Request for help with Aero themes

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Rikkitic

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Topic # 231918 20-Mar-2018 10:30

I need to use an Aero theme in Windows 7. For reasons known only to Microsoft, the use of Aero themes makes the selected item on some menus almost invisible. There is only a faint colour difference between the selected item and the rest of the menu, which is practically invisible at a distance. This cannot be changed with any setting.

There is a hack that can fix this but I don’t remember how it works. It involves editing the Aero.msstyles file in C:\Windows\Resources\Themes\Aero and some other changes. Can anyone help me with this?

I reject your reality and substitute my own. - Adam Savage

gehenna

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Reply # 1980442 20-Mar-2018 11:53

Obvious question, but why Windows 7?

Rikkitic

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Reply # 1980447 20-Mar-2018 11:59

Not an answer to my question but because that is what I am using. It is highly customised specifically for streaming and media and no, I don't want to screw around with all the Windows BS that upgrading might not, but probably would, involve. Win 7 works fine for the purpose I am using it for, other than that stupid Aero issue, which I know is fixable, and I don't want to open any cans of worms. That is why.

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gehenna

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Reply # 1980505 20-Mar-2018 14:09

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wow, defensive much?

Rikkitic

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Reply # 1980540 20-Mar-2018 14:53

Sorry if that came across sharper than I intended, but I just have a question about Windows 7. I don't want to have to justify my choice of OS.

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gehenna

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Reply # 1980621 20-Mar-2018 17:43

I wasn't asking you to justify anything. Context helps us reach a solution faster. Hence the question.

Rikkitic

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Reply # 1980721 20-Mar-2018 21:20

Okay, I guess the context is that I made a considered decision some time ago to use Win 7 on my streaming pc. I chose this for a number of reasons that made sense to me at the time. I spent a lot of time customising it using registry hacks and specific settings and things like AHK scripts. Over the years, experience has repeatedly taught me that almost any upgrade of anything, but especially Windows, creates endless problems with unintended consequences and I just don't want to go there any more. With the exception of this one thing, which I did have working correctly at one point, Win 7 works perfectly for what I want and I have no desire to change it. So I would like to fix just this one thing without altering anything else. I don't want to upgrade to Win 10 or add third party software I have no experience of, or switch to Linux, or do anything else that might require me to spend the next year searching for fixes for things that used to work but no longer do. I just want to get the Aero menus in Win 7 to display with a little more colour difference. I know it can be done. I just don't remember exactly how. That is my question and that is the context.

I reject your reality and substitute my own. - Adam Savage

gehenna

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Reply # 1980729 20-Mar-2018 21:39

There used to be tools such as TweakUI that did this sort of thing on older versions of Windows. A quick Google says the Win7 equivalent is Ultimate Windows Tweaker but use at your discretion, and download from a reputable source.

GEOMAX

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Reply # 1980761 20-Mar-2018 23:29

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from memory menus text size and bold could be changed from control panel, display, and selecting which one in windows 7. All screwed up in windows 10 though.

a search in google shows this also

https://thinksmartbox.com/answer/change-the-size-of-menu-fonts-in-windows-7/

Rikkitic

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Reply # 1980881 21-Mar-2018 09:58

gehenna:

There used to be tools such as TweakUI that did this sort of thing on older versions of Windows. A quick Google says the Win7 equivalent is Ultimate Windows Tweaker but use at your discretion, and download from a reputable source.

I doubt that will do what I need but thanks for the tip. I will look into it.

I reject your reality and substitute my own. - Adam Savage

Rikkitic

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Reply # 1980882 21-Mar-2018 09:59

GEOMAX:

from memory menus text size and bold could be changed from control panel, display, and selecting which one in windows 7. All screwed up in windows 10 though.

a search in google shows this also

https://thinksmartbox.com/answer/change-the-size-of-menu-fonts-in-windows-7/

Only works with the non-Aero themes. Unfortunately I need Aero.

I reject your reality and substitute my own. - Adam Savage

Rikkitic

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Reply # 1980951 21-Mar-2018 11:59

I found my answer. Someone helped me with this a couple of years ago, but I couldn't remember who or where. I finally reactivated an old pc and was able to trace the original link. It turns out to be a complex hack, involving customised theme files and patching software to get past all the obstacles Windows puts in the way. I was halfway there but forgot about the patching software. I lost track of this because I thought I had fixed it once and for all and wouldn't need it any more, but I didn't allow sufficiently for Windows nonsense. When I tried to update the streaming pc some time ago, I kept getting errors so finally restored from a backup and that worked fine, but the backup didn't include the Aero changes, hence my current problem.

Here is the link if anyone is interested: https://www.sevenforums.com/customization/395562-change-hot-tracking-colour.html

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. It always helps to have others thinking of solutions, even if they don't come up with the right ones. I appreciate the effort.

I reject your reality and substitute my own. - Adam Savage