XP themes suddenly stopped working
Friday, December 19, 2008 by Alexmc1988 | Discussion: Windows XP
I have been using 3rd party themes with my xp pro for a few years now. I have had the same theme for the past year and the other day it just suddenly stopped working. I can't get any of them to work now. Now even Luna. I have it patched with UXTheme4.0 and it I unpatch it I can get the xp theme back but thats it. I wasn't changing the theme or even messing with it. Any ideas what could be wrong?
Thanks
Reply #2 Saturday, December 20, 2008 12:00 AM
I know if you installed SP3 it messed it up, but you said you patched it.. weird, it worked for me 
Reply #3 Saturday, December 20, 2008 1:43 AM
yeah I have SP3 but I have had it for a while and it hasn't messed anything up.
Reply #4 Saturday, December 20, 2008 3:16 PM
a lot of times, windows updates screws with a patch
if it unpatched but not all the themes works try:
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm
#187
Reply #5 Saturday, December 20, 2008 9:22 PM
Yeah I tried that actually. If I unpatch it I can get the xp theme back but repatching it still doesn't let me apply other themes.
Reply #7 Saturday, December 20, 2008 10:28 PM
so now when ever I try to change my theme it just changes the wallpaper and sets everything else to windows classic. I tried the new patch 6.0.
Reply #8 Saturday, December 20, 2008 10:56 PM
try running a command to restore dll files back to normal and maybe reinstall the theme again by
run "sfc /scannow" you will need your xp cd in the cd/rom drive.
Sounds like a corrupted dll file and it is has lost what it needs to load.
Too bad you do not have a good backup to restore from...
Reply #9 Tuesday, December 30, 2008 1:14 AM
Actually I had a couple of different backups but none of them work. I downloaded the latest patch and I now have to to where I can apply the themes but when I restart they dont stay. It comes up with the right wallpaper but the rest is in classic theme. I have tried unpathcing and repatching a couple of times but still nothing.
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Reply #1 Friday, December 19, 2008 11:59 PM
Are you running WindowBlinds? I have always read the there could be problems with patching Windows to run 3rd party themes. I've never tried it myself. You might try a search on the internet.