This is a solution rather than a question, posted for general benefit.

I manage a MS Access system which has in excess of a hundred forms and subforms. Under Windows XP, those forms where the back style is set to transparent do not inherit the deep blue background colour that is standard
throughout my system (under XP back color is white), but even worse, all my labels disappear since I am using white text on a blue BG (which is now white on white). Numerous searches on "back style", "transparent", produced no useful hits.
Finally, I tracked down this solution by chance (no relevant keywords), to find that buried under the Access Options, Forms/Reports tab there is a new check box labelled "Use Windows Themed Controls" which has the ability to render my system useless when checked. Perhaps Microsoft should consider making this check box effect more widely known, and easier to discover in searches.
The url for the appropriate reference is http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?...121120121120120

Hi
Welcome to Utter Access Forums

Thank you for the information I'm sure it will help others..