Hello,
Most issues I can fix myself, but this issue is completely new to me. Out of the blue, my entire set shell icons (defaults, not customized) look as if I am in 256 vga color mode. I am using Win2K with the latest patches, with the 23.11 XPs with a an ASUS 8200 pure (Geforce 3 plain). I have never encountered this issue before. Since this issue has just occured, I am able to recall from memory what I have recently done. Most of these "tasks" were done to remotely help a friend's computer using the NetMeeting desktop sharing feature to eliminate a virus.

The only change that I have made recently was:

1) Set the NetMeeting Desktop Sharing Service to Manual, was previously Disabled. Started the the Service.

2) Installed MSN Messenger v 4.6. MSN Messenger has never been installed on my computer before.

3) Configured and ran NetMeeting (never used this before either - with Win2K), activitated Desktop Sharing. Deactivited desktop sharing. Closed Netmeeting and MSN messenger.

4) Uninstalled MSN Messenger. Set the NetMeeting Desktop Sharing service to Disabled.

5) Played Dark Age of Camelot - an RPG game that uses the DirectX 8.0 API. In Dark Age of Camelot, I noticed that performance was horrid. I was probably getting one frame per second. The graphics looked as if they were run using the on-board video on my (retired) five year old computer. It also seemed like the CPU/GPU was struggling to render the frames.

6) I thought that maybe I received the virus that my friend had. I never had direct contact with my friend.. the NetMeeting desktop sharing service provided by MSN was off-line at the time (I could not connect to the Microsoft Internet Directory). Ran a full virus scan using the latest version of AVP, just updated the program before I scanned. Found no viruses.

7) Tried various video modes, color settings, and effects settings "View all icons with all possible colors". Problem was not solved.

8) Ran dxdiag. Found that DirectDraw and AGP Texture acceleration was Disabled, the buttons to Enable them were grayed out. Very odd. Here is the saved .txt file generated from dxdiag: http://www.geocities.com/kevin4_/dxdiag.txt

9) Uninstalled the Nvidia display drivers. Rebooted. Reinstalled DirectX 8.1. Rebooted. Reinstalled the 23.11 dets. Rebooted. The problem was still alive and kicking.

10) Did some searches in the MS KB database. Found nothing. Tried Google, nothing. Using my last resort. You guys

That is it.

I am still amazed... I do not think anything made this problem crop up. Any ideas will be appreciated. Many thanks!

UPDATE:
I just played Return to Castle Wolfenstein.
OpenGL performance is operating at 100% (just like before).
SO, only DirectX is effected. Since DirectX powers windows gui, it is only logical that I experience a 256 color type gui.

Homeworld Cataclysm, which uses DirectX 7.0, does not even let me have the option to use their DirectX API. I am sure this will be the same with all DirectX programs.

I will still be trying to fix this problem. This topic has been bookmarked and I will be checking back every minute to see if you guys have found any solutions :grinthumb