How to Disable Themes in Windows 7

Windows 7 Premium and above include the Windows Aero theme as the default desktop theme. Visual styles can be pleasing to the eye and provide a sleek modern look to the desktop environment. However, Windows themes may not always be practical. Fortunately, Windows 7 themes can be switched or for added control and performance, desktop themes can be completely disabled.

This guide will show how to disable desktop themes using the Windows Services.msc console in three steps:

* Locate Services.msc with the Search programs and files dialog box in the start menu
* (Alternate method) Open Services.msc from the Control Panel
* Stop the Themes service
* Disable the Themes service for the Windows desktop

Key Benefits to Disabling Windows Themes

* Increase computer performance
* Free up memory (RAM)
* Prevent other users from changing the default Windows desktop

Locating Services.msc with Search Programs and Files Dialog Box in the Start Menu

1. Click the blue Windows logo located on the left side of the taskbar
2. In the Search programs and files dialog box located at the bottom, type "services.msc"
3. After a few moments, Services should be visible under the programs menu
4. Single-click the Services link in the start menu
5. The Services.msc console opens

(Alternate Method) Locating the Services.msc Console Through the Control Panel

To locate Windows services through the Control Panel:

1. Click the blue Windows logo located on the left side of the taskbar
2. Select the Control Panel button located on the right side of the menu
3. Click System and Security located in the top left corner
4. Click Administrative Tools located near the bottom of the Control Panel window
5. The Administrative Tools window appears listing available tools
6. Double-click Services to open the Services.msc console

Stop the Themes Service

1. Each service is listed in alphabetical order, scroll down to locate the service labeled "Themes"
2. Select to highlight the Themes service
3. Two options appear on the left side of the box: Stop the service and Restart the service
4. Click Stop the service
5. The desktop should automatically revert to the Windows Classic desktop

Disable the Themes Service for the Windows Desktop

Even though the Themes service is stopped, the user must set the service to be disabled. If this is not done, the service will start automatically when the computer restarts.

1. With the Themes service highlighted, right-click on the selection
2. In the the menu, select the Properties menu option
3. With the Themes Properties window open locate the Startup type drop down box
4. click the drop down box and select disabled
5. When finished, click the Apply button

The Windows 7 desktop themes will now be disabled. In the future, if the user tries to select themes, only the Windows Classic desktop will be available.

Microsoft looks into Windows 7 upgrade troubles

Microsoft is working on upgrade snags that some users have described when migrating from Vista to Windows 7. The complaints started late in the Microsoft Answers forum for Windows 7. Users seems to be experiencing two distinct problems. In one case, Windows 7 installation process burns short at 62 percent completion. The other problem involves an endless reboot, where the Windows 7 upgrade never finishes.

The company is recently working on the reboot issue. Microsoft is continuing to look into this issue, and it will post information on the existing threads in the Answers forum as it becomes available, a company spokesperson explained in an e-mail. Customers who had requested an alert when the answer is posted will be advised. The GCN Lab currently reported that upgrade could be made easier by using Mictosoft’s Windows Easy Transfer utility.

Disgruntled forum posters weren’t the only ones experiencing the problem. A Microsoft employee found the reboot when migrating to Windows 7 on a home PC, the spokesperson explained. Endless reboot is a phrase that may clip some memories. Last year, some Vista users faced a similar reboot cycle when migrating to Vista Service Pack 1. Microsoft has fixed that problem. With regard to the incomplete upgrade problem with Windows 7, Microsoft does provides a workaround. Apparently a service, possibly the Iphlpsvc service, interferes with the upgrade to Windows 7. The workaround involves executing a detailed set of steps that may take the joy out of the upgrade process, especially for home users. Possibly, Microsoft may launch an easier-to-apply solution.

Finally, users could face another problem that may occur after a successful new Windows 7 upgrade on machines that use solid-state drives (SSDs). The upgrade results in a storage system failure on certain machines using Intel SSD firmware, according to a report by Betanews. The storage failure looks to be linked with “Trim command” technology, which gives SSDs keep track of file additions and deletions. Trim technology is specifically supported in Windows 7, according to the Engineering Windows 7 blog. The Microsoft spokesperson indicated that the firm is recently investigating the SSD storage failure problem and will post to the Microsoft Answers forum should more information become available

In another development, some of the comments on the Windows 7 review and follow-up piece indicated when it was tried with the new OS on a netbook. However, the same performance lag we found impressing from Windows XP 7 on desktops was also evident with the netbooks, only to a much greater extent. A netbook with an Atom N270 processor running at 1.6 GHz got a respectable 246.4 on our Passmark Performance Test benchmarks version 7.0 with XP. But after the Windows 7 install, this dripped to 188.8. That’s a 58 point drop, meaning the poor netbook runs 24 percent slower than before. The second netbook had an Atom N280 processor executing at 1.66 GHz. With XP, it got 259.4 on the benchmark, which is not storming given that it’s a slightly faster processor than the N270. However, it also dropped big time once Windows 7 came on board, to 214.2. So you can expect an 18 percent drop in performance if you move that system from Windows XP 7.