VLC media player 3.0.11 UI

[Win10-Hater]

Hello all, this is an issue that has been making me pull my hair a lot. VLC media player 3.0.10 and 3.0.11 on my Vista PC's do not display the UI correctly, they show a classic, Windows 2000-style UI instead of a proper Aero-style UI, which is ironically, absent on VLC installed on Vista but present on VLC installed on Windows 7.

This is how it looks on my PC's:

And this is how it should look (I took this screenshot from the VLC website):

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

[UCyborg]

Vista has a bug that prevents loading comctl32.dll version 6 visual styles on common controls from being applied if application calls SetDefaultDllDirectories(LOAD_LIBRARY_SEARCH_SYSTEM32) to prevent DLL hijacking exploits, so it falls back to default version 5.82, which only supports retro UI controls without styling.

Edited December 12, 2020 by UCyborg

[Dixel]

4 hours ago, UCyborg said:

Vista has a bug that prevents loading comctl32.dll version 6 if application calls SetDefaultDllDirectories(LOAD_LIBRARY_SEARCH_SYSTEM32) to prevent DLL hijacking exploits, so it falls back to default version 5.82, which only supports retro UI controls without styling.

Perfectly working for me with aero interface on Vista Sp1 and Sp2 too.

Edited December 10, 2020 by Dixel
added picture

[Dixel]

[D.Draker]

 Yep , works for me too.

[Win10-Hater]

Huh? I can see retro, Windows 2000 style buttons which are on VLC media player installed on my Vista PC aswell

[Win10-Hater]

5 hours ago, UCyborg said:

Vista has a bug that prevents loading comctl32.dll version 6 if application calls SetDefaultDllDirectories(LOAD_LIBRARY_SEARCH_SYSTEM32) to prevent DLL hijacking exploits, so it falls back to default version 5.82, which only supports retro UI controls without styling.

Would it be fixed if I copy over a Windows 7 comctl32.dll file and copying it to Vista through Windows Setup cmd? I am not very knowledgeable in kernel extensions and DLL customisation, so I am asking here for help.

If that is not possible, would it be fixed if I install an older version of VLC or will audio and video codec support be affected?

EDIT : I installed version 2.2.4 and the Aero UI is back!

Edited December 10, 2020 by TECHGEEK

[UCyborg]

A workaround equivalent to downgrading to older version of VLC as far as control styling and DLL hijacking exploits are concerned would be to to search vlc.exe with a hex editor for "SetDefaultDllDirectories" and replace a single letter in that word with something else, just don't insert or delete anything, only replace.

At least that works if program doesn't check itself for integrity, I've yet to try it with VLC specifically, though I guess there are good chances that it works.

[D.Draker]

12 hours ago, TECHGEEK said:

Huh? I can see retro, Windows 2000 style buttons which are on VLC media player installed on my Vista PC aswell

Those aren't 'retro' , those are FLAT , 'modern' type , Win10  style . And on your pic. with Windows 7 is just an older version. I too have Win7 installed for testing purposes and they look EXACTLY the same with this version . Why did you assume that someone wanted to lie to you ? It's not the right attitude at all. Try an older version and you will get those Vista style buttons . The main point is Aero working and everything looks like it supposed to be. And don't be hostile, people are here to help , not to argue.

[Win10-Hater]

58 minutes ago, D.Draker said:

Those aren't 'retro' , those are FLAT , 'modern' type , Win10  style . And on your pic. with Windows 7 is just an older version. I too have Win7 installed for testing purposes and they look EXACTLY the same with this version . Why did you assume that someone wanted to lie to you ? It's not the right attitude at all. Try an older version and you will get those Vista style buttons . The main point is Aero working and everything looks like it supposed to be. And don't be hostile, people are here to help , not to argue.

You are misunderstanding me. I never assumed what Dixel said to be a lie. I questioned how the UI was perfect, and that's not hostility, at least to me.

[Win10-Hater]

Btw, I cannot live without the pitch changer as I am a curious experimenter with audio files, so I decided to put back VLC 3.0.11 on my Vista. Also, m4a audio files did not play back correctly on VLC 2.2.4, making me revert to 3.0.11.

Is there any version that has the pitch changer and the proper, Aero-styled buttons?

[D.Draker]

3 hours ago, TECHGEEK said:

Btw, I cannot live without the pitch changer as I am a curious experimenter with audio files, so I decided to put back VLC 3.0.11 on my Vista. Also, m4a audio files did not play back correctly on VLC 2.2.4, making me revert to 3.0.11.

Is there any version that has the pitch changer and the proper, Aero-styled buttons?

I think Aero-styled buttons were available at 2.x.x versions only . I noticed they replaced the perfectly good Vista buttons starting from 3.x.x. with the ugly Win 10 buttons. It is strange about m4a though , I can play them fine . 

Edited December 10, 2020 by D.Draker
a typo

[D.Draker]

3 hours ago, TECHGEEK said:

You are misunderstanding me. I never assumed what Dixel said to be a lie. I questioned how the UI was perfect, and that's not hostility, at least to me.

That is the UI that looks the same on Windows 7 , so I assume that is exactly what developers wanted. Still that doesnt explain why Aero is NOT working in your case , I'm guessing you installed a ton of newish updates , ain't that right ? 

If you desperately need that precise version , you can try Application Verifier and set it to lie about Windows version , the instructions are one the page with KernelEx. It worked for win32 and many others (aero theme in browsers worked) That's my advice. Or revert Vista to smth like 2017.

[UCyborg]

VLC 3.0.11 without modifications:

VLC 3.0.11 with modded vlc.exe that doesn't call SetDefaultDllDirectories(LOAD_LIBRARY_SEARCH_SYSTEM32) - API was added with KB2533623 update

[D.Draker]

I don't have that KB installed.