Deskscapes does not work
Sunday, November 23, 2008 by Dakaki1 | Discussion: Animated Wallpapers
I am having a problem with my Deskscapes. I am running version 2.50.067 on my Windows Vista Ultimate x64 computer. I am currently using Objectbar, ObjectDock Plus, IconPackager, and WindowsBlinds to customize my desktop. I just bought the snow falling dream, but when I installed the FULL copy of Deskscapes it keeps giving me the error "The Desktop Window Manager is not running, DeskScape requires the Desktop Window Manager (uxsms) service to be running to function. Please visit http://dream.wincustomize.com for more info"
However, the DWM service IS running. I have manually turned it off and then turned it on again to test if that was the problem, and it didn't fix it. I have tried numerous dreams, and I continue to get this error. I was not using Dreamscene prior to this so I do not know if that was effected.
Help!! I don't know what else to do!
Reply #2 Sunday, November 23, 2008 12:15 PM
What theme do you have applied on your machine?
Reply #3 Sunday, November 23, 2008 12:28 PM
what you need to do is switch Windowblinds back to classic then back to the Vista Aero... I know this sounds like it would have nothing to do with it, but I had the same prob. on my system.... after that you can select what skin you want in WB, and your dreams should work...
it worked for me... 
Reply #4 Sunday, November 23, 2008 2:11 PM
I was using OSX Leopard Proto v1.5 by Davidthedestroyer (DeviantArt).
I tried what da_zman20 suggested, and it worked for every skin EXCEPT this one. So I deduced that it was not a deskscapes problem but a particular skin problem.
I just switched my theme to the Snow Leopard one and tried it. I just don't know why that one skin doesn't work.
Reply #5 Monday, November 24, 2008 11:47 AM
the reason being is that some skins disable the "Desktop Window Manager" resource in Vista, the trick is to find a way to turn it on while using those skins that turn it off... any one have a solution?
Reply #6 Monday, November 24, 2008 4:01 PM
I went to DA and downloaded the skin, it's not designed for Vista... and it's not wb6.0 compatible, and as I've learned in the last few days that creates and issue with the DWM... so I'm gonna try a few things, and I'll be back on...
Reply #7 Monday, November 24, 2008 4:06 PM
actually I just got it working on my system... here's what you have to do... after you apply the skin...
on the start menu select run
then put in %windir%\system32\SystemPropertiesAdvanced.exe
this will bring up the advanced computer option, then
hit the settings button under performance
then check "Enable destop composition" and this will allow you to run deskcapes with Windowblinds XP skins, but some older skins still may not work... let me know how it works out...
Reply #8 Tuesday, November 25, 2008 1:42 PM
what I did was click the deskop composition off then back on... and it worked... are you using the same theme as Dakai? I only tried it with the one theme...
Reply #9 Wednesday, November 26, 2008 8:57 PM
I was using AppleGlass WB skin and it resolved the issue using the Disabling / Enabling Desktop Composition (Vista Home Premium SP1 - Spanish -, AMD Turion 64x2, nVidia GeForce on an HP Pavillion tx1000 series TabletPC)
Also happens with the Mac OS X Tiger skin, TY vm for the solution although it sounds pretty messy if we need to do this every time a WB skin is loaded, is it related only with non WB6-ready skins?
Reply #10 Wednesday, November 26, 2008 9:39 PM
I believe it is yes... the older skins disable desktop composition, and some them won't let it run at all.... it's sorta skin specific from what I can tell... skins with different options do different things...
as for you... the issue is unrelated to windowblinds then if you are using Aero, if your titlebars are transparent then the DWM is running, if not, then it's not... your problem is probably related to Deskscapes, and not the DWM from how looks here...
Reply #11 Thursday, November 27, 2008 5:58 AM
No WB skins will disable desktop composition.
Reply #12 Friday, November 28, 2008 4:35 PM
that's not the effect that I'm having with certain skins it is disabled, and not others... when I try to turn it on with the WB 1x and 2x skins listed above it is off, and will not let me turn it on, any Idea why? It may be something we are all doing wrong... but as best as I can figure that is what is happening, deskscapes won't run with those old skins at all, and reenabling with the WB4 and WB5 skins seems to allow deskcapes to run again, when it otherwise wouldn't... however you would know better than me... is Desktop Composition, and DWM the same thing? any more help in this matter would be greatly appreciatied Neil....
Reply #13 Saturday, November 29, 2008 2:50 AM
I'm glad you got it figured out 
let me know if there's anything else you need... I'm always around
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Reply #1 Sunday, November 23, 2008 12:23 AM
I guess more info would help:
Windows Vista 64-Bit
DreamControl.dll 14/10/2008 15:55:26 PM v2.00 (#106)
DesktopControlPanel.dll 05/05/2008 19:14:27 PM v2.00 (#106)
WallpaperPage.dll 05/05/2008 19:14:27 PM v2.00 (#106)
DreamTasks.exe 14/10/2008 15:55:27 PM v2.00 (#106)
DreamSwitcher.exe 14/10/2008 15:55:26 PM v2.00 (#106)
DreamThumbnails.dll 18/03/2008 20:50:25 PM v2.00 (#106)
DeskScape.dll 18/11/2008 15:14:45 PM
DeskScapes.dll 05/09/2007 20:04:56 PM
Activate.exe 24/04/2008 19:01:34 PM v1.04 (#8)
d3dx9_30.dll 08/08/2007 22:26:16 PM
d3dx9_32.dll 08/08/2007 22:26:16 PM
I am running an AMD Athlon 64 4000+ with an Nvidia GeForce 8600GT. My Vista score is a 5.0.
Hope that helps.