For the second time in 2 or 3 months suddenly Internet Explorer 8 (running
in WinXP SP3) no longer loads properly, if that is the term. It seems to
start and search well enough but most of the horizontally-arrayed toolbars
(is that the term?) are blacked out, as shown in the attached image. The
appearance is so messed up that I can't even find the Help thing to confirm
the version. Last time this happened I had to uninstall IE8 and download it
all over again. I don't remember all the steps but my recollection is that
it was a lot more than a matter of a mere 2-3 minutes.. What the $%^&* is
going on? Meanwhile my Firefox works fine.
BTW I had attached a 80kb or so image to this post but it was apparently
rejected as too large, so no attachment.
I now recall that when I first started IE8 this morning I was informed that
it was not myi default browser, so maybe something untoward was at work.

Hi Joe,

OS version and Service pack level please (please provide these details along
with the full error messages that you receive).

The first thing that you should always try is starting IE in no-Addons mode.
Start>Programs>Accessories>System Tools>Internet Explorer (no Addons).

Black Toolbars is a known problem with some third-party desktop themes,
either from Stardoc corp or on Alienware built machines.
Post back if you have any such 'Desktop Theme' software installed.

Regards.

"Joe McGuire" <mcguirejw@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:OfZkuEYWKHA.4140@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> For the second time in 2 or 3 months suddenly Internet Explorer 8 (running
> in WinXP SP3) no longer loads properly, if that is the term. It seems to
> start and search well enough but most of the horizontally-arrayed toolbars
> (is that the term?) are blacked out, as shown in the attached image. The
> appearance is so messed up that I can't even find the Help thing to
> confirm
> the version. Last time this happened I had to uninstall IE8 and download
> it
> all over again. I don't remember all the steps but my recollection is
> that
> it was a lot more than a matter of a mere 2-3 minutes.. What the $%^&* is
> going on? Meanwhile my Firefox works fine.
> BTW I had attached a 80kb or so image to this post but it was apparently
> rejected as too large, so no attachment.
> I now recall that when I first started IE8 this morning I was informed
> that it was not myi default browser, so maybe something untoward was at
> work.
>
>
>
>
>
>

"Joe McGuire" <mcguirejw@comcast.net> wrote in message news:OfZkuEYWKHA.4140@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> For the second time in 2 or 3 months suddenly Internet Explorer 8 (running
> in WinXP SP3) no longer loads properly, if that is the term. It seems to
> start and search well enough but most of the horizontally-arrayed toolbars
> (is that the term?) are blacked out, as shown in the attached image.

> The appearance is so messed up that I can't even find the Help thing to confirm
> the version.


Just learn the keystrokes: Alt-H,A

Alternatively, you could press Win-U and activate Narrator,
to have it read the menus to you. ; )

Another option could be to use High Contrast mode.
E.g. press LeftAlt+LeftShift+PrintScrn
Tip: if you haven't used HC mode before you might want
to change the "scheme" you would get by using it first. ; )


Good luck

Robert Aldwinckle
---


> Last time this happened I had to uninstall IE8 and download it
> all over again. I don't remember all the steps but my recollection is that
> it was a lot more than a matter of a mere 2-3 minutes.. What the $%^&* is
> going on? Meanwhile my Firefox works fine.
> BTW I had attached a 80kb or so image to this post but it was apparently rejected as too large, so no attachment.
> I now recall that when I first started IE8 this morning I was informed that it was not myi default browser, so maybe something
> untoward was at work.
>
>
>
>
>

Thanks. OS and SP: WinXP Pro SP3 (in original post). I started IE8 with no
add-ons and the first page annokunced that indeed it is running w/o add-ons.
But those black bars were still there. There is no error message. The
"error" is the black bars messing up the IE8 display.

"rob^_^" <iecustomizer********.com> wrote in message
news:6AD5FCBE-C88F-4DC3-B67F-7203BC4B634B@microsoft.com...
> Hi Joe,
>
> OS version and Service pack level please (please provide these details
> along with the full error messages that you receive).
>
> The first thing that you should always try is starting IE in no-Addons
> mode. Start>Programs>Accessories>System Tools>Internet Explorer (no
> Addons).
>
> Black Toolbars is a known problem with some third-party desktop themes,
> either from Stardoc corp or on Alienware built machines.
> Post back if you have any such 'Desktop Theme' software installed.
>
> Regards.
>
> "Joe McGuire" <mcguirejw@comcast.net> wrote in message
> news:OfZkuEYWKHA.4140@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>> For the second time in 2 or 3 months suddenly Internet Explorer 8
>> (running
>> in WinXP SP3) no longer loads properly, if that is the term. It seems to
>> start and search well enough but most of the horizontally-arrayed
>> toolbars
>> (is that the term?) are blacked out, as shown in the attached image. The
>> appearance is so messed up that I can't even find the Help thing to
>> confirm
>> the version. Last time this happened I had to uninstall IE8 and download
>> it
>> all over again. I don't remember all the steps but my recollection is
>> that
>> it was a lot more than a matter of a mere 2-3 minutes.. What the $%^&*
>> is
>> going on? Meanwhile my Firefox works fine.
>> BTW I had attached a 80kb or so image to this post but it was apparently
>> rejected as too large, so no attachment.
>> I now recall that when I first started IE8 this morning I was informed
>> that it was not myi default browser, so maybe something untoward was at
>> work.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>

I have no idea what sort of bug or problem causes this but I read a lot
about "themes" probably being responsible, notably themes downloaded from
outside of Microsoft. since I never downloaded any themes this wasn't a
useful answer. The theme I have been using is Classic. Duh. Just for fun I
switched the theme to Windows XP. Then I remembered why I had originally
switched to Classic. Well, no black bars in the XP theme. And when I
switched back to Classic, no black bars either. Makes no sense at all but
it seems to work.

"Joe McGuire" <mcguirejw@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:OfZkuEYWKHA.4140@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> For the second time in 2 or 3 months suddenly Internet Explorer 8 (running
> in WinXP SP3) no longer loads properly, if that is the term. It seems to
> start and search well enough but most of the horizontally-arrayed toolbars
> (is that the term?) are blacked out, as shown in the attached image. The
> appearance is so messed up that I can't even find the Help thing to
> confirm
> the version. Last time this happened I had to uninstall IE8 and download
> it
> all over again. I don't remember all the steps but my recollection is
> that
> it was a lot more than a matter of a mere 2-3 minutes.. What the $%^&* is
> going on? Meanwhile my Firefox works fine.
> BTW I had attached a 80kb or so image to this post but it was apparently
> rejected as too large, so no attachment.
> I now recall that when I first started IE8 this morning I was informed
> that it was not myi default browser, so maybe something untoward was at
> work.
>
>
>
>
>

Hi Joe,

You did not confirm if

">> Black Toolbars is a known problem with some third-party desktop themes,
>> either from Stardoc corp or on Alienware built machines.
>> Post back if you have any such 'Desktop Theme' software installed."

If they are see

http://groups.google.com/group/micro...lack%2Btoolbar

Basically the problem is that some of these third-party desktop themes
incorrectly turn IE8's menu bar black (because it is a 3D object (as far as
windows themes is concerned) without also changing the text color of menu
objects.

You can either choose the default windows XP Classic or the Vista Areo
themes from the Windows Blinds control panel or another custom theme that
does not have the error. I have windows blinds and I use the Space theme
without problems.

If you have a AlienGuise installed (Alienware branded machines), then the
only option is to uninstall it and only use either the XP classic or the
Vista Areo themes.

Regards.

"Joe McGuire" <mcguirejw@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:Oh4cWolWKHA.3404@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> Thanks. OS and SP: WinXP Pro SP3 (in original post). I started IE8 with
> no add-ons and the first page annokunced that indeed it is running w/o
> add-ons. But those black bars were still there. There is no error
> message. The "error" is the black bars messing up the IE8 display.
>
> "rob^_^" <iecustomizer********.com> wrote in message
> news:6AD5FCBE-C88F-4DC3-B67F-7203BC4B634B@microsoft.com...
>> Hi Joe,
>>
>> OS version and Service pack level please (please provide these details
>> along with the full error messages that you receive).
>>
>> The first thing that you should always try is starting IE in no-Addons
>> mode. Start>Programs>Accessories>System Tools>Internet Explorer (no
>> Addons).
>>
>> Black Toolbars is a known problem with some third-party desktop themes,
>> either from Stardoc corp or on Alienware built machines.
>> Post back if you have any such 'Desktop Theme' software installed.
>>
>> Regards.
>>
>> "Joe McGuire" <mcguirejw@comcast.net> wrote in message
>> news:OfZkuEYWKHA.4140@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>>> For the second time in 2 or 3 months suddenly Internet Explorer 8
>>> (running
>>> in WinXP SP3) no longer loads properly, if that is the term. It seems
>>> to
>>> start and search well enough but most of the horizontally-arrayed
>>> toolbars
>>> (is that the term?) are blacked out, as shown in the attached image.
>>> The
>>> appearance is so messed up that I can't even find the Help thing to
>>> confirm
>>> the version. Last time this happened I had to uninstall IE8 and
>>> download it
>>> all over again. I don't remember all the steps but my recollection is
>>> that
>>> it was a lot more than a matter of a mere 2-3 minutes.. What the $%^&*
>>> is
>>> going on? Meanwhile my Firefox works fine.
>>> BTW I had attached a 80kb or so image to this post but it was apparently
>>> rejected as too large, so no attachment.
>>> I now recall that when I first started IE8 this morning I was informed
>>> that it was not myi default browser, so maybe something untoward was at
>>> work.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>
>
>

Hi Joe,

Is your Computer from Alienware?

Regards.

"Joe McGuire" <mcguirejw@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:Oxwy$9rWKHA.408@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> I have no idea what sort of bug or problem causes this but I read a lot
> about "themes" probably being responsible, notably themes downloaded from
> outside of Microsoft. since I never downloaded any themes this wasn't a
> useful answer. The theme I have been using is Classic. Duh. Just for fun
> I switched the theme to Windows XP. Then I remembered why I had
> originally switched to Classic. Well, no black bars in the XP theme. And
> when I switched back to Classic, no black bars either. Makes no sense at
> all but it seems to work.
>
> "Joe McGuire" <mcguirejw@comcast.net> wrote in message
> news:OfZkuEYWKHA.4140@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>> For the second time in 2 or 3 months suddenly Internet Explorer 8
>> (running
>> in WinXP SP3) no longer loads properly, if that is the term. It seems to
>> start and search well enough but most of the horizontally-arrayed
>> toolbars
>> (is that the term?) are blacked out, as shown in the attached image. The
>> appearance is so messed up that I can't even find the Help thing to
>> confirm
>> the version. Last time this happened I had to uninstall IE8 and download
>> it
>> all over again. I don't remember all the steps but my recollection is
>> that
>> it was a lot more than a matter of a mere 2-3 minutes.. What the $%^&*
>> is
>> going on? Meanwhile my Firefox works fine.
>> BTW I had attached a 80kb or so image to this post but it was apparently
>> rejected as too large, so no attachment.
>> I now recall that when I first started IE8 this morning I was informed
>> that it was not myi default browser, so maybe something untoward was at
>> work.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>