Open TaskManager and see if dwm.exe is running in Processes. If not, go to services and see if UxSms is running. If not, start the service.

dwm.exe is running.   I appreciate your help.   Any other thoughts?   Bill Detert / Springfield / IL

However service UxSms is not running and I do not know how to start it.  Thanks again.

Right click on it in Task Manager /services tab and select Start service. You can type services into the Start Menu search box, select services, then find Desktop Window Manager and make sure it is set to Automatic. If it is not, right click on it, select properties and set to Auto. The service can also be stopped and started from this location, just harder to get to.

 And greetings from Lexington, IL

The Desktop Window Manager was on automatic.   Any other thoughts?

A screenshot of the issue may be helpful here.

Also try applying Windows Aero, rebooting and then applying the WB skin again.

Did you start the service?

Follow Neil Banfield's advice.  You won't find anyone who knows more about WindowBlinds than he does.

Hope this fixed the problem

Whatever you pasted that from, you shouldn't have.

"However service UxSms is not running and I do not know how to start it.  Thanks again."

Perhaps I should be more clear.  UxSms is not even in the list.

Another funny thing.  When I go to control panel - personalization and double click on the first aero theme the only thing that changes is the wallpaper  everything else is the same as the theme I selected in windowblinds

I tried to post a screen shot of my opaque start menu but all I got was an ASCII text of the picture which finally figured out how to delete.

Any help is still appreciated.

PS when I run the "find and fix problems with transparency" it doesn't find a problem.  Everything is "issue not present"

First what version of Win7 are you running?

If you can see UxSms in the Task Manager/Services Tab: Right click on it there and select Start Service

or, type services into the Start Menu search box, select services, then find Desktop Window Manager . Right click on it and select properties. You can start the service from here.

To post a ss, you need to upload it to a hosting site like ImageShack or Photobucket, copy the direct link and paste it into the box that appears when you click on the small tree icon (second row, top of reply box)

Did you try Neil's suggestion? Open WB config and select Windows Aero, apply changes, then reboot. Do you have transparency then?

If no, the problem isn't WB's. If yes, reapply a WB and see if it still works.

Thanks for your help.   I am running Windows 7 home premium.

There is no UxSms in the service list.  It goes from User profile service to Virtual Disk.  I can find an entry called "Desktop Window Manager Session Manager" (It is started and automatic)

Here is a link to illustrate my problem:

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=3Bas2jZu0ct

Yes,  I did apply Windows aero in WB and reboot.  Nothing changed.  eg no aero.  

From above:

   Another funny thing.  When I go to control panel - personalization and double click on the first aero theme the only thing that changes is the wallpaper  everything else is the same as the theme I selected in windowblinds

I can adjust transparency (and themes) on Winstep's docks and shelves with no problem.

I purchased WB and Object Desktop and other Stardock productx and a Styler theme and I have yet to have anything better than the plain old aero (except now after running WB I cannot get aero to work at all)  Aero works fine in the WB config illustrations in the top section of the window.

Did you try rebooting after the WindowBlinds install?

I installed WB months and months ago.  I have just now decided to do something about it.  There is no uninstall function listed in the object desktop package.  Do I risk anything by uninstalling and reinstalling?

Thanks for your help.  It is appreciated.  Thank you.

Have you ever installed any sort of "style pack", or any other app that would modify Windows?

I suggest opening an Administrator command prompt. then type in  sfc /scannow to check for corrupt/damaged Windows files.

Let it run and follow any prompts. It will take a while.

Run command, type in services.msc, find Themes in the list, make sure it is running.

If you have ever used a patch to alter the uxtheme.dll file, then that would be your problem. Doing what Wiz said should help then.

Unless you are talking about a vStyler WindowBlind skin, elaborate a bit on that, please. What theme? From where? Link?

Did you install/run it before you ran WindowBlinds?

I think he means Styler the app that skins toolbars, etc. Wiz.

Try this, right click the desktop, personalize, window color, and make sure "enable transparency" is checked.

Windows resource protection did not find any integrity violation

Themes is started and automatic.

Theme is by vStyler.  Tried it when first started WB.

Here is a problem: After selecting the first window 7 aero theme and clicking window color there is no place to check "enable transparency"  It said that this window only applies if you have selected a windows 7 basic theme.   This is the same for all other window aero themes.

I do not know what is happening.

The answer that I do not want to hear is to reinstall Windows 7.  My disk does not have all the upgrades and releases