Desktop settings

[Guest John]

In the grand scheme of things, this isn't a big deal, but it's

annoying me:

 

By default, the labels under XP desktop icons use white lettering on a

transparent background (i.e., it looks like the letters are just

sitting on the wallpaper). Somehow, while trying to do something

else, my wife changed the setting so I now have either white or black

lettering on a colored background. I can see how to change the color

of the background using the Desktop tab of the desktop Properties.

But I can't figure out how to get it back to transparent.

 

Can somebody help me or point me to where I can find the trick?

 

Thanks.

 

Reply-to address is real

John

[Guest Alan Edwards]

Re: Desktop settings

 

Four things are required for transparent icon backgrounds:

 

1.Control Panel-System-Advanced-Performance Settings.

Check "Use drop shadows for icon labels on the desktop" on the Visual

Effects tab.

 

2.Right-click on Desktop - "Arrange Icons by" and ensure Lock Web

items is cleared.

 

3.Transparency will not work if you have web content on your desktop,

Control Panel - Display Properties - Desktop tab - Customize Desktop -

Web tab. Clear all check boxes.

 

4. Ensure the Wallpaper is an image file not HTML.

 

....Alan

--

Alan Edwards, MS MVP Windows - Internet Explorer

http://dts-l.com/index.htm

 

 

 

On Thu, 29 May 2008 20:54:04 -0400, in

microsoft.public.windowsxp.general, John <fakeaddress@nowhere.com>

wrote:

>In the grand scheme of things, this isn't a big deal, but it's

>annoying me:

>

>By default, the labels under XP desktop icons use white lettering on a

>transparent background (i.e., it looks like the letters are just

>sitting on the wallpaper). Somehow, while trying to do something

>else, my wife changed the setting so I now have either white or black

>lettering on a colored background. I can see how to change the color

>of the background using the Desktop tab of the desktop Properties.

>But I can't figure out how to get it back to transparent.

>

>Can somebody help me or point me to where I can find the trick?

>

>Thanks.

>

>Reply-to address is real

>John

[Guest John]

Re: Desktop settings

 

On Fri, 30 May 2008 11:13:35 +1000, Alan Edwards

<edwards@southcom.com.au> wrote:

>Four things are required for transparent icon backgrounds:

>

>1.Control Panel-System-Advanced-Performance Settings.

>Check "Use drop shadows for icon labels on the desktop" on the Visual

>Effects tab.

>

>2.Right-click on Desktop - "Arrange Icons by" and ensure Lock Web

>items is cleared.

>

>3.Transparency will not work if you have web content on your desktop,

>Control Panel - Display Properties - Desktop tab - Customize Desktop -

>Web tab. Clear all check boxes.

>

>4. Ensure the Wallpaper is an image file not HTML.

>

>...Alan

 

That did it, thank you! (It was the second step -- lock web items --

that was misconfigured.)

 

Thanks for the help, Alan, I'm sure I would never have figured that

one out myself.

 

Reply-to address is real

John