1. START MENU AND TASKBAR > Start Menu > Left Hand Side >Item Mouseover > click the  TEXT under tab and go to STATE TO MODIFY you will see NORMAL and MOUSEOVER click the mouseover and go look down the TEXT COLOUR and choose the best text color for you or slightly darken the Mouseover Image (Make sure that you have a Item Mouseover image)

2.If you want to widen the menu you need to to adjust the  entire width of start menu skin.

Appreciate the quick reply, however, making these changes as you described didn't do anything - even after saving and applying skin. 

I also do not understand your instruction on widening the start menu skin. I've widened the actual image for the start menu, however, like the modification above - no change.

Attached screen shot:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1s_6NW3aOMQaWlaYkFDd1ZsYlE/view?usp=sharing

From what I see netspeedz, the skin would need a lot of modification to accomplish what you want. As it was not initially designed for Windows 7 or above by the looks of it, image modifications and changes in the settings in SkinStudio would be required.

It is Windows 7 compatible.

If changes are required, that's cool. That's why I posted the question - so I can make changes to the skin.

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 Its working n me

http://s48.photobucket.com/user/Destrohelix/media/Untitled-1_zpsnaneni0t.jpg.html

Another way is this:

Since the Item Mouseover is transparent you can change  or make new mouseover image and put dark colors to that.

or 

Go to All Programs >Backgrounds > under tabs click Extra Settings scrollldown a bit and you will see a ALL PROGRAMS LIST BACKGROUND COLOUR < Change this if you want to change the background color of that menu.

You need to modify (STRETCH) the entire start menu like top part,program list,bottom bar etc.

The text changes described by Destrohelix should have worked. I would set all start menu text settings to os default, and start from square one with the color of the text, this way you see what happens with each change. I say this because each change can affect other text areas on the start menu. The relationship between having or not having a Item mouseover and having one, versus os default settings or selected text colors by the user, all  can affect other text settings. I tried to duplicate your text issue and could not get it to NOT work as described. So, I would start from scratch with the text. Also, under skin colors, the programs and places colors affect this area when in os default settings, fyi.

As for the start menu itself, if you already manually resized the image, not just the size settings, you need to adjust the start menu pieces size settings. As you are on each section of the start menu in sks, to the bottom right of the page, under extra settings, size of parts, and change to match your pieces. also, if expanded start menu has been set, you may need to reset that also. Then , maybe re adjust some paint margins also. Hope that helps, if not, tell me the skin, a name, where to get, I will replicate the changes you seek, and pass along the information, not the work, illegal, and explain exactly how to achieve this. DT1.

Azenis by JJYing made for XP.

As you can see by the responses what you want may be difficult to achieve.I don't think it's an easy modification.

Appreciate the assistance.

I did get the text to change color, kind of, by changing the mouseover image, however, I noticed that when the mouse is over a Program List item that extends beyond the viewing range, the background text color reverts back to the white text.

Screen shot Link

That is why I need to increase the width of the actual Start Menu so that the mouseover function will display the program list item correctly.

I would need some additional detail on how to 'stretch' this image. Is this done from within Skin Studio? If so, where can this be done?

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Apparently it doesn't matter if theme was made for XP or not. As you can see from link above, I made the change to a new mouseover image and everything works except for those items that extend beyond the display area.

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Apparently it does because you said it did However as you also said there are other problems.

The people here are only trying to help. There are a lot of different images and settings to make a skin work correctly for win 7 and 8. There will always be some cross over things that will work on 7 and 8. This WB will never work as it should without an entire remake.

I don't see where I said it matters. In any event, doesn't matter.

I don't see this as problems - just opportunities to learn something I didn't know before.

BTW, I understand people are trying to help, thus my noted appreciation to those who are.

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Try this one

Try to set the TEXT COLOUR  to OS DEFAULT (Mouseover state) in the PROGRAM LIST of LEFT HAND SIDE 

Try this > PROGRAM LIST in left hand side

normal = colour 0 (free to change)

mouseover = colour 0  (free to change)

In Item Mouseover

normal = OS Default

mouseover = colour 0  (free to change)

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You need Photoshop or Windows paint etc to stretch that

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f211/Destrohelix/Untitled-1_zpsbj6qjpm3.jpg

The red box shown in the picture means you can perfectly stretch the image (warning do not stretch in the curve areas it would not give a good result).

To make a Rectangular Marquee in Photoshop just click M in your keyboard and choose the areas that you want to stretch then Right Click and choose FREE TRANSFORM.

Tried your recommendation. Same result.

I think all I need to do is 'stretch' the start menu image, however, I'm unsure what you mean when you use the term 'stretch'. Are you referring to 'resizing' the image - which I have done using Paint.net from within Skin Studio. When I did this, I saw  no visible change)?

Go into Edit Startmenu and Taskbar, Start Menu and select "Top part", then click on Extra settings at the bottom of the screen. and scroll down until you see the Width of part and add 20 to whatever number is shown and I always set the Width of part (old) to the same. Do the same for the Bottom bar. Then go to the Left hand side area, Programs list, and add 20 to those areas for it also, and do the same for the All programs, Background image. Reapply the skin and the left area of the start menu should be wider. It does not matter if you change the image, those settings control the width and height of the image.

Bingo. Appreciate the step by step instruction. That's what I needed. I have other small things I would like to correct but will eventually add new threads for those.

Appreciate the assistance.

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Changing the Program List Mouseover image helped as well. Appreciate you assistance.

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