Desktop icons go black - then entire screen goes black on refresh

I have installed the latest version

from Stardock Forums

I have the latest version of Fences - I think it must have updated itself within the past 24 hours because this problem keeps coming back.  I was always able to stop it by manually turning off transparency, but now even that doesn't work.

As I move the mouse around it will pass over icons on my desktop and turn the background on each of them to black.  If I right-click on the desktop it will refresh the entire screen to black.

If I wait a while and refresh it goes back to normal, for a few minutes then the whole things starts over again.

This has become annoying.  I love what fences does - but can't live with this much longer.

stardock software fences
11,500 views 11 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top

Hello,
Sorry to hear you are having issues. Need more details on your system. Please refer here: https://support.stardock.com/space/SHC/1387954197/Contacting+Stardock+About+Fences+Issues. Also remember to include, Fences version numbers. And you monitor/s setup. Resolution, scaling factor (100%,125% 300% etc) on each monitor.

Thanks
Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant.

Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top

More info...

Windows 10 Pro (21H2)

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750 Ti Driver Version 31.0.15.3596 from 5/24/2023

Three Dell U2719D monitors set to 2560 x 1440 (recommended) - all three set to 100% scaling

Issue has been happening, but usually stops when I play with opacity and make sure it is set to full (all the way right) with color intensity set all the way left, tint fully left and saturation fully right.

Yesterday it started happening again, but playing with opacity did not help.  Later I found that I had to play with color intensity as well.  I had to set it to something other than fully left.  Once I set it somewhere in the middle, then back to fully left the problem stopped.  It's like an update cause these values to become uninitialized.

 

Start11 - Customize the Start Menu and Taskbar in Windows 10/11.
Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top

Please try purge and reinstall steps as mention here : [Link]. Just make sure to redownload the latest version from your account page. Reboot after the purge. Reinstall and reboot again after the installation. Retest and report back here.

Thank you,
Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant.

Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top

I followed the instructions.  No difference.  I have more information:  I can reproduce the issue just by running the program ImageGlass.  You can get it free here: https://imageglass.org

1. Run ImageGlass (just start it from the desktop icon)

2. Exit ImageGlass

3. Pass your mouse over any desktop icons and any icons you pass over will suddenly have a black background.

4. Right click on the desktop and select refresh and your entire wall paper becomes black

5. Wait about 60 seconds and right click again and select refresh - your entire desktop will repaint and things will be normal - for a while.

 

Note: It's not just imageglass, sometimes I just look at properties of certain icons, or change an icon through properties and the problem starts.

Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top

I tried but I can not reproduce your issue on my system. I downloaded and Installed ImageGlass. Do the step you mentioned above. But, everything with Fences 4 work as normal no black desktop icons when I hover over those icons. Refer screenshot below.

Would like to suggest Cleanboot step. Try it and report back: https://forums.stardock.com/486084/fences-support-faq#cleanboot

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

Reply #7 from Stardock Forums Top

Note that on my system the black icon backgrounds don't start to appear until after you exit ImageGlass.

Reply #8 from Stardock Forums Top

ImageGlass alter the Windows icons, so there might be a conflict with Windows/Fences. Does this happen if you disable Fences? You can do that on the bottom of the Home screen in Fences config. My guess is that ImageGlass reset/clear the icon cache to ensure the icons changed by the program stays the way you changed them (I believe there are icon themes even for ImageGlass), and you have to wait for Fences/Windows to refresh the icons on your system.

Reply #9 from Stardock Forums Top

I exit the ImageGlass and test. No black icon backgrounds. Refer short video below.

Please try the cleanboot and report back.

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

 

 

Reply #10 from Stardock Forums Top

I will try the clean boot later today - but right now I can no longer reproduce the problem either.  Argggg.  This is crazy...  By the way - when my system does it - it is only on icons directly on the desktop, not inside a fence.

Reply #11 from Stardock Forums Top

I did try on those desktop icons too. Notice those two icons, top left, from my Video. The recycle bin and ImageGlass icons. I just did not video capture it. But your issue don't show up.

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant