Drop shadows for icon labels on desktop

[Gregg Cattanach]

On one of my computers I can't make the drop shadows appear for the icons on
the desktop. Regardless of how I choose that checkbox
(Control Panel/System/Advanced/Performance/Settings/Visual Effects/"Use drop
shadows for icon labels on the Desktop" ) the icon labels always just show
with a regular font and a box of the desktop color (which doesn't look nice
against the desktop picture).

A minor complaint, but it would be nice if I could fix it. A registry tweak
somewhere, perhaps?

 

[Alan Edwards]

Four things are required for transparent icon backgrounds:

1.Control Panel-System-Advanced-Performance Settings.
Check "Use drop shadows for icon labels on the desktop" on the Visual
Effects tab.

2.Right-click on Desktop - "Arrange Icons by" and ensure Lock Web
items is cleared.

3.Transparency will not work if you have web content on your desktop,
Control Panel - Display Properties - Desktop tab - Customize Desktop -
Web tab. Clear all check boxes.

4. Ensure the Wallpaper is an image file not HTML.

See:
Desktop icons and icon labels may not display background transparency
or the drop shadow effect in Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;305117

....Alan

 

[Gregg Cattanach]

Thanks so much! It was the 'Lock Web Items' switch that was causing the
problem. Problem fixed

Gregg