Help!! WB is messing up my computer!! (with screenshots)
I don't know what to do anymore... I tried everything!
Friday, December 16, 2005 by Link632 | Discussion: WindowBlinds
I have been using WB5 for about 4 days now and I haven't gotten any types of errors, whatsoever, up until a few hours ago.. I didn't even do a thing! I was using Mormegil's ChristmasTime theme (and ran it for 4 days without errors), then when I decided to come to WinCustomize.com to browse for new Objects and such, my computer hung up on me! I don't know if that had anything to do with my visiting wincustomize.com, but it couldn't have been a virus or a spyware because I just performed a general maintenance on my computer a few hours earlier (and I have been doing that since January).. Then I restarted my computer using the button on my CPU and when I entered my Windows XP account, the entire "start" bar below (the whole thing, not just the start button, but the entire bar -- sorry, i have no idea what it's called) didn't even show up! The only thing that showed up was the digital clock, and that's it.. Ok, hold on.. I don't know where I'm going anymore. I think it's better if I just show you a screenshot and maybe you can just help me out and tell me what's wrong (also, I tried uninstalling+re-installing WB5, but apparently, that didn't fix my problem)..
http://tinypic.com/ionkf5.jpg
That's my whole screen.. No "start button" and the entire "bar" at the bottom of the screen is messed up! WB also got rid of my Windows XP theme.. I tried accessing through desktop/right-click/bah blah but then that didn't work.. all it's showing me is nothing (sorry, I'm really, really sleepy and i have been trying to fix this problem since 5 PM (and now it's about (9:00).. so, that should explain why my grammar is skewed. i haven't even eaten yet!) I tried righ clicking on "My Computer" and going to "Manage" / "Services" / etc. (as one poster explained in another thread), but that didn't work -- it didn't bring my Windows XP theme back..
Please help me! I am totally clueless about what's going on! And once again, excuse the grammar. I'm typing this up real fast because I'm about to collapse.. 
I really hope you guys can help me! Please!
Moderator Note:
This issue is caused by the cracked version of WindowBlinds. Don't run the cracked version of WindowBlinds and this won't happen.
 |
|
Page 13 of 20 | |
|
|---|
Reply #244 Tuesday, December 20, 2005 1:37 PM
| Did you notice Stardock try to postrate you to some of the skins to buy it when you purchase WindowBlinds 5? $9.99! Come on! I hope in future they don't plan on selling their skins. It's bad enough I have to paid subription fees to download skins now. The skin they are trying to sell is not even that good. Imagine if no author are like that. I fear for the future of this product then. I think they trying to charge money everyway they can now. That's why I think they are greedy. I'm wasting too much money on them already. |
I'm not sure if you've noticed, but there are over 3,700 free skins just here on this site...and you're complaining how a few skins are labeled "premium" and you need to pay for them? Usually, it seems like some of the top skinners (Essorant, I believe, is one) bundle some skins for sale...what's wrong with getting paid a VERY small amount for all the hard work they put into this???
So, let's see, out of 3,700 skins, even if you're VERY picky and only find 1% acceptable, that still leaves you with 37 gratis skins (more than enough to switch every day for a month).
Regarding the subscription fees, c'mon...$20 for unlimited d/l + some other benefits? Would you run a website that consumes so many resources (bandwidth, employee time, etc) for absolutely free for everyone? Hope your pockets are deep
I think a case could be made for your greediness here, as well. Just my $0.02. Cheers!Reply #245 Tuesday, December 20, 2005 1:44 PM
Reply #247 Tuesday, December 20, 2005 1:59 PM
| daelyn, no sense in trying to talk sense into 'em. The senseless act of posting help wanted in support forums for cracked software is beyond my comprehension. |
Yeah, I know...it just gets frustrating seeing some of these comments! I'm sure many of us feel the same way. Stardock makes the only software I feel like I must purchase (besides Windows itself). Some may disagree, but as an OD customer, I consistently find that their software "just works" (for me, anyway)....never had a lick of problems. The benefits brought to me is well worth the little $$$ they charge...$20-$50 for software? Software I use as much as I use the computer itself? I paid ~$100 for my Nero, and use it much less. Then when the jacka**es come attacking, just kinda gets the blood boiling
Reply #248 Tuesday, December 20, 2005 2:00 PM
for anyone who is curious about what i program, i'll tell ya. the most warezed one is called Bash HTML Editor. it's $14.95 and i do happen to think it's the best html editor there is. i run several sites and use it constantly so it has to meet my own needs, which is why it's under constant development (50+ versions released) even if i don't sell any. i've sold only a handful of copies, yet have about 600KB of names and IPS of piraters. and obviously it's not that they just don't want to use the program, because i was getting the same names appearing over and over and over as they re-enter a serial everytime the program catches em and un-registers the app.
sure i'd like to make money off of it consider the ungodly amount of time i have spent making it over the past few years, but the fact is most people won't pay for software.
to me tho it's not hypocritical to try to be downloading warez from the same sites that post warez of my own software, because i'm not targeting the piraters. i change up serial routines and log IPs, but it's more of a game than a war. with my latest program, Install-Block (does as it sounds, prevents all installations, by kids, employees, etc, a well as blocking anything else you want), tho i knew i couldn't simply use a serial-protection, and instead develop two vesions of the program: the trial, and the full version. rather that has anything to do with it or not, i sell this program on a frequent basis. cracks have been made, but they haven't kept up with the latest releases.
my other two programs have also had keygens made, but i admit those programs aren't real good anyways and plan on giving them out free sometime soon. (tho $9.95 and $4.95 aren't exactly breaking the bank)
but anyways, no i'm not a big-time developer with millions of dollars in sales to try to protect (or even thousands) but i can see both sides in the argument. and rather the problems that are happening were caused by the crack itself or simply the use of the crack, i don't see how someone can say that piraters deserve for their systems to be fried, etc. do they/we deserve for the pirated software not to work? sure. do people who run crack databases, or employees at games companies who make copies before it even hits stores deserve punishment? yeah. but i don't think the end user has done enough to warrant anything like that.
Reply #249 Tuesday, December 20, 2005 2:02 PM
Thanks Neil and Scorpio-logic for your replies. I've read plenty of posts and threads on this board to understand the warez version is not the way to go...lol. As this seems to be the major ongoing topic.
The thing I don't understand is why would people use a warez or cracked version of WB on their computer, when it will directly affect their ability to run windows?
...silly humans.
Reply #250 Tuesday, December 20, 2005 2:05 PM
| I consistently find that their software "just works" |
ditto. Even works on an old pentium 2 laptop with 8 mb shared video! Don't know...
I have dabbled in warez before. There was two programs in which I had a particular interest and I happened onto a newsgroup that had cracks for them. It was a bad idea to use them. A clean install and formatting was needed to get rid of the problems that were incurred.
I agree, daelyn, what is $20-$50 for software these days? And it all comes with good support, if you ask the right questions, in the form of forums AND email. And where else do you see the actual people who wrote the software coming into forums and reading and trying hard to replicate your problems in order to fix them?
I can only shrug in ignorance as to what goes on in those itty-bitty minds...
Reply #251 Tuesday, December 20, 2005 2:05 PM
| Regarding the subscription fees, c'mon...$20 for unlimited d/l + some other benefits? Would you run a website that consumes so many resources (bandwidth, employee time, etc) for absolutely free for everyone? Hope your pockets are deep I think a case could be made for your greediness here, as well. Just my $0.02. Cheers! |
well, in fairness, there are tons of websites that host warez and don't charge a thing. i'm talking hosting 700MB iso files and the like. you know after a few thousand d/ls in a day that they're using some bigtime bandwidth. and they spend lots of time working on the sites and uploading everything. some sites are shady and have lots of popup ads and all that crap, but the good ones do it just as a service to others.
Reply #252 Tuesday, December 20, 2005 2:14 PM
Offering warez to others is not a service, its a criminal offence.
I think we need to have less talk about warez here please.
Reply #253 Tuesday, December 20, 2005 2:39 PM
and if you think that is the kind of program that every pirate runs out to crack then you really do live in a dream world.
For the love of god get over yourself.
Reply #254 Tuesday, December 20, 2005 2:44 PM
Just to show you two things: a) warez is not always bad and
there's too many crackers out there for a software to really be "safe" from them. I respect them as people with great know-how - and too much free time. 
Reply #255 Tuesday, December 20, 2005 2:44 PM
what are u talkin about FAIR?
steal and distributing something that doesnt belong to them can't be compared to legit companies writing these programs and running the sites for 'em.
spend alot of time working on site and uploading everything , so what ? its still illegal.. how is it fair for the company then who wrote the programs?
service or not, its still wrong. u could appreciate what they do for others but u still gotta admit its ILLEGAL. u could appreciate their effort but it doesnt mean what they are doing is right.
its just illegal, its wrong. no matter HOW u wanna justify (by saying ur a programmer urself or whatno). its STILL a criminal offence.
it doesnt matter if its not fair that the programmers are programming booty traps or whatever becuz in essense, if u dont install the damn crack, u wont be trapped.
and also like i said, no matter what u do/say/try to stop piracy, it will still be here, as i use warez myself, but that doesnt mean that it is right.
Reply #256 Tuesday, December 20, 2005 2:45 PM
| Just to show you two things: a) warez is not always bad and there's too many crackers out there for a software to really be "safe" from them. I respect them as people with great know-how - and too much free time. |
its not always bad but its always WRONG.
like i said in my other post.. u can appreciate/"respect" but it doesnt make them right.
Reply #257 Tuesday, December 20, 2005 2:47 PM
BTW, I am really shocked by all the dumbness of people allowed to use a computer shown in the last few days ...
Reply #258 Tuesday, December 20, 2005 3:14 PM
off topic: wow, i dind't know softpedia took time to make their own screenshots...
Reply #259 Tuesday, December 20, 2005 3:17 PM
yes, i know it's wrong. that's why i just said people who run those kinds of sites do deserve to be punished. rather that means fines or jailtime i dunno. i think jailtime, if more than a tiny amount, would be harsh, but you are right, they are breaking the law. the end user is too, but it's like marajuana: the govt doesn't go busting into people's houses over pot, there's lots of celebs and others who it's obvious would have some, but they do target the growers.
Reply #260 Tuesday, December 20, 2005 3:26 PM
Please login to comment and/or vote for this skin.
Welcome Guest! Please take the time to register with us.
There are many great features available to you once you register, including:
- Richer content, access to many features that are disabled for guests like commenting on the forums and downloading skins.
- Access to a great community, with a massive database of many, many areas of interest.
- Access to contests & subscription offers like exclusive emails.
- It's simple, and FREE!
|
|
Page 13 of 20 | |
|
|---|
Reply #241 Tuesday, December 20, 2005 1:34 PM
That's like a felon beating a cop to death while trying to flee and gets a broken arm which he then sues the police department for. I don't like your morals, that's my opinion.