Vista SP1 and Windowblinds

Trial version incompatible; will full version work?

Wednesday, March 19, 2008 by bg1256 | Discussion: Stardock Support General

Hello to everyone here,

I have been using Object Dock for a few years now, and I was hoping to try WindowBlinds on my newish Vista laptop.

I like the Aero interface, but it gets boring just as everything else does.

I downloaded the trial version of WindowBlinds, and it says it's Vista compatible; however, I installed and reinstalled, disabled virus software, disabled ad-software, etc., but I could not get it working.

This obviously worried me, because I don't want to spend the $20 on a piece of software that will not work with SP1. If anyone can offer me help here, I would greatly appreciate it.
21 Reply 7 Referrals
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Bichur
Reply #1 Wednesday, March 19, 2008 11:23 PM
what's it not doing?

vista 32 or 64?

Philly0381
Reply #2 Wednesday, March 19, 2008 11:28 PM
I reading most of the Vista problems that get identified here a lot of them are corrected by making sure you are running in admin mode. Are you?

SteveGosselin
Reply #3 Wednesday, March 19, 2008 11:36 PM
This obviously worried me, because I don't want to spend the $20 on a piece of software that will not work with SP1. If anyone can offer me help here, I would greatly appreciate it.

Latest beta build of WindowBlind work fine without any problem with Windows Vista SP1 32-bits (UAC strict mode activated).

Philly0381
Reply #4 Wednesday, March 19, 2008 11:41 PM
Open WB configuration and copy system info and post here.

bg1256
Reply #5 Thursday, March 20, 2008 10:50 AM
In short, here is the problem I'm having:

I install the software, using the default set up (to C:\Program Files...).

I reboot as instructed.

Upon rebooting, nothing happens. So, I click in the desktop icon which has appeared, which requires administrative rights. Then I get a dialog box telling me the system must be rebooted before WB will work, or I should disable virus software before installing. I have done both of those.

The user account I am using is not a full-blown admin, because I don't run that way ever.

I will post the output when I have more time.

CarGuy1
Reply #6 Thursday, March 20, 2008 11:06 AM
The user account I am using is not a full-blown admin


That may be your problem.

bg1256
Reply #7 Thursday, March 20, 2008 11:27 AM
That's unfortunate. However, I did input the admin credentials when installing and running the software... shouldn't that get around that particular problem?

Perhaps I should just enable full admin privileges for my user account?

alpha-prime
Reply #8 Friday, March 21, 2008 5:44 AM
Having simliar problems with Vista, no Stardock programs work for general user accounts.

However,I did find the solution, I posted an update in this thread:

https://forums.wincustomize.com/304138

bg1256
Reply #9 Friday, March 21, 2008 4:14 PM
Thanks for the post, alpha-prime, but that did not work for me.

I have also switched my account to an administrator account, and that is not working either.

I will try reinstalling as an administrator to see if that changes things.

I sure hope Stardock gets this fixed... I surely won't be buying this product if it doesn't work with Vista.

bg1256
Reply #10 Friday, March 21, 2008 4:30 PM
I changed my account to an administrator account. Then, I rebooted.

Then, I installed the trial version of windowblinds again.

It automatically rebooted after install, attempted to run at startup, but it did not work. It simply gave me a dialog box telling me to reboot my computer again. I did reboot, and the same thing happened.

I suspect windowblinds does not work with SP1, or at least the trial version does not, which makes me apprehensive to purchase the full version. I'm not about to dump $20 on a program that doesn't work with Vista SP1. Too bad, really.

Hankers
Reply #11 Friday, March 21, 2008 4:50 PM
I have Vista with SP1 installed and the purchased version of Windowblinds works without any issues.

Finhbar
Reply #12 Friday, March 21, 2008 5:01 PM
WindowBlinds works very well with both my 64bit and 32bit Vista Boxes. No problems whatsoever, and they're both running SP1.

Have you tried cleaning the Registry of any WB related entries AFTER uninstalling AND rebooting, prior to reinstallation ? That might work for you.


bg1256
Reply #13 Friday, March 21, 2008 8:36 PM
Perhaps the trail version is the problem? I have also sent an email to Stardock support. Maybe that will help. I'll also try the reg cleaner.

Thanks for all your help. I do appreciate it.

Neil Banfield
Reply #14 Saturday, March 22, 2008 7:40 AM

All versions of WB6 work with SP1.  Even WB 5.51 works with SP1.

It sounds like something is preventing the installation of the WB service on your computer.


bg1256
Reply #15 Saturday, March 22, 2008 11:31 AM
Yes, but I have no idea what that could be. I don't have any virus software running during the install (and it's not set to run at startup), so that couldn't be it.

I don't have any adware/malware programs running (not even Windows Defender).

I don't have any registry protections running.

I'm running as full admin.

Is there something I'm missing?

The only thing I can think of is that there is a problem with the trial version... but that in itself makes me apprehensive. Perhaps my email to Stardock will bring something to the surface.

Excalpius
Reply #16 Saturday, March 22, 2008 11:42 AM
There is a solution to this. Something about the service itself not properly installing under Vista sometimes, which causes the reboot over and over prompt. I can't remember the exact fix, but if you search the forum, it should pop up. I had the same problem once, and now, no problemo.

ShelbyGT_The_Car
Reply #17 Saturday, March 22, 2008 12:08 PM
Turn the UAC user account control off in user accounts and restart the computer. See if it works then - if not reinstall while UAC is off. I figure you are running Vista Home Premium on that laptop. Is there any other users for that laptop? If not then turn off UAC and leave it off and if a warning icon appears - click it and tell it not to warn you again.
If this fails to work - your Vista needs to be reinstalled. It is not the WB program being a trial. It is your system that has a problem and it may need to be reinstalled to correct such an error with process being ignored and such. This can happen if you have installed and uninstalled past anti-virus programs and/or firewalls. [Security suites!] They do not completely uninstall and there is only a few 3rd party security programs that have proven to work well with Vista. If this is your case you will need to reinstall your Vista and all should work fine afterward.

SGT  

bg1256
Reply #18 Saturday, March 22, 2008 1:31 PM
There is a solution to this. Something about the service itself not properly installing under Vista sometimes, which causes the reboot over and over prompt. I can't remember the exact fix, but if you search the forum, it should pop up. I had the same problem once, and now, no problemo.


Thanks for this, I will search the forum when I have time to peruse the results.

@SGT:

Thanks for the tip, but I don't want to disable UAC on my machine. As far as I'm concerned, MS did something right by enabling UAC. It adds a layer of security that I prefer. And I really don't want to reformat because WB doesn't work. I have not had any problems with any other software on Vista, and I highly doubt there is a problem with my install. It's only about 6 months old, and I have not had any other problems. I'm using AVG, which is Vista-compatible as well. But, like I said, I do appreciate the tip.

bg1256
Reply #19 Thursday, March 27, 2008 12:03 AM
I am sorry to bump this, but I have not had any further luck, and I've googled and searched the forum to no avail.

After installing WB6 (trial) as administrator, rebooting, and then running wbconfig.exe, I get the following message:

WWW Link

I do not have any anti-spyware/malware/virus software running during install or when attempting to run wbcofig.exe

What other services could be preventing the install?

Vampothika
Reply #20 Thursday, March 27, 2008 12:11 AM
i would uninstall it and reinstall.......perhaps the first installation did not install properly......... (thats happened to me before, and a reinstallation fixed the probs) and as for spending 20 bucks? It was the best money I ever spent...... hope you end up feeling the same way after your trial has ended...the best of luck to you.  

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