WindowBlinds 5 - classic theme reapplied

from Stardock Forums
hi, i first tried out the WindowBlinds 5 demo and had no problems at all.
i then removed it and bought the full version - installed it and disabled the windows theming service as suggested.
it seemed to have installed and activated o.k, but when i open up a "display properties" window it lists "windows classic style" as the theme currently used.

this causes several problems :
1. the theme is not applied at startup.
2. even if i manually implement the theme some items are still not skinned (this happens on random items... sometimes they are skinned and sometimes they are not).

i looked in all the other "startup problems" threads and none seemed to be exactly like mine nor were any suggestions there effective.

i do have the "show systray icon" unchecked in the "user overrides", and have tried uninstalling and reinstalling WB5 3 times already but it did not matter.

any known solution? any more info required?
3,264 views 6 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
What is the version of WB (build #) you are currently using?
And a little information about your System specially about Graphic card
Plus sending a ScreenShot will be nice


Side note: try enabling theme service and then apply WB 5 ...

might work-out for you
Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top
it is build #006 (updated today through SDC), my system is an
AthlonXP64 3200
1GB ram
Geforce 7800GT
Running WindowsXP Pro SP2

as for a SS - how excatly do i add one on this forum?
i would like to avoid enabling the theme service - as it would defeat the whole purpose of using WB5 in the first place...
Object Desktop - Get all of our enhancement utilities in one suite
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top
Side note: try enabling theme service and then apply WB 5 ...
might work-out for you


well - i decided to give that a shot, it did not help - infact, it made things worse. i could not load any theme AT ALL. no matter which theme was applied, windows just reverted to the default luna theme...

any more suggestions - i already tried reinstalling again and every other suggestion i could find on these forums.

Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top
o.k - i`m gonna try and add an image from imageshack - hope this works...
i also tried using ObjectDesktop Zapper - and then reinstalling but it did not help.

i think this problem keeps repeating because even if i uninstall WindowBlinds some of the registry keys get kept. I know this because after i reinstall all of my old settings are there again even though all the directory structure and files were removed.
i could be wrong and this could be kept on file but then why is my activation key not asked for again?

`cmmon stardock - when i uninstall a program i expect it to remove ALL of it`s traces - perhaps if i can remove them all...
(anyone care to tell me where it is all kept? i tried various searches on regedt32 and deleted everything i found - it still did not help).

as for the picture - this is how the display properties window looks AFTER a theme is selected and applied (even multiple times)- notice that the window is themed but display properties does not recognize this.

when i restart the computer all i get is windows classic theme...
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Start the themes sevice

Apply classic

Apply Windows XP Style

Apply classic

Any better?

Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top
Thankyou very much Neil, i was pretty much counting on your answer and you did not fail.
your solution worked though i would really appreciate some more elaboration?
what exactly made the difference and why was this exact order necessary?
can i now diable the windows theming service or is it diabled by windowblinds? does it matter?

again, thanks for helping me out - and for taking the time to answer.