noooo my vista theme changed, halppp! x___x

[Tiffanys]

My theme use to look like this:


I did a Windows Update and now it looks like the normal Vista Aero... Well actually, it looked like Windows Classic after the update, but the closest I can get it now is Aero and I can't figure out how I got it to look like that before...

hellppp  :'(

This huge orb and massive taskbar is soooo uglyyyyyyy... 

[Lavo_2]

Did you ever save your theme? If not, how did you even get that theme in the first place? Assuming it was an installer or whatnot, run it again. ...Though I want that theme now. >.>

[Zirro]

I suggest that you take a look at the homepage for the theme you had installed. Perhaps they have a version that is compatible with the newer updates, or guides on how to make your theme work.

[Kyrdua]

i smell uxtheme.dll patch. use a default theme. repatch and restart then change back to that theme. works on xp, don't know bout vista/7.

[Tiffanys]

I didn't install anything to get it..... I somehow glitched into having it one day years ago I think.

[Kyrdua]

what? >_> then in that case, either get that skin thingy from stardock or patch your uxtheme.dll
i've never heard or any way to glitch windows in to using unsigned themes.

[x5ga]

one of the updates from Windows Update probably replaced the theme DLLs. Those are usually located in the \Windows\System32 and \Windows\SysWOW64 folders (for 64bit OS). The most common ones are:
- ExplorerFrame.dll
- ieframe.dll
- OobeFldr.dll
- shell32.dll

If you have a custom theme, always backup those 4 (or 8, on a 64bit OS) files before updating windows. Not all updates overwrite these files, but better be safe than sorry. You might need to take ownership of the files before being able to replace them.

[Tiffanys]

Well, I did a system restore to 2 hours ago and it's back now. Is there any way to confirm what it is and to make sure I save it?

[rathoriel]

why are you using vista?

[Tiffanys]

(click to show/hide)

...because when I built this pc w7 was too new and unstable (Rule of thumb: Wait 6+ months, especially with Microsoft) and by the time it became reliable enough, I'd already gotten used to and customized this one enough (especially having come from XP, and the transition was utter hell), that I really didn't want to have to fix everything I have all over again, and there's nothing wrong with Vista anyways. The only reason I ended up going with Vista Ultimate x64 was because I heard XP 64-bit is horrible, and I needed a 64-bit OS since I was doing a build with more than 4gb of RAM and more than 2 TB hdd space (or was it 5? I forget...).

Anyways, that's why. I'd just gotten done transitioning everything and to put myself through that hell again would be unreasonable and foolish, just to be on the bleeding edge. Also, most programs and games still had massive problems with W7 at that point and it would have basically been subjecting myself to unreasonable trouble for no good reason.

W7 was released: 10/22/2009
I built my pc: 6/14/2009

Anywho, here... if anyone wants it (I think?): http://www.megaupload.com/?d=ZMDFKMA8

I went to personalize > themes and then saved the one it had selected, which was "Modified Theme", soo... it should be what I have. But... it just looks like a normal Aero theme in the theme window. I dunno if it'll be right or not. I'm tellin ya... I could swear I was trying to change my theme or something and something or other happened, like I did a video card update or some sort of something update and had to restart my computer and things were all wonky and somehow I had this theme instead of the normal Aero... it happened years ago and I still have no idea how. But, I'm 99.99% sure that I didn't download any custom theme file or anything.

I mean, I dunno... it's possible... I did try my damnedest to get a decent looking theme after my initial transition from XP, since I was used to a really slim taskbar and a start button without a protruding orb. I remember that much... I could swear I had some sort of glitchy update or some wonkiness happened when I tried to change something and ended up with it though...

[AceHigh]

Tiffany, can you modify the colour on that theme of yours?

EDIT: Hmm, that link to your theme lacks something, I guess that is your problem as well, because on my pc it reverts to win7 basic theme.
EDIT 2: Yes, the link you posted is just the configuration for the theme, it misses both wallpaper, and the theme itself.
Just copy everything on system_drive:\users\User_Name\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Themes and try sharing it again.

If you have a custom theme, always backup those 4 (or 8, on a 64bit OS) files before updating windows. Not all updates overwrite these files, but better be safe than sorry. You might need to take ownership of the files before being able to replace them.

I think I spotted Captain Hindsight!

[Tiffanys]

Tiffany, can you modify the colour on that theme of yours?

I dunno, but I'm not sure I wanna try... lol

EDIT 2: Yes, the link you posted is just the configuration for the theme, it misses both wallpaper, and the theme itself.
Just copy everything on system_drive:\users\User_Name\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Themes and try sharing it again.

That folder doesn't exist for me (all the way to Windows, but no Themes folder). o_O...

But... I wouldn't share my wallpaper anyways, it's kinda personal. I actually have my wallpaper set with a program called Display Fusion (not Pro) since Vista didn't have a proper way to have a different wallpaper per each monitor.

[AceHigh]

Hmm, took a look at this myself, looks like this on my pc:

(click to show/hide)

Note the file size: mine is 2kb, yours is 6kb.
As I suspected, it's just a configuration file and the elements of the theme: wallpaper, cursor, sounds, skin are somewhere else.

So I guess we are hunting for the skin, right?
EDIT: Ok, didn't find anything else, so that idea failed, although I know that there are many slim taskbar themes out there, find a similar one?

[Tiffanys]

Well, I really don't remember doing any of this, but I found one damn close, if it isn't it: http://dimage.deviantart.com/art/White-96017729?q=gallery%3Adimage%2F22931630&qo=177

I'm not entirely sure if that's it, but it looks extremely close if it's not what I have. The only difference I notice (from the screenshot) is that mine isn't transparent, but that's probably a checkbox in the color settings or whatever. I guess another difference would be that my search box is square and my buttons never look like what's in that circle in that screenshot. So, I'm not entirely sure that it's it.

It says it's based on this: http://dimage.deviantart.com/art/SWGlass-72042458

And that one says "Glass mod of SW Theme." Hmmm....

Perhaps this is it? http://dimage.deviantart.com/art/SW-68190173 - looks almost identical maybe? It says "Mod of Smooth Glass."

I'm not sure mine is quite that white, but maybe coloring options effect it to some extent and I made mine a little darker...

Here's mine:

(click to show/hide)

clicky link: http://i.min.us/imUVzw.jpg

edit: Hm, after carefully inspecting that last one, I'm not so sure...

The taskbar maybe looks a little different (different color and the start button is the color of mine highlighted rather than how it is normally) and I think mine looks a bit darker than in that screenshot... It looks really close, but I think maybe that's not it... Maybe it's SWGlass with transparency disabled and some color setting changed or something? 

[AceHigh]

Perhaps this is it? http://dimage.deviantart.com/art/SW-68190173 - looks almost identical maybe? It says "Mod of Smooth Glass."

I'm not sure mine is quite that white, but maybe coloring options effect it to some extent and I made mine a little darker...

Looks like that to me.
Too bad it is only for Vista, I guess you just got another reason not to switch to Win7. 

[Tiffanys]

I think it looks more like Smooth Glass but with transparency disabled, maybe.

edit: Yeah, it is. To do what I have you need VistaGlazz and then Smooth Glass from the link in a previous post and then you change it to the Aero one, and then right click on desktop > personalization > window color and appearance. Then disable transparency and set the color to Frost. ^_^