I'm not really a new user, but I always forget stuff when I have to set up
again. New job, new user,

My icons on the desktop have big ugly rectangles where the names of the
icons are written. How to I make them (the rectangles) transparent so I
just see the icons and the names of them? Not a screen problem as other
users on this same machine are OK. I tried looking carefully at the set up
but I can't see any difference between mine and theirs.

Thanks a lot.
Diane

Re: Ugly desktop blobs around name of icons by Alan

Alan
Fri May 09 14:11:29 PDT 2008

Four things are required for transparent icon backgrounds:

1.Control Panel-System-Advanced-Performance Settings.
Check "Use drop shadows for icon labels on the desktop" on the Visual
Effects tab.

2.Right-click on Desktop - "Arrange Icons by" and ensure Lock Web
items is cleared.

3.Transparency will not work if you have web content on your desktop,
Control Panel - Display Properties - Desktop tab - Customize Desktop -
Web tab. Clear all check boxes.

4. Ensure the Wallpaper is an image file not HTML.

...Alan
--
Alan Edwards, MS MVP Windows - Internet Explorer
http://dts-l.com/index.htm



On Fri, 09 May 2008 19:59:24 GMT, in
microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers, "DianeVan"
<DianeVan@somewhere.com> wrote:

>I'm not really a new user, but I always forget stuff when I have to set up
>again. New job, new user,
>
>My icons on the desktop have big ugly rectangles where the names of the
>icons are written. How to I make them (the rectangles) transparent so I
>just see the icons and the names of them? Not a screen problem as other
>users on this same machine are OK. I tried looking carefully at the set up
>but I can't see any difference between mine and theirs.
>
>Thanks a lot.
>Diane
>

Re: Ugly desktop blobs around name of icons by DianeVan

DianeVan
Fri May 09 14:29:33 PDT 2008

Thanks for your help. I'm not at work today, but I will try these 4 things
on Monday.

Thanks again. It was just too ugly.

Diane

"Alan Edwards" <edwards@southcom.com.au> wrote in message
news:kff92493rc6t8nul8gk8cd95ndko58orrg@4ax.com...
> Four things are required for transparent icon backgrounds:
>
> 1.Control Panel-System-Advanced-Performance Settings.
> Check "Use drop shadows for icon labels on the desktop" on the Visual
> Effects tab.
>
> 2.Right-click on Desktop - "Arrange Icons by" and ensure Lock Web
> items is cleared.
>
> 3.Transparency will not work if you have web content on your desktop,
> Control Panel - Display Properties - Desktop tab - Customize Desktop -
> Web tab. Clear all check boxes.
>
> 4. Ensure the Wallpaper is an image file not HTML.
>
> ...Alan
> --
> Alan Edwards, MS MVP Windows - Internet Explorer
> http://dts-l.com/index.htm
>
>
>
> On Fri, 09 May 2008 19:59:24 GMT, in
> microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers, "DianeVan"
> <DianeVan@somewhere.com> wrote:
>
>>I'm not really a new user, but I always forget stuff when I have to set up
>>again. New job, new user,
>>
>>My icons on the desktop have big ugly rectangles where the names of the
>>icons are written. How to I make them (the rectangles) transparent so I
>>just see the icons and the names of them? Not a screen problem as other
>>users on this same machine are OK. I tried looking carefully at the set
>>up
>>but I can't see any difference between mine and theirs.
>>
>>Thanks a lot.
>>Diane
>>



Re: Ugly desktop blobs around name of icons by Nom

Nom
Sat May 10 07:55:35 PDT 2008

Comment at the bottom.

"DianeVan" <DianeVan@somewhere.com> wrote in message
news:w22Vj.128164$Cj7.20530@pd7urf2no...
> I'm not really a new user, but I always forget stuff when I have to set up
> again. New job, new user,
>
> My icons on the desktop have big ugly rectangles where the names of the
> icons are written. How to I make them (the rectangles) transparent so I
> just see the icons and the names of them? Not a screen problem as other
> users on this same machine are OK. I tried looking carefully at the set
> up but I can't see any difference between mine and theirs.
>
> Thanks a lot.
> Diane
>
If you are using TweakUI that will take care of them.

(But I kind of like the boxed arrows. They remind me that the icons stand
for links or shortcuts and not the programs themselves.)

Ken Bland