Start menu leaving "Ghost" behind

from WinCustomize Forums
Hi everyone,

I've had a problem like this for a long while, and quite frankly i'm just fed up with it right now.

Whenever i use some kind of transparency effect on the start bar (Like right now, using WindowFX to make the start bar transparent) AND i use ObjectDock together, my start menu leaves a little "ghost" behind. It's the most annoying thing, and ONLY happens when ObjectDock is open. Strange! I'm sure if any of you have seen this you know exactly what im talking about.

Is there any little tweak or app i can use that will prevent this? - Thanks!
3,576 views 5 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Thanks, Cody-7! This same thing's been happening to me for about a month or so. Glad to see yr post! When I open the Start Menu, then close it, 9 times out of ten it leaves a ghost or artifact of a partial Start Menu or just junk from the SM. If I Right Click>Refresh, it goes away... it only seems to appear if I am running Sysmetrix and have the desktop icons showing. If the icons are hidden, it doesn't show up...?! I'll fool around with Object Dock + and see if that makes any difference. Will get back here and post what I find, if anything. Regards
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Hey ya all, just writing to say I have the same problem; but, only if I use a Vista style Window Blinds skin that has the "search" bar at the bottom of the start menu and the logoff/turnoff texts show up in that search bar because the buttons on the Vista style skin don't function. I am using a WB skin now called YAFCV3 that I got over on Deviantart.com and that author includes info on how to hack your explorer.exe so that the Vista sytle buttons function. Follow his instructions totally and my problem went away! Additionally, if you don't wanna hack, he has two skins in the zip that don't have the "search bar" and the start menus in the two skins support 32 and 48 size icons (small and large). Worked for me. I don't have your problem when using a non-Vista style WB skin though, so, I dunno......
Fences - Organize your desktop icons today!
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
There is a bug in explorer which can cause it not to repaint the startmenu correctly when the taskbar is semi transparent.
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I believe that the start menu leaves the ghost, or artifact, if there's some kind of content on your desktop (Like i mentioned, ObjectDock) and as seldomseen said, Sysmetrix causes it, too.

It seems that WindowFX should have a setting to "refresh" the desktop right after the start menu is used, that always solves the problem.
Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top
Greetings, all, Cody-7 et alia,
I know not whether the issue of persistent Task-Bar remnants has been finally resolved, neither if any one will ever see this nor whether this might be useful. You see, I am terribly naive about forums and such. I'm experiencing the same anoying affect while running WindowBlinds 5.1 (build 81 X 86), WindowFX 3.0 (32 bit) and ObjectBar Shareware build 2.0 (Build 752) System Information Report:

STATUS: WB+ SRV+ HLP+ UI+ TRAY+

WindowBlinds is installed correctly on this PC.

Your machine supports per pixel borders on WindowBlinds skins.

You have one monitor in total.

(Plug and Play Monitor) one is attached to Intel(R) 82845G/GL/GE/PE/GV Graphics Controller

Wblind.dll 2006/10/09 12:32:26
Wblind64.dll 2006/10/09 12:46:55
Wbsrv.dll 2006/10/10 17:53:58
Wbconfig.exe 2006/10/10 16:49:57
Wbload.exe 2005/12/21 01:04:47
Wbhelp.dll 2004/09/18 16:37:07
Wbui.dll 2005/11/26 19:09:25
Tray.dll 2006/04/28 19:27:49

My video card is Intel(R)82845G/GL/GE/PE/GV Graphics controller. My driver version is: 6.14.10.4342. Constant and per pixel alpha blending is supported by my drivers.
I am running XP Home, V 2002, SP2. Celeron CPU 2.70 GHz, 7690 MB Ram. When I unload ObjectBar, the problem goes away. Any news on this problem or a work-around? Thanx in advance.