OFF: Starting Office Shortcut Bar Makes Wallpaper Look Fuzzy

When you start the Microsoft Office Shortcut Bar in Windows 95, the Desktop wallpaper image may appear fuzzy or dithered. That is, the Desktop wallpaper image may fail to be as clear as it was before you started the Microsoft Office Shortcut Bar. Additionally, the wallpaper may appear to flash momentarily when the Office Shortcut Bar is loaded and unloaded.

This problem occurs because the Microsoft Office Shortcut Bar and the Windows 95 operating system are communicating to determine which one controls the Windows 95 Color Palette. This communication causes the desktop picture to appear fuzzy if it has a large bitmap (that is, a bitmap greater than 300K) as its wallpaper.

To resolve this problem, use the following steps to turn the Gradient Fill option off in the Customize dialog box of the Office Shortcut Bar:

1. Using the right mouse button, click the background of any toolbar on the Office Shortcut Bar, and then click Customize.
2. In the Customize dialog box, click the View tab.
3. Clear the Use Gradient Fill check box, and then click OK.

This brings the Desktop wallpaper back to its original state.

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the products listed at the beginning of this article. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.