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

Does anyone know how to change the color scheme back to the previous setting? I didn't know any better and clicked "yes" and now I'm not liking how everything looks.

Answer 4

Got the same problem running dual monitors on two different video cards. But I whipped up a small .bat file to change it back again so that whenever the graphic intense task is done I can quickly turn aero back on so that I won't have to restart my computer. Two easy lines:

net stop "Desktop Window Manager Session Manager"

net start "Desktop Window Manager Session Manager"

All it does is restarting the DWM so that you get aero back on, not a permanent fix but useful if you just want aero back on :)

PMunch

Answer 5

Well, looks like a bunch of us are having this same problem.   I get this irritating message every time I fire up FSX.  Appears there are no answers yet.  Like a few here, I think it is a Windows glitch and  nothing to do with drivers for I have all my hardware drivers and upgrades to WIN 7 updated.

I run Win 7 Ultimate 64

8 Gig of ram

AMD Phenom II X4 965 3.41Ghz

3 ea. ATI Radeon HD 4600 Series with 1G Ram each.