8 Replies Latest reply on Dec 23, 2014 7:46 PM by Kelvin Lamport

Main Window completely transparent, only top and bottom tool-bar

Luke Tansell Dec 22, 2014 10:49 PM

Hi everyone,

I've had Solidworks installed on my Windows Surface version 1 for the whole year so far and about a week or two ago I've been getting a major error. When i opened Solidworks 2013-2014 Student Edition i would get a top and bottom tool-bar but the main window between is invisible (See below screenshot)

Last night I uninstalled the 2013-2014 Student version and installed the new 2014-2015 student version in the hopes that it would fix this problem, but it didn't. Even with the new version i'm having the same problem. I also tried resetting my user setting, but that didn't work either. Has anyone had this problem before? Any help would be great! Thanks in advance!!

Re: Main Window completely transparent, only top and bottom tool-bar

Daniel Andersson Dec 22, 2014 11:09 PM (in response to Luke Tansell)

Check out this previous post regarding this.
https://forum.solidworks.com/message/460117#460117
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- Re: Main Window completely transparent, only top and bottom tool-bar
  
  Luke Tansell Dec 23, 2014 8:41 AM (in response to Daniel Andersson)
  
  I spent a couple of hours searching through the various forum threads, but nothing seemed to help. I tried the 'changing aero themes' and ran the diagnostics and stuff on my graphics card, but i'm already running the latest drivers and stuff. Does anyone else have any ideas?
  
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  - Re: Main Window completely transparent, only top and bottom tool-bar
    
    Kelvin Lamport Dec 23, 2014 9:19 AM (in response to Luke Tansell)
    
    Do you have an nVidia card?
    The posts linked in the link Daniel posted, recommended disabling the nVidia Desktop Manager. If you have an nVidia card, did you do that?
    
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    - Re: Main Window completely transparent, only top and bottom tool-bar
      
      Luke Tansell Dec 23, 2014 9:26 AM (in response to Kelvin Lamport)
      
      I have an Intel HD Graphics 4000 card, so the nVidia help won't work for me unfortunately
      
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      - Re: Main Window completely transparent, only top and bottom tool-bar
        
        Kelvin Lamport Dec 23, 2014 9:36 AM (in response to Luke Tansell)
        
        The HD4000 isn't an approved card so you have been very lucky to have been able to use it for so long.
        Windows may have installed updates recently. Have you tried reverting to an older driver, or even restoring Windows to a time before you had the transparency problem.?
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        Re: Main Window completely transparent, only top and bottom tool-bar
        
        Luke Tansell Dec 23, 2014 7:29 PM (in response to Kelvin Lamport)
        
        Oh wow aha, I thought it was an approved card, I did the graphics card test thing and mine came up. Either way I did try reverting it to an older driver but that didn't help. Do you think my Surface may have just run out of luck running SW?
        
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        Re: Main Window completely transparent, only top and bottom tool-bar
        
        Kelvin Lamport Dec 23, 2014 7:46 PM (in response to Luke Tansell)
        
        I guess that is a possibility, but I'm more inclined to believe a Windows setting or graphics driver must have changed.
        Have you tried restoring to a date point of a week or more before the problem started?
        You could also try deleting all graphics drivers and try various ones to find one that works for you.
        
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      - Re: Main Window completely transparent, only top and bottom tool-bar
        
        Jeff Holliday Dec 23, 2014 4:26 PM (in response to Luke Tansell)
        
        As Kelvin stated, your luck may have turned from good to "normal". "Normal" is closer to - SW may work with a non-approved card, but there are no guarantees. Having the latest drivers installed only helps if the application can handle them. I would follow Kelvin's suggestions.
        
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