Currently on an XP --- Don't have a 9x machine available, but did you try checking the display properties in the control panel?
QUICK TEST:
Open the display properties. Go to Appearence tab. Change from "Windows Standard (??something??)" to (let's say: "olive"). Then check out your programs and see if the menus return...if they do, then some -one/-program changed your settings.
If this is the case, then return the display to "windows standard (??small or blue?? I don't remember)" and locate "ITEM" and chose 'menu' and return it to black instead of grey.
Hope this helps,
MiggyD
--> It's a bird! It's a plane! No, it's an OS update patch! Ahh!! <--