Whether WindowBlinds worked or not before you "patched" your system files is irrelevant.  Patching system files will prevent WindowBlinds from working properly as WindowBlinds is depending on "clean" "un-patched" Windows system files.

A fresh install of the Windows operating system will most likely allow WindowBlinds to install and work.  Any subsequent "re-patching" of Windows system files will not be a wise choice if you wish to continue using WindowBlinds as it's designed to work.

http://windowssecrets.com/top-story/win7s-no-reformat-nondestructive-reinstall/

@Doc: That is where my first link in reply#40 takes you.  Maybe I should have made the links more obvious.

The second is to sevenforums dot com. 

Are you really  sure about that ? How do you know ?

Well, I can tell you this : around from 2007 to 2009 I runned WB 6 on an XP SP3, together with some visual styles as well, and no problem at all. Of course some windows system files were patched ( uxtheme.dll for sure, I think even another 1 or 2 but I don't remember now...) . To switch from a WB skin to a VS - or VS to WB - it was needed just applying first Windows XP default skin ( from WB or from Desktop Properties, it depends what kind of skin was running, WB or VS). Then, once XP default was applied, it was possible to apply any WB skin or any VS, with no any problem.

The reason is very simple : WindowBlinds has got his own SKINNING ENGINE, and for skinning use his own files . Otherwise it is impossible to get everything skinned (taskbar, start menu, windows frame, progress bar, animations...) without no any system files patched !!!!

Do you want a confirm of this (though you should know...) ? Here it is : for example, sometimes I got some WindowBlinds and Pale Moon compatibilty issues, due to a conflict between WB skinning engine and Pale Moon HW acceleration...so I had to add Pale Moon to the WB exclusion list or disable HW acceleration in the browser to get everything working fine. Of course no problem at all with VS , because to apply a VS you don't need to run any kind of skinning engine ( VS works with some Windows system files - plus his own, of course, but that are just graphic modding - WB works with his own skinning engine ).

Well, on Windows XP this is FOR SURE, tested and guaranteed. I don't know about W7, I have to check (I started running some VS on 7 just recently ) but I'm nearly sure it works in the same way . Usually the system files requested to be patched to allow VS working don't interfere at all with WB . If I get WB working (I'll try first on a clean system ) I'll make some test (I can use a virtual machine as well) and I'll let you know.

- @ roflmfaoo -  

The link you posted is for the installer of WB 7.3 build 309 . From CNET you get the WB 7.3 build 310 . I don't know which is better...not always newer means improved..

- @ - Wizard 1956 and DrJBHL -

Thanks for the link about reinstalling Windows. Very interesting...now I got a couple of question : I have got one DVD a Win 7 Professional 32 bit - bootable - with SP1 included, and one with Win 7 Professional 32 bit single installer package - Retail ( no SP1 included ) . The OS originally installed in my PC was with no SP1 included. In case I want to reinstall Windows, which one is better to use ? I don't know the build of these installer  but they are from August 2011. However, I thnk build shoul be not a problem; if the OS is the same - W7 Professional 32 bit - I think original product key will work..am I right? 

About backup :  at the moment Windows backup is disabled, because I'm running Acronis True image 2011 Update 3 (Windows backup disabled means that Windows doesn't make automatically backup; If I want to make a Windows backup I have to make it manually ). To make a complete system backup  - just to be able to restore if something goes wrong - I need a complete Disk (C:)  backup + a complete "System Reserved" partition backup . Is it correct ? With "High Compression" option checked in Acronis backup settings it takes at the moment from 17 to 20 GB (of course I got an Acronis bootable CD and the backup is stored on a different HD )

MOEBI_US  ...throughout the history of stylesxp [patched uxtheme.dll  Visual Styles] essentially each and every successive Service Pack update and/or new version of the MS OS simply BROKE the 'patch' as there was no interest on the part of Microsoft to ensure that did NOT happen as the process [of patching or reverse engineering] was unauthorized and thus 'illegal'.

There was and effectively has never been any TRUE 'product' support for the 'patch'.... though casual users appear to eventually solve whatever the next 'issue' might be but it's a truly inexact science and definitely NOT worth the risk of potentially trashing a work system.

Windowblinds is legitimate software designed to work within the CORRECT environment, not one altered with patches, whatever their source or alleged innoccuity.

Real advice.  Unless you KNOW exactly what you are doing.... AVOID patched software.

The one for that machine. If it's the one without SP1, to do the non-destructive re-install you'll have to uninstall SP1 and reinstall SP1 after you do the re-install. 

I would just like to point out. What you do with your memory space is entirely up to you (reversing software is not illegal) It's illegal to distribute modified software/patches to modify software. This has been a long battle with reverse engineers and software companies for many years. A prime example would be the 1992 Accolade and Sega case .

Not to say that Jafo isn't correct because he is. Microsoft did not endorse the patches or have any affiliation with them nor did they even agree to them being made so in that aspect it was illegal.

Now to get back on topic. MOEBI_US, Try ver. 7.3 build 309 from filehippo and see if the same results occur.

http://www.filehippo.com/download_windowblinds/

I would think the one from Stardock is more updated.

Yeah, Although not every version is guaranteed to work sometimes a roll-back is necessary. That's where I was getting at with this DrJBHL

I think build 309 was the one that loaded as Windows Classic on reboot which was fixed with build 310. (I may be wrong, been known to happen)

You are right, that was build 309. What do you mean "...which was fixed with build 310. " ? Is it a "known bug" of .309 ?

.309 Had a few bugs but were fixed in .310.

MOEBI_US - Are you using the Trial version of WindowBlinds and if so how long have you had it?

Hankers, at the moment I'm not running anything.. I'm not able to istall correctly the software in my PC. However, about trial period I shoul have a few days remaining,  but that is not the point. What I'm interested in is to get WB working ( I mean, " WB appears to be CORRECTLY installed on this PC..." ) , otherwise even buying the full version I'm nearly sure it will not work.

I'm collecting some info; a friend of mine got a Blue Screen (and problems with Kaspersky ) after updating driver " Component GHAL Driver Intel Graphics Accelerator Drivers for Windows NT " ; I got the Blue Screen ( and WB crash ) after updating driver " Intel Chipset Device Software " from version 9.2.3.1022 to version 9.3.0.1019 .

Do you know about any other people getting trouble with some Intel drivers ? Perhaps someone could provide some helpful info.

MOEBI_US : 

The trial period runs 30 CONSECUTIVE DAYS. Not 3 times 10 days or whatever you've done. 

Intel drivers suck. Well known problem. Especially on W7x64. Look up Daiwa's most recent thread, reply #1.