Windows 7 Black desktop background problem

[ninja0n3]

Hello,

I'm going to try to explain the problem I've encountered the best I can.

First of all I'll post my specs:

AMD64 2800
Asus K2M-VM AM2 motherboard
Nvidia GeForce 6800
Dual screen setup
SATA drives

I've just made a fresh install of Windows 7 Professional x64 (RTM). Everything seems to work fine so far, except that after the greyed screen tells me that something is about to change (I guess the security warning; don't really know what to call it), the background goes black.

Gadgets, the taskbar and active windows are still visible along with the desktop space immediately around them. However I either have to press the start menu a couple of times or move my windows around to clear the black areas and see my desktop normally again.
For some reason the desktop is not refreshing and appears black after the security warning semi-opaque screen, but does not mess up any functionnal stuff.

I get this problem consistently every time the semi-opaque screen appears.
I don't really know where to look for a solution and couldn't find anything relevant on the net aside from a knowledgebase entry on Microsoft support regarding the same (or similar description of the problem, though the actions performed are not the same) issue on Vista ( The Windows Vista desktop appears black after you enable the "Hide and disable all items on the desktop" policy setting or the "Disable all items" policy setting ).

Any help on this would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you very much.

 

[ComputerJy]

The security thing is called UAC. You can try an disable it from the control panel

 

[stueycaster]

It sounds to me like something is trying to install on your system. That's what it does when you install a program. The UAC checks to see if it's really you trying to do this and it grays your screen and stops anything else from happening til you've answered it. Maybe a malware of some type is there. Have you run a virus scan?

 

[ninja0n3]

Thank you for the reply.

I don't have a problem with the UAC. I understand it appears any time you make a change to the system. I've been installing programs since it's a new system, so I gathered it would appear in this kind of situation.

Once I have confirmed the fact that I want to install and the UAC disappears, the desktop goes black.
In other words, I have no background aside from the active parts: for example things start appearing when I point my mouse over them, or click on them (X, maximize, minimize buttons, windows, start menu, taskbar, etc).

The gadgets remain visible and the current active window along with the taskbar.
However, in order to restore the whole screen, which is covered by patches of back, I have to grab a visible window and drag it all accross the screen to make things visible again or I have to click a couple of times on the start menu...

Thanks

 

[ComputerJy]

Once I have confirmed the fact that I want to install and the UAC disappears, the desktop goes black.
In other words, I have no background aside from the active parts: for example things start appearing when I point my mouse over them, or click on them (X, maximize, minimize buttons, windows, start menu, taskbar, etc).

In vista, an old incompatible graphics driver caused this problem. Or sometimes its the lack of resources. Check the amount of free memory you have from the task manager when this problem occurs if possible

 

[Bert DiGiovanni]

Solution:

Remove Background Images (where available)

Control Panel
--> Ease of access --> Ease of access center --> Make the computer easy to see --> at the end of the page "Make things on the screen easier to see" and unmark the "Remove background images (where available)".