Windowblinds stopped working under Vista

WB doesn't any longer load skins properly

from WinCustomize Forums
Hi!

I have a big problem with Windowblinds under Vista. When I first upgraded my XP to Vista it worked alright, but for a couple of weeks I did not load it to spare PC-Ressources. When I tried to use it again, after the last Vista-Patch and an RAM-Upgrade, it suddenly stopped working. First thing was, that it did not install new skins properly. It always said "new skin installed", but some appeard in list, some didn't, without a clue why. And when I tried to load a skin the usual Loading Screen appeard, but after that it always switched back to the Default Windows-Classic style and my Startbutton dissappeard. Then I had to unload WB completly to get Windows working again. I tried a complete deinstallation and re-installation with the latest Windowblinds 5 - Version, but the problem still remained.
Is there anything I can do to get Windowblinds working again? In the Forum there where some clues about "copy and paste" something in the systeminformation, but what exactly and where to?

Thanks for Help!

Tamahat
3,363 views 10 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
make sure you have the latest windowblinds, it's up to version 5.5
best way to make sure is download stardock central and download and install the latest version through there. good luck
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I do have the very latest Version (5.5), Windowblinds for Vista. Stardockcentral says there are no further Updates (That's what I first tried). So there has to be another problem, I fear.
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Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Open Windowblinds & select view my system information, copy & paste that here

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Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
In the Forum there where some clues about "copy and paste" something in the systeminformation, but what exactly and where to?


In the Windowblinds Configuration Panel there is an item in the list on the left called "View My System Information" click on that, Highlight the text displayed and copy to the clipboard (CTRL+C) and then paste the info into a reply (CTRL+V)

It should look something like this.....
(I'm on XP so there will be some differences)

WindowBlinds version : WindowBlinds 5 (5.5 (build 94 x86))

WindowBlinds is installed correctly on this PC

WindowBlinds appears to be activated on this PC

Your machine supports per pixel borders on WindowBlinds skins.

(Plug and Play Monitor) 1 is attached to NVIDIA Quadro FX 4500
(Plug and Play Monitor) 2 is attached to NVIDIA Quadro FX 4500

Wblind.dll 2007/03/13 10:50:20
Wbsrv.dll 2007/03/13 10:57:52
Wbconfig.exe 2007/03/13 10:16:17
Wbload.exe 2006/03/13 18:54:14
Wbhelp.dll 2004/09/18 17:37:07
Wbui.dll 2005/12/06 22:29:06
Tray.dll 2006/04/28 19:26:49
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Hi! Thanks for the answers, I only had to come back home after weekend to copy the informations requested. Here it is:

Your computer has a Windows Experience Index base score of 3.4

Your Windows Graphics Experience score is 4.1

WindowBlinds version : WindowBlinds 5 (5.50 (build 102 x86 - Vista Edition))

WindowBlinds is installed correctly on this PC

WindowBlinds appears to be activated on this PC

(Nicht-PnP-Monitor (Standard)) 1 is attached to RADEON 9600 SERIES

Wblind.dll 2007/03/20 13:26:20
Wbsrv.dll 2007/02/23 18:19:05
Wbconfig.exe 2007/03/13 11:16:17
Wbload.exe 2006/09/30 14:59:14
Wbhelp.dll 2004/09/18 16:37:07
Tray.dll 2006/04/28 19:27:49
Wbload.dll 2007/01/23 19:48:56

(Because Windowblinds was running without problems before the latest Vista-Patch and my RAM-Upgrade, my PC should fulfill the system-requirements, I suppose.)
Hope someone can help me, because I love Windowblinds !
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Your dates and mine are really out of sync, but that could be due to yours being Vista and mine XP.

Did you run the trial version before the full version? If so did you uninstall it PRIOR to installing the full version?
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I've noticed that WB is VERY VERY tempermental with Vista as well.
It frequently hangs for a few minutes when changing blinds, or trying to unload.
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Well, I had the full-version of windowblinds before, I used it for almost an year with xp until I switched to vista. And, like I said, at first there was no problem at all. I only decided to unload WB because Vista was very "RAM-hungry" and I had to spare resources until I could upgrade the Memory. After that I suspected Windowblinds to run better, not worse. I did a complete uninstall, even deleted the installation-directory with the wba-files of my previous installation. But the problem remained. It didn't seem as if skins where loading to long - but they stopped loading halfway or something like that, because the loading-screen disappeared and the default windows-classic-scheme appeared, without the start-button. I tried several skins, but none worked correctly. I only can imagine there might have been some changes in Vista with the latest Security-Patch which may cause this.
Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Your wbload.exe is different than mine. My Vista WB is working fine. Try uninstalling WindowBlinds, rebooting, and then completely wiping out the C:\Program Files\Stardock\Object Desktop\WindowBlinds folder, and then reinstalling it.
Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Update: I tried a complete Uninstall/Reinstall a fifth time and now it seems to run without any problems. Apparently the trick was to install Windowblinds not at the vista-system-partition (c:), but on a separate second partition of my hard-disk (d:, actually I use it for data-storage). Don't ask me why or how this is working - I am not very well versed in PCs. (O.k, maybe this is very euphemistic: I am glad to find the power-button !). Possibly it is mere chance, but anyway, perhaps someone with similar problems may want to give it a try.
Thanks for all the answers and suggestions!
And - out of curiosity - has anyone an idea WHY it worked?