Help! I majorly screwed up my computer's prettiness. :(
<div class="IPBDescription">And I feel like an idiot.</div>Well.
I wanted to download a new theme for my computer, which meant I had to replace my uxtheme.dll file with a patched one using replacer. HOWEVER, being the overzealous headstrong retard that I am, I used the replacer to replace the uxtheme.dll with the .dll that came with the theme. I mean, my logic was that they had the same file extension so that must be the file I have to use!
But thats not right.
So after going through and using my windows XP disc to repair my installation, I no longer can change themes on a default basis. In other words...you know how you can right click, go to properties, and change from an XP curvy style of windows and startbar to the blocky 98-esque bars? Yeah, I'm stuck with the 98 bars and can't switch to the XP bars, even when they're selected.
What do I do? I don't have full functionality over my computer's appearance anymore and I don't feel like reformatting it right now! Can anyone help?
Here are the instructions I used online (well, quasi-skimmed over and screwed myself with) so that you know exactly what sort of thing I am doing to my computer:
<a href="http://uneasysilence.com/how-to-use-unsigned-themes-on-windows/" target="_blank">http://uneasysilence.com/how-to-use-unsign...mes-on-windows/</a>
And here is a picture of my current look with my situation:
<a href="http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/2752/makemeprettylt3.jpg" target="_blank">http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/2752/makemeprettylt3.jpg</a>
Thanks for being awesome if you help in any way, shape, or form.
I wanted to download a new theme for my computer, which meant I had to replace my uxtheme.dll file with a patched one using replacer. HOWEVER, being the overzealous headstrong retard that I am, I used the replacer to replace the uxtheme.dll with the .dll that came with the theme. I mean, my logic was that they had the same file extension so that must be the file I have to use!
But thats not right.
So after going through and using my windows XP disc to repair my installation, I no longer can change themes on a default basis. In other words...you know how you can right click, go to properties, and change from an XP curvy style of windows and startbar to the blocky 98-esque bars? Yeah, I'm stuck with the 98 bars and can't switch to the XP bars, even when they're selected.
What do I do? I don't have full functionality over my computer's appearance anymore and I don't feel like reformatting it right now! Can anyone help?
Here are the instructions I used online (well, quasi-skimmed over and screwed myself with) so that you know exactly what sort of thing I am doing to my computer:
<a href="http://uneasysilence.com/how-to-use-unsigned-themes-on-windows/" target="_blank">http://uneasysilence.com/how-to-use-unsign...mes-on-windows/</a>
And here is a picture of my current look with my situation:
<a href="http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/2752/makemeprettylt3.jpg" target="_blank">http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/2752/makemeprettylt3.jpg</a>
Thanks for being awesome if you help in any way, shape, or form.
Comments
Unless I'm mistaken, a repair install should fix any noticeably corrupt dlls, so lets start here: Is the Themes service started?
right click My Computer->Manage->Services and Applications->Services, scroll down to Themes. Is it started? Is it set to automatic or manual?
<i>Always make backups!</i>
The best solution to your current problem is probably to go back and follow those instructions again, but actually read them first, this time.
Also, I use the very nice "Windows Classic" theme as well.
And my theme service is set on automatic.
In the switch between the XP theme and the classic theme, you should know that the classic theme is slightly, slightly different looking. It seems like a certain file that dictates how the XP theme should look is missing, or something. It feels like an individual problem with the XP theme display itself, not the system running it. But that is a <b>complete guess.</b>
<a href="http://www.tune-up.com/download/tu2008/" target="_blank">http://www.tune-up.com/download/tu2008/</a>
Really though, backups = important
/pats his Acronis backups <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink-fix.gif" />
Now I should also probably think about doing mirrors of my data files.. I feel naked without RAID-1 and I have so much data DVD backups aren't feasible :\
^ What he said.
I thought you damaged your hardware :/
sfc /scannow, format C:, or try replacing the custom uxtheme.dll with the <a href="http://zaggster.freeweb7.com/uxtheme.zip" target="_blank">original</a>
Also, classic ftw.
Eh, back 2003, I touted the spankin' new "7,200RPM 16MB" hard drives from Western Digital as the "best" of the breed. There was NO way these drives were going to fail.. hard drives have been around since the 1950s, and had a lot of time to fix the kinks, right? I used to backup to floppies a long time ago and hated how I needed to make two copies of everything since floppies tend to die for no reason. With these new hard drives I stopped backing up to CD-Rs too.
Guess what? Both WD drives died AT ONCE! This was when they dropped their warranty from 3 years to 1 year for a period of time when they had manufacturing problems. I lost all of my data, personal information, midget pr0n, and etc I had saved up since the late 1980s <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":(" border="0" alt="sad-fix.gif" />
And, just to prove that I was hard headed, I bought another WD drive, and that one died 3-4 months later too.
I have backups of my important files... but I probably will buy a bigger external drive so I can make a mirror of all my data instead of the important ones. Seriously losing data sucks <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":(" border="0" alt="sad-fix.gif" />
Seagate ftw!
//offtopic
I also don't backup data, but that's because I've never had a HD fail, knock on wood and I tend to save the stuff I would hate to lose(small stuff like resume, travel itineraries, applications)as email attachments or other places online..
That's cool... <i>10 years ago.</i>
tbh, a reformat never hurt anybody. I reformat every few months! <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/marine.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="::marine::" border="0" alt="marine.gif" />
Often because of stupid things I do
Like this.
reinstalling is boring as hell (getting all the settings correct etc...
I love ghost, which takes 1 click and ~15minutes of automated program runtime and installs a backup. When done, simply reset and the Os is new and shiny <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />
Also I have the WD36.something GB raptors (10.000rpm) They have not failed me yet... Heck even maxtor (which a mate of mine had 8 in his server where 6 died over a period of 2 month, he now uses seagate with raid so his files cant really get lost unless his server exploded or something random)
My maxtors are ancient and are still in working order...
Yep, basically I get my PC up and running with all its basic needs (ea. programs/games/security etc...) and make an image "somefilename.GHO" of the c: drive
Then if the computer gets the inevitable windows cluttered reg or other crap and starts to slow down, I startup ghost and revisit the past <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />
I love ghost, which takes 1 click and ~15minutes of automated program runtime and installs a backup. When done, simply reset and the Os is new and shiny <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />
Also I have the WD36.something GB raptors (10.000rpm) They have not failed me yet... Heck even maxtor (which a mate of mine had 8 in his server where 6 died over a period of 2 month, he now uses seagate with raid so his files cant really get lost unless his server exploded or something random)
My maxtors are ancient and are still in working order...<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Don't really trust Ghost anymore since I had a few bad rollbacks a few years back. I use Acronis almost exclusively now. It's set to make incremental backups every night to my file/backup server, and I can deploy the Acronis image over the network or locally. Just use that for going back in case I screw up something though.
I have a base Acronis image where I can roll back to a pristine install, but usually, I would've changed the hardware in a huge way or done something that warrants a full re-install. I mess with my rig too much x: I use nLite to create custom Windows XP CDs so everything is automated anyway.
And if you get a virus which get's backed up to the backup server which then takes the backup server out you're screwed?
I have a base Acronis image where I can roll back to a pristine install, but usually, I would've changed the hardware in a huge way or done something that warrants a full re-install. I mess with my rig too much x: I use nLite to create custom Windows XP CDs so everything is automated anyway.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yeah wel to be honest, I kind of only use it on my filserver/router pc. That guy hasn't changed since the 1.4Ghz era... Besides computers of this day and age install very fast, so for a constantly changing media/gaming rig, reinstalling is prolly better.
Acronis and Ghost do images, which would envelop the virus anyway ... making it dormant and unable to attack. Besides, viruses do not cause any harm unless they are executed at least once, which does not happen on any of my systems since there are many layers of protection in place. Firstly, the users on my network are smart enough to not click on random files or emails, then there is low level filtering and analysis of all files going through my firewall, and if that doesn't work, then each machine has NOD32 AV, and there is a system-wide daily scan of every computer. No machine on my network has gotten a virus unintentionally since the W32.Blaster back in 2002 or whatever; before that date I didn't have a system in place for scans.
The backup server also gets backed up via external drives, and those backups live in my car trunk <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" /> I've got like 6 months of daily images. The base images are kinda big but the dailies are something like 100-300MB each.
<!--quoteo(post=1669674:date=Feb 5 2008, 04:06 PM:name=Kouji_San)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Kouji_San @ Feb 5 2008, 04:06 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1669674"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Yeah wel to be honest, I kind of only use it on my filserver/router pc. That guy hasn't changed since the 1.4Ghz era... Besides computers of this day and age install very fast, so for a constantly changing media/gaming rig, reinstalling is prolly better.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yah, I still use imaging programs on more or less static machines like the servers or guest boxes. Those aren't likely to change very often in configuration (if at all), so images are perfect. On my gaming rig however, I change stuff so often it'd be silly to roll back from images. A buddy and I used to be obsessed with making the perfect "golden image" for each system, where we would install the OS(es), all the programs, do cleanups, tweaks, etc until the system was pristine, and image that.. but really I found that after I changed a few hardware components it'd break something somewhere, so I think making golden images is a grand waste of time.
What are you using for your routing purposes?
<!--quoteo(post=1669720:date=Feb 6 2008, 09:13 PM:name=Pr0phetiK_dreamz)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Pr0phetiK_dreamz @ Feb 6 2008, 09:13 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1669720"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->What are you using for your routing purposes?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
W2k server internet share... heh, nothing fancy <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" /> That's what I ment with routing (it acts as internet share pc) And has a few other things running like ftp/TS and is my downstairs media station for the TV. But yeah it hasn't changed at all since I bought it (more ram and hdd's were the only addons)
I just remembered that I have pics online of him (man how long ago was this even <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" /> )
This is the guy <a href="http://www.casemodders.nl/leden/casemods.php?id=20" target="_blank">click</a>
W2k server internet share... heh, nothing fancy <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" /> That's what I ment with routing (it acts as internet share pc) And has a few other things running like ftp/TS and is my downstairs media station for the TV. But yeah it hasn't changed at all since I bought it (more ram and hdd's were the only addons)
I just remembered that I have pics online of him (man how long ago was this even <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" /> )
This is the guy <a href="http://www.casemodders.nl/leden/casemods.php?id=20" target="_blank">click</a><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Those certainly are old pics <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" /> I used to have nicknames for most of the computers in my house and office too, but eh, it's too convulated nowadays. Besides my main work/game machines I just have them named for their purpose, like FiServXX for file server XX, HTPCXX for Myth boxes.
<!--quoteo(post=1669810:date=Feb 6 2008, 11:35 PM:name=SkulkBait)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(SkulkBait @ Feb 6 2008, 11:35 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1669810"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->A better way to keep your system clean is to use things like Sandboxie and Altiris SVS that will redirect file and registry writes. Uninstallation of any application becomes as simple as deleting the sandbox/layer, and your registry stays nice and clean to avoid issues. Imaging in windows wouldn't be so bad if XP was written with the concept in mind, as it is it is hard to move between different systems. I'm not certain, but I think Vista has finally taken care of this so that you can have "universal" images.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I like Alriris ... but for a gaming or personal box, it's too much work to implement a virtual layer manager. In the enterprise realm though, where you most likely will never reinstall the OS during the workstation's lifetime, virtual application layers are super important. At home, I prefer to just reinstall everything <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
Do you run Sandboxie or Altiris SVS on your home boxes?