Theme colors lost when coming out from the sleeping mode

Hi Greg,

I would like to ask you another way:

Is there a way how to set the window background color in W10, like was possible in Windows XP?

I have tried two ways: In registers:

Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Colors\Window

or by editing the .theme file:

[Control Panel\Colors]

Window=200 200 200

None of this changes survive sleep or even lock/unlock (Windows key + L).

I suspect that there is some bug and that's why W10 does not offer this change by the usual way.

Do you know any trick how to change the background color permanently?

       Regards,

             Olda

Eric -

I said that I created and saved my Theme following the steps I gave in the tutorial article I wrote, and that this saved Theme had survived sleep and hibernate hundreds of times since. Is that not a viable test of your theory?

Thanks again Greg for your patience.

I've tried to create a new Local Admin account. The problem remains the same.

I currently have not time to try the different steps you talked about as far as the display drivers are concerned. Even more, I actually have two different computers in which I have this problem (and I previously had another one also). One is a Dell, the other is a HP. This would take me quite a while to try this in both computers. I'll try to do that when I can (I'm currently swamped with a lot of professional commitments, including teaching - computer science - with one of the computers I'm talking about).

I can trust that the problem can come from an issue with the display driver. But this is then still surprising me that I have the same issue with different computers, and for years, and that an important number of people apparently also have this issue, as can be seen on the web (see, e.g., my original post). But okay, why not?

Will try to handle this in the coming weeks.

In all cases, thanks again for your time on this!

Best, Eric.

Thanks Greg,

This is really kind of you to spend time trying to help me on this issue.

I am a bit surprised, however, you asked me to save my theme, since I first stated that I defined my own theme in a personal *.theme file. So, yes, it is saved, obviously.

All drivers on my computer are up-to-date, and Windows also is up-to-date (including Optional Updates). And playing with screen resolution does not change anything at all.

Also, this is the case for different accounts on the (and other) computer(s) I am using, so I do not think this is a problem of corruption in my account.

Actually, I am fighting with this issue for several years, and on different computers (and there are apparently a full bunch of people in the web that are complaining about this issue; as I also said in my original post). This is actually known to be a Windows bug, which it most likely not related to the configuration on my PC.

Apparently, as I said in my original post, the only way to overcome this is to define a scheduled task upon waking up the PC from the sleeping mode. I repeat: see for example here:

https://www.tenforums.com/general-support/87880-regedit-color-choice-doesnt-survive-sleep.html

So, to repeat again: can you (or someone here) be able to schedule a new task upon waking up the PC from the sleeping mode, that re-installs my theme (likely issuing something like a double-click on my personal theme file, as I do manually)?

Thanks for any help on this.

Best, Eric.

Hello, Eric. I'm Greg, 10 years awarded Windows MVP, here to help you.

Make sure you're following all of these steps to create and save your Theme:

https://www.thewindowsclub.com/create-save-use-...

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/41564-save-...

There are two suspects if it's losing theme after waking from Sleep. First is the 1) Display adapter which controls everything about both display (themes) and Sleep; and 2) Account Corruption which we can test.

The Display driver is so important here that merely updating it is sometimes not enough. So let's try everything possible to get it working correctly:

First make sure you have updated the Display driver from the PC or Display adapter maker's Support Downloads web page for your exact model number, HP Serial Number or Dell Service Tag - from the sticker on the PC.

If necessary first remove the old driver using DDU https://www.wagnardsoft.com/content/ddu-guide-t... (not necessary with Microsoft Basic driver which is a placeholder if nothing else is available) and/or installing in Safe Mode with Networking (so you have internet), or Safe Mode, accessed by one of these methods: https://www.digitalcitizen.life/4-ways-boot-saf...

While there check also for newer chipset, BIOS/UEFI firmware (very important), network, sound, USB3 and other drivers, comparing to the ones presently installed in Device Manager reached by right clicking the Start Menu.

If this doesn't give you the latest or ideal driver for what you need, compare it to the driver offered by the Intel driver update Utility here: http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/...

or the Nvidia Update utility here: http://www.nvidia.com/Download/Scan.aspx?lang=e...

or the AMD autodect utility here: http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/windows/P...

For Display issues one fix that is working is to Roll back or Uninstall the Driver on the Display Device > Driver tab, restart PC to reinstall driver.

You can also try older drivers in Device Manager > Display device > Driver tab > Update Driver > Browse > Let Me Pick.

Then you will know you've tried everything in addition to Windows Update drivers.

Adjust the screen resolution until it fits and looks best at Settings > System > Display.

Check for a monitor driver by expediting Windows Updates (including Optional Updates) in Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Check for Updates to install all Updates until no more are offered.

2. Test for account corruption by creating a new Local Admin account to see if the problem goes away. Step-by-step instructions here:

https://www.isumsoft.com/windows-10/3-ways-to-c...

Sign into the new account, test it works correctly, if so move files over, test all apps work or reinstall any that don't. Then when ready delete the old account in Settings > Accounts > Family & Other Users.

You can then change it to your Microsoft account if desired:

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/5375-switch...

Feel free to ask back any questions. Based on the results you post back I may have other suggestions if necessary.

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