XP Theme doesn't apply on fresh install

[Åmbrosius]

Hi all, first off I'm not sure if this belongs here or in the Customising Windows thread, this seemed more logical, but if I'm wrong I apologise.

I'm here to bow to your superior intellects in the hopes that somebody can help with this problem, if it indeed exists. I'm testing an unattended XP installation on VMWare, with the latest RyanVM and BTS integrated, and a little nLite poking too. Everything works fine except that the theme doesn't apply. It's not a problem with the .theme, in theory, or with any removed components, as it works fine when manually applied afterwards, and occasionally, say 15% of the time, will apply automatically on first boot too. It also acts the same way with just the default XP theme installed. I'm assuming it doesn't always have time to do it, or something isn't happening in time. But I'm an id*** so I'm probably wrong.

Is this likely to be a problem only constrained to the VM? IF not any ideas on fixing it? I've searched the forums and Google without any luck, so hopefully some of you will have an idea or two. Failing that is there any other way to apply a theme other than through Winnt.sif, e.g. batch file or .vbs that can be run on startup to ensure it has been applied?

It's only a minor bug, but it's an annoying one regardless. And I only have one CDR left atm, so I'd rather get it cleared up before burning it, else I have to wait for a new cake box of CD's to arrive.

Thanks in advance.

(P.S. Why can't I call myself an id*** )

Edited February 17, 2006 by Åmbrosius

[Black]

That's because off the patcht extheme.dll

[xpmaniac4ever]

Make sure you have a patched uxtheme.dll so your Windows can support unsigned themes. You may patch it with nLite.

[Åmbrosius]

Yeah, it is patched via nLite. Even the original teletubies theme doesn't always apply automatically, surely that thing should still work? Should I revert to the original uxtheme? Or is it because the uxtheme.dll isn't being patched by nLite?

[xpmaniac4ever]

Post your winnt.sif file from i386 directory.

[Lost Soul]

Yeah, it is patched via nLite. Even the original teletubies theme doesn't always apply automatically, surely that thing should still work? Should I revert to the original uxtheme? Or is it because the uxtheme.dll isn't being patched by nLite?

are you using any other theme packs by any chance to install them with nlite ? some premade theme packs already havea pre patched uxtheme in them, if so after the nlite has done its job you need to place a new hacked uxtheme file in the i386 dir,, for some odd reason right now if nlite sees 2 uxtheme patches it will pretty much void each other out there for making your themes not work,

Edited February 17, 2006 by Lost Soul

[Dobby]

I've had this happen a few times as well (happened this morning actually). Sometimes it works and sometimes not. I find if I start with a fresh xpcd and re-nlite it, everything is ok for a while. I'm changing lots of other stuff though but mostly only application install related so shouldn't affect it. I've not really tested this issue methodically yet but there may be a reason for it. I'm using nlite 1.0 RC6.

I guess I should just try it a few times without nlite as I have created my own WINNT.SIF file. Just need to patch uxtheme manually (ooh how will I cope

Edited February 17, 2006 by Dobby

[Åmbrosius]

Hmm, that could be it, the only thing I've changed since my last disc, apart from a few changes to the batch file, and updated BTS, was downloading the RC6 version of nLite. I do have one theme pack integrated via the RVM integrator, which does have a copy of uxtheme in it. Since nLite gets it after the RVM integrator, I suppose it could be getting annoyed with me.

I'll give it a bash after a short ciggy break, nothing ventured nothing gained, got a few other things to check on anyway. Woe is me, having to do things manually, meh thank the Gods for VMWare.

Guess this is just one more nudge away from nLite, already moving my tweaks soley to reg-files, it's too annoying trying to trace two sets if I do some through nLite too. Still a pain, but easier to undo for that matter too. Anyway will go now and try shoving a copy in after everything else is done.

EDIT: Nope that didn't seem to fix it. Redid the cd image with a manual uxtheme, and reinstalled. No difference. The install copy is definately the uxtheme I wanted to install, pulled off a copy and it's identical to the uxtheme.dll I wanted to incorporate, so unless I'm missing something, it's not nlite. Ran a reg file to load it on second boot, and that worked so if all else fails I'll go that route, not pretty but it may have to do. Guess I'll spend the weekend starting from scratch, doing one thing at a time, and retesting until it stops working. Yay fun. Debugging the good old fashioned way.

Thanks for the suggestions though, please keep 'em coming, anything to save me from such a tedious weekend. (Especially since knowing my luck the moment I get it working, RyanVM will release the next pack and I'll have to do it all again.)

Edited February 18, 2006 by Åmbrosius