explorer (no add-ons)
If the problem goes away, you have an incompatible browser add-on installed.
For troubleshooting information see:
IEBlog Troubleshooting and Internet Explorer’s (No Add-ons) Mode:
http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/2006/07/25/678113.aspx
928426- Internet Explorer 7 may exit immediately when it includes an add-on
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/928426
2. If not an add-on problem, look for a third-party program or theme as the
cause. What's running in the System Tray/Notification Area? What third-party
program loads at startup and runs in the background and might affect the
appearance of windows and toolbars?
I have tried everything that, I can to resolve this issue and
it still
persists. If any one can tell me how to fix this, I would be greatful. I
think that those putting out this stuff, should make sure it works better
than it usually dose.JMO.
"Dividebyzer0" wrote:
>
> There is a very quick solution: press these keys at the same time:
>
> Left-Alt + Left-Shift + Print Screen key. You will get a
Pop-Up window
> Click OK
>
> This enables the "High Contrast Display Mode" normally used for
people with
> low vision issues. Instantly fixes --> BLACK TEXT ON BLACK
BACKGROUND <--
> No need to uninstall or reinstall anything or even to reboot.
>
> --> Please Microsoft <-- read this and find out why this works so
you can
> offer a more Practical solution to the average end users out there. (I
found
> this after 1 month of trying everything suggested here and elsewhere)
>
> "Reg M" wrote:
>
> > Hi,
> > Thought I had got this cracked but found the
problem reappears a
> > day or so later.
> >
> > I went to Control Panel/Display/Themes and changed from my customised
> > theme to Windows Classic. Allowed the change to establish
itself and
> > then changed back to my preferred theme. IE8 then displayed
correctly.
> >
> > Have found since that the although the change remained during that
> > day, when I opened IE the next day the problem had reappeared.
> >
> > Re-ran the solution and IE8 is displaying properly again but for how
> > long??
> >
> > Although I am a beta user I am not a beta tester, if you know what I
> > mean. Perhaps someone can pass this on to MS unless a solution
unknown
> > to me has been found
> >
As you can see the most accepted answer in the community is
to place the blame on either the user’s
choice of desktop theme or third-party
desktop theme software. Both answers are correct as the issue is
easily reproduced with or without any third-party theme software installed on XP, Vista
and Win7 platforms.
No third-party software is required to reproduce the issue as
it is inherent in all Windows platforms supporting User Themes from the Control
Panel. The common factor to reproduce the issue on all platforms is to choose
either a Windows Classic or a Windows Standard desktop theme and to then change
the background color of 3-D Objects to black and the font color of 3-D Objects
to a contrasting color without changing the font color of Menus. Menus inherit
the background color of 3-D Objects, but not the font color. By default Menu
font colors are black, so if the background color of 3-D Objects is changed to
black, Menus will inherit the black background color and retain the black
(default).
The sample screen shots were taken from a Vista x86 SP1
machine, with Stardocs Windows’ Blinds software installed and the custom
Desktop theme “Space” installed.
On an XP, Vista or Win7 machine open the Desktop Appearance
dialog.
And choose either a Windows Standard or a Windows Classic
color scheme.
Then click the ‘Advanced’ button to display the Advanced
Appearance dialog. Select ‘3-D Objects’ from the ‘Item’ dropdown.
Change the Background color of 3-D Objects to black (or any
dark color) and the font color to white (or any contrasting color).
Next select ‘Menus’ from the Item dropdown….
Note that the background color of Menu items
has inherited the background color of 3-D Objects, but the font color has
remained the default black.
Leave the Menu font color unchanged for the time being and
click ‘OK’ to return to the ‘Appearance Settings’ dialog.
Press the ‘Apply’ button to apply your theme changes to the
current desktop and open applications.
Open IE and observe the Menu Bar….
IE uses a classic Windows Menu control
contained within a Toolbar control that has 3-D properties.
Open a modern Windows Application that uses a Toolbar control
for menu control.
Here is Word 2007.
Note that the Word 2007 menu bar is White on
Black, the selected color scheme for 3-D Objects.
To correct the issue open the ‘Appearance Settings’ dialog….
Either
Choose a different ‘Theme’ from the selection list (viz.
Windows Classic, Windows Vista Basic or Windows Aero from the list above or XP
Classic on XP machines) and press the ‘Apply’ button. This will apply the
chosen theme’s default color scheme which will have contrasting colors for both
the background and font color of ‘Menu’ items.
Or
Press the ‘Advanced’ button the ‘Advanced Appearance’ dialog
and select ‘Menu’ from the Item drop-down and select a contrasting font color
to the menu background color. Press ‘OK’, then ‘Apply’ on the Advanced
Appearance dialog.
Stardoc’s Windows Blinds (version6)
Figure 3.a
WindowBlinds (v6) Configuration Dialog.
WBL has a configuration dialog that gives uses a simple interface
to customize the appearance of their desktop and Windows’ applications.
http://www.windows-stupidities.com/Stupid43-Internet_Explorer_8_Fails_to_Render_Properly.html