Icon flicker introduced due icon refresh with win+d key

smoothMS

New Member
Messages
7
Hello,

I really try to find a way to get the following issue on MS developers radar. If there is any reliable way to contact them I would be very thankful for a short note. I tried it in the Resources and Tools for IT Professionals | TechNet forum but I got only one response and no one from MS. So I try it here, since I guess here are a lot of smart people.

The problem....


I notice a short flicker from desktop icons when you press the "win+d" short cut. Sometimes some application windows also flicker when you use this short cut.

I guess the reason is some kind of refresh for the icons, actually it seems to be the same behaviour when you use the context menu on the desktop (right mouse click) and use the command "refresh".
It can easily be seen when you are on the desktop with all it's icons and have a small window open and then press win+d a couple of times. The Icons refresh and therefore flicker. That should be smoothed out.I notice this behaviour in Win8, Win7, XP.

This is no problem with a similar command in OSX or Ubuntu.

I find this behaviour visually highly annoying and not smooth. I would be very happy when this short flicker would be solved for a smoother visual experience.

What do you think about it?

kind regards
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    w8
Doesn't do it for me. When I press Win+D multiple times, the current window (my browser) minimizes and the Control Panel icon (the last one I had clicked on) is highlighted, then the next press brings the browser window back exactly as it was. No flicker of any kind.

Sounds to me like a video/monitor problem.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Pro X64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo IdeaCenter K450
    CPU
    Intel Quad Core i7-4770 @ 3.4Ghz
    Motherboard
    Lenovo
    Memory
    16.0GB PC3-12800 DDR3 SDRAM 1600 MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel Integrated HD Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    HP h2207
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050@59Hz
    Hard Drives
    250GB Samsung EVO SATA-3 SSD;
    2TB Seagate ST2000DM001 SATA-2;
    1.5TB Seagate ST3150041AS SATA
    PSU
    500W
    Keyboard
    Wired USB
    Mouse
    Wired USB
    Internet Speed
    3GB Up, 30GB Down
    Browser
    SeaMonkey
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender; MBAM Pro
    Other Info
    UEFI/GPT
    PLDS DVD-RW DH16AERSH

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1.1 Pro with Media Center
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Gateway
    CPU
    AMD K140 Cores 2 Threads 2 Name AMD K140 Package Socket FT1 BGA Technology 40nm
    Motherboard
    Manufacturer Gateway Model SX2110G (P0)
    Memory
    Type DDR3 Size 8192 MBytes DRAM Frequency 532.3 MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI AMD Radeon HD 7310 Graphics
    Sound Card
    AMD High Definition Audio Device Realtek High Definition Audio USB Audio Device
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Name 1950W on AMD Radeon HD 7310 Graphics Current Resolution 1366x768 pixels Work Resolution 1366x76
    Screen Resolution
    Current Resolution 1366x768 pixels Work Resolution 1366x768 pixels
    Hard Drives
    AMD K140
    Cores 2
    Threads 2
    Name AMD K140
    Package Socket FT1 BGA
    Technology 40nm
    Specification AMD E1-1200 APU with Radeon HD Graphics
    Family F
    Extended Family 14
    Model 2
    Extended Model 2
    Stepping 0
    Revision ON-C0
    Instruction
    Browser
    Opera 24.0
    Antivirus
    Avast Internet Security
@ medab1: thx



Doesn't do it for me. When I press Win+D multiple times, the current window (my browser) minimizes and the Control Panel icon (the last one I had clicked on) is highlighted, then the next press brings the browser window back exactly as it was. No flicker of any kind.

Sounds to me like a video/monitor problem.

Thanks for your feedback, very much appreciated. I'm sure that it's not a problem with my machine, because I can repdoduce it on every windows mashine I've tested (that means also new pcs in a store).
Maybe I didn't describe it clear enough. Again, I tested a lot of different PCs and all had this behaviour.

How to reproduce it 100%:

1. Minimize or close all windows so that you see only the desktop
2. press win+d a couple of times very fast
3. the icons get a soft refresh and flash/flicker therefore. and when you press it about 5 times fast sometimes even the background image flicker once.

You also see this very clear when you have a small window open which hides only a small part of the desktop (example a small note pad window for notes, behind that only the desktop with it's icons). When you want to hide this window with win+d the icons get a refresh/flicker.

I'm annoyed by this problem in the situation I described (only a small window open on the desktop).

Oor when I have a lot of different windows open (lets say I see the file explorer window, behind that is firefox open...) and want to see the desktop with win+d, I don't get the transition to the desktop smooth, I sometimes see the firefox window flashing shortly before seeing the desktop (I guess because it needs a bit of time to hide all windows). I guess the video buffer are not programmed very well here, which is the reason for most flicker problems.

best regards
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    w8
Sorry but that doesn't happen for me. It works exactly as I described above.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Pro X64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo IdeaCenter K450
    CPU
    Intel Quad Core i7-4770 @ 3.4Ghz
    Motherboard
    Lenovo
    Memory
    16.0GB PC3-12800 DDR3 SDRAM 1600 MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel Integrated HD Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    HP h2207
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050@59Hz
    Hard Drives
    250GB Samsung EVO SATA-3 SSD;
    2TB Seagate ST2000DM001 SATA-2;
    1.5TB Seagate ST3150041AS SATA
    PSU
    500W
    Keyboard
    Wired USB
    Mouse
    Wired USB
    Internet Speed
    3GB Up, 30GB Down
    Browser
    SeaMonkey
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender; MBAM Pro
    Other Info
    UEFI/GPT
    PLDS DVD-RW DH16AERSH
Thanks for the reply, Ztrunker.
I'm astonished. It seems that I have a extraordinary perception or that I'm mad. I can see it on every win (XP,W7,W8) pc I've tested. I can clearly see the icons flashing when I press win+d on the desktop.

ps: I found out after more testing just some minutes ago that it only happens with AERO enabled in win7, so not in classic. I haven't tested w8 so far (I have only my w7 pc here atm).
The strange thing, when I change back to AERO after beeing in classic, I get no flashing icons anymore until the next reboot.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    w8
This is a Windows 8 forum, so I'm testing on a Windows 8 system. Have not treied on Windows 7.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Pro X64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo IdeaCenter K450
    CPU
    Intel Quad Core i7-4770 @ 3.4Ghz
    Motherboard
    Lenovo
    Memory
    16.0GB PC3-12800 DDR3 SDRAM 1600 MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel Integrated HD Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    HP h2207
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050@59Hz
    Hard Drives
    250GB Samsung EVO SATA-3 SSD;
    2TB Seagate ST2000DM001 SATA-2;
    1.5TB Seagate ST3150041AS SATA
    PSU
    500W
    Keyboard
    Wired USB
    Mouse
    Wired USB
    Internet Speed
    3GB Up, 30GB Down
    Browser
    SeaMonkey
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender; MBAM Pro
    Other Info
    UEFI/GPT
    PLDS DVD-RW DH16AERSH
You're right. I only wrote down my finding here, because this could be a hint for someone else to solve the problem.

In win8 there is no classic mode anymore, so this doesn't work. I was in a computer store again with new lenovo PC's and I can clearly see the icons refreshing when hitting win+d on the desktop.

hitting win+d means: all windows are closed or take only a small part of the desktop so that you can see icons - after hitting win+d the icons flicker one time. You can see it also when you use the context menue on the desktop (click on a empty spot on the desktop and click right mouse) and click on "Refresh".
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    w8
Refresh from the Context menu does cause the icons to blink. Win+D does not, at least for me.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Pro X64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo IdeaCenter K450
    CPU
    Intel Quad Core i7-4770 @ 3.4Ghz
    Motherboard
    Lenovo
    Memory
    16.0GB PC3-12800 DDR3 SDRAM 1600 MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel Integrated HD Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    HP h2207
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050@59Hz
    Hard Drives
    250GB Samsung EVO SATA-3 SSD;
    2TB Seagate ST2000DM001 SATA-2;
    1.5TB Seagate ST3150041AS SATA
    PSU
    500W
    Keyboard
    Wired USB
    Mouse
    Wired USB
    Internet Speed
    3GB Up, 30GB Down
    Browser
    SeaMonkey
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender; MBAM Pro
    Other Info
    UEFI/GPT
    PLDS DVD-RW DH16AERSH
Thanks again for your reply.

That's actually very interesting. I'm really curious why you don't have this behaviour.

May I ask for your hardware configuration? Any tweaks? Do you use the 64bit or 32 bit version?

best regards
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    w8
Dell Precison 370
3.4Ghz Pentium 4 1 Core, 2 Logical Processors
4GB RAM
Nvidia GEForce GTS 240 1GB
HP w2208 LCD @ 1680 x 1050
128GB SSD (boot), 300GB 7200RPM SATA, 1.5TB 7200RPM SATA
Windows 8 Pro X64, all updates
I use Stardock Start8 to get a Start Menu and do not use Metro at all
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Pro X64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo IdeaCenter K450
    CPU
    Intel Quad Core i7-4770 @ 3.4Ghz
    Motherboard
    Lenovo
    Memory
    16.0GB PC3-12800 DDR3 SDRAM 1600 MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel Integrated HD Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    HP h2207
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050@59Hz
    Hard Drives
    250GB Samsung EVO SATA-3 SSD;
    2TB Seagate ST2000DM001 SATA-2;
    1.5TB Seagate ST3150041AS SATA
    PSU
    500W
    Keyboard
    Wired USB
    Mouse
    Wired USB
    Internet Speed
    3GB Up, 30GB Down
    Browser
    SeaMonkey
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender; MBAM Pro
    Other Info
    UEFI/GPT
    PLDS DVD-RW DH16AERSH
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