I installed Vista RTM and played around with Sidebar. My graphics card was
poor, so I didn't get the Aero effect anywhere. Sidebar had a solid, dark
grey background.

Now I've installed a better graphics card and Aero is on everywhere.
However, Sidebar is just getting darker and darker. It looks like it's
compositing the newer look over and over on the non-Aero background.

How can I reset it and get the Aero look?

There should be an icon next to the clock in the notification area.

Or Start - All programs - Accessories - Window Sidebar.

Regards,
Bert Kinney MS-MVP Shell/User
[url]http://bertk.mvps.org[/url]
Member: [url]http://dts-l.org[/url]

Trumba wrote:[color=blue]
> I installed Vista RTM and played around with Sidebar. My graphics card was
> poor, so I didn't get the Aero effect anywhere. Sidebar had a solid, dark
> grey background.
>
> Now I've installed a better graphics card and Aero is on everywhere.
> However, Sidebar is just getting darker and darker. It looks like it's
> compositing the newer look over and over on the non-Aero background.
>
> How can I reset it and get the Aero look?[/color]

I was misinterpreting the situation.

The sidebar background turns black when a window is maximized, just like the
title bar turns black. (Other discussions in this group address that.) This
really makes no sense in a multiple monitor situation. I have VS 2005
maximized on one monitor most of the day and sidebar running on the other. So
sidebar is pretty much always black and ineffective.

"Trumba" wrote:
[color=blue]
> I installed Vista RTM and played around with Sidebar. My graphics card was
> poor, so I didn't get the Aero effect anywhere. Sidebar had a solid, dark
> grey background.
>
> Now I've installed a better graphics card and Aero is on everywhere.
> However, Sidebar is just getting darker and darker. It looks like it's
> compositing the newer look over and over on the non-Aero background.
>
> How can I reset it and get the Aero look?[/color]