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AFAIK, ClearType settings apply system-wide. It should be pretty easy to tell though; if any non-image text in your browser is smoothed, it's on. If it's not, it's off.

What it sounds like the white drop shadow did in your case was simply force ClearType on for that text.

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Thanks dude. I had initally turned off ClearType because smaller texts were too blurry or you could see a hint of red in some letters.

Found a tool that optimizes the contrast http://www.microsoft.com/typography/ClearTypePowerToy.mspx

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