Why can't I get my themes to install unattended?

[Sgt_Strider]

I have the original Microsoft Royale theme in an .exe file and I extract the content to a folder called Themes. I then place it in the following directory: $OEM$\$$\Resources\Themes.

In winnt.sif, I have this setting under [shell]: CustomDefaultThemeFile = "%WinDir%\Resources\Themes\royale.theme"

However, it doesn't work. After Windows finishing installing, the classic theme is shown. What am I doing wrong? Thanks!

[rajesh.kumar]

try to patch the uxtheme.dll file and try it. dony bother about whether what u have is from microsoft and believe xp could accept it.

[mmarable]

There are a couple of things you will want to check.

What happens when you select the Royal theme after Windows is installed? Do you get an error message of any kind? If so, there there is something out of place that it needs (i.e. cursor files, or icons, etc.). If you don't get an error, but it looks wrong in the little preview screen, then you dealing with an "unsigned" visual style and your UXTheme.dll isn't patched. The Royal theme is from Microsoft and does not need the DLL to be patched, so if this is your case then you have a modified theme.

I would first check to make sure that you have the correct folder structure. It sounds simple, but it's worth checking. Does your themes folder have the "royal.theme" file in its root, and then a folder called "Royal" in it? Inside that Royal folder you should have a file called "Royal.msstyles" and another folder called "Shell". Inside Shell will be a folder called "NormalColor" and inside that a file called "ShellStyle.dll"

Now, if you get an error when you try to manually select the theme, then something is out of place or missing. If you got the theme in its original form than you shouldn't have a problem, but if the .theme file has been modified it could be trying to find icons, cursors or other files that either don't exist or are in different locations. The theme file is just a simple text file, so you can easily look at it if you want. You can open Explorer and browse to the Royal folder and doubleclick the Royal.msstyles file. This will apply the visual style while bypassing the theme file, just in case is has been edited.

More than likely though your problem won't be that complicated. It is probably one of two things, first the folder structure isn't correct in the Themes folder, or second the themes service isn't started. Try selecting the theme manually, if it doesn't appear in the list, or you can select it but get an error that will tell you the problem is with the folder layout. If you get an error that the themes service isn't running, well that's clear enough.

[Sgt_Strider]

There are a couple of things you will want to check.

What happens when you select the Royal theme after Windows is installed? Do you get an error message of any kind? If so, there there is something out of place that it needs (i.e. cursor files, or icons, etc.). If you don't get an error, but it looks wrong in the little preview screen, then you dealing with an "unsigned" visual style and your UXTheme.dll isn't patched. The Royal theme is from Microsoft and does not need the DLL to be patched, so if this is your case then you have a modified theme.

I got the official Royale theme from Microsoft that was originally designed for the Tablet edition of Windows XP. I don't get any error mesages or anything; just the classic theme is shown upon bootup. Do I need that patched UXTheme.dll? I'm not quite sure if I understand you properly.

I would first check to make sure that you have the correct folder structure. It sounds simple, but it's worth checking. Does your themes folder have the "royal.theme" file in its root, and then a folder called "Royal" in it? Inside that Royal folder you should have a file called "Royal.msstyles" and another folder called "Shell". Inside Shell will be a folder called "NormalColor" and inside that a file called "ShellStyle.dll"

Yes, the royale.theme file is present in the root folder. There is no folder named Royale in it. I don't see a shell folder or normalcolor colder or that dll file that you mentioned.

Now, if you get an error when you try to manually select the theme, then something is out of place or missing. If you got the theme in its original form than you shouldn't have a problem, but if the .theme file has been modified it could be trying to find icons, cursors or other files that either don't exist or are in different locations. The theme file is just a simple text file, so you can easily look at it if you want. You can open Explorer and browse to the Royal folder and doubleclick the Royal.msstyles file. This will apply the visual style while bypassing the theme file, just in case is has been edited.

I'm not sure if I understand you here.

More than likely though your problem won't be that complicated. It is probably one of two things, first the folder structure isn't correct in the Themes folder, or second the themes service isn't started. Try selecting the theme manually, if it doesn't appear in the list, or you can select it but get an error that will tell you the problem is with the folder layout. If you get an error that the themes service isn't running, well that's clear enough.

I'm not getting any error. I was planning to follow the guide from MSFN, but I think that required me to install and or activate the theme first. I haven't done any of that as I went ahead to implement the theme.

[rajesh.kumar]

there MUST be a folder named as the same of the theme name like

Resources\Themes\Royale.Theme

Resources\Themes\Royale\

if it is not found ur themes wont work. The theme content is present in the Royale folder and since it is not found, its not working properly. if u select the theme, it anyhow wont show any error but wont display the theme properly.

i send the full theme file in case u wanna chec it out.

Royale.rar

Edited February 26, 2007 by rajesh.kumar