Windows 7 automatically switching to basic (non-aero) theme. I need a way to disable that behaviour.

Question

This is very similar to what is described here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/939423

As well as here: http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/vistaperformance/thread/c7b869e1-5138-48a3-b09d-419f76e2f728

However, this is for Windows 7, not Vista.

Scenario:

On a 3 screen (1920x1080 each) setup ran on an ATI HD4890 (1gb RAM, running 2 screens) + HD 3450 (256mb RAM, running 1 screen), whenever anything graphic intensive is put onto the screen hosted by the HD3450, Windows will complain "The color scheme has been changed to Windows Basic - The current color scheme has exceeded its allowed memory so the color scheme has been automatically changed to improve performance. Click to see more information." and change my theme to Windows Basic.

However, it is to be noted that the 3450 is not being stressed at all (all the load is being put onto the 4890 according to GPU-Z).

It should not be a problem with system RAM (6gb, on Win7 x64) nor processing power (i7 920).

Is there a way to disable Windows automatically "improving performance" by switching my theme?

Answer 1

Run menu > sysdm.cpl > Advanced Tab > performance > select adjust for best performance > make sure you do not allow Windows to choose for you because your computer does not know whats best --- Make sure Enable Aero Peek is checked

---- OR ---

Right click my computer > properties > Advanced System settings > performance > select adjust for best performance > make sure you do not allow Windows to choose for you because your computer does not know whats best --- Make sure Enable Aero Peek is checked

Answer 2

Hi whsper,

Welcome to Microsoft Answers Community Forums.

The aero theme is basically enabled depending on video card.

Windows Display Driver Modelis the graphic driver architecture for video card drivers running Microsoft Windows versions beginning with Windows Vista.

WDDM driver model version 1.0 is that it does not support multiple drivers in a multi-adapter, multi-monitor setup, the latest version is 2.0 is introduced.

Windows will disable the Desktop Window Manager (DWM) that controls the transparent glass effect or other effects of the Aero theme. The DWM manages the desktop and the primary display settings in Windows.

I would suggest you to check with your manufacturer for latest drivers to support your hardware configuration.

Hope this information helped you.

Regards

---

Yaaser - Microsoft Support Engineer                                          

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Answer 3

"The aero theme is basically enabled depending on video card."

It would seem to me that there is a pre-set level of memory that the Aero theme can use and when this is exceeded the OS decides that my computer is running slowly and changes my theme to basic.  The problem is that I have 4 monitors and two high end video cards.  They are not taxed.  I have plenty of free ram and my processor is barely even warm.  There is no need for the OS to change my theme.  At the very least I should be able to disable this "feature".  I understand the need to help people who have no idea what they are doing, but the people that actually have a clue get very annoyed when they are boxed in.

Answer 4

I second that - I'm running 6 monitors (2x GeForce GTS 450 and 1x Radeon HD 4770, 2 monitors on each card) all running 1280x1024. Was running Win 7, now Server 2008 R2, experience issues with Aero on both.  I'm running a core i7 with 12 gigs of RAM, so memory/resource is not an issue.  However, Windows seems to think it IS an issue, and constantly bothers me about my speed (Windows has detected that your computer is running slowly...or something like that).

It's gotten so bad I'm now using the classic view just to save myself from being bothered with that notice all the time.

Also, what's the deal with dwm using all that memory on 6 monitors? Not a huge issue I guess but just curious...

Answer 5

nevermind, all I needed to do was restart...