Windows Aero Interface Affected During Deployment

Since Windows Vista, the user interface of Microsoft’s operating systems has been greatly enhanced to provide for a smoother, more friendly-on-the-eyes look and feel. This is largely due to the creation of the Windows Aero interface. This interface and the guidelines to which it is restricted can affect the appearance and layout of text windows in applications. The visual effects may be set by the creative use of Group Policy Objects (GPO) or in a base image, prior to deployment.

In the case of UIU Standard, some customers have reported some aberrant GUI behavior which Big Bang Support has discovered to relate directly to these visual effects.

What are the Symptoms?

Checkmarks in UIU Standard user interface (during the Prepare Sysprep Configuration step) for “Computer Name” and “Copy Profile” quickly disappear and are therefore not verifiable after the box is checked. In fact, the checkbox is selected and the activated feature will perform as expected; the mark simply is not visible.


 
Note: The two checkboxes above have been checked

Why is this happening?

The reason for this behavior is directly linked to a specific Windows 7 Aero feature having been turned off or Visual Effects having been set to “Adjust for best performance”, which will disable all visual effects.

 


How can this be corrected?

In Control Panel; System; Advanced System settings, click on the Advanced tab and then select the “Settings” button in the Performance sub-section.  Make sure the checkbox for “Use visual styles on windows and buttons” is checked, (it may be necessary to scroll to the bottom of the list). Alternatively, Select Either “Let Windows choose what’s best for my computer” or “Adjust for best appearance”