There appears to be a conflict between the most recent Build (14) of Windows Live Mail (WLM) with the Aero Metal skin for WindowBlinds 6.3 XP SP3.

Ever since I installed the latest Windows Live suite I found that WLM never gets past the sign-in banner. It would immediately minimize to the system tray and I could not open my inbox (or the main program window), though I could send mail and view contacts.

This frustrated me since I use WLM to handle all my non-work-related email and I really don't have the time to set up a new mail client.

Running a clean boot from msconfig isolated the problem to WindowBlinds. Prior to doing so, I had excluded WLM from being skinned by WindowBlinds and I had even unloaded WindowBlinds, yet the WLM problem prevailed. I then discovered that I had to change the skin away from Aero Metal and then restart the PC in order for WLM to work as normal. What's strange is that out of the dozen skins I tested, only Aero Metal (that's packaged with WindowBlinds) produced this problem. I'm now using the Aura skin but with the Aero Metal taskbar and start menu enabled and everything's working as per normal.

I'd really like to know if this problem is reproducible on someone else's PC and it's not just my bad luck that I'm the only one in the world experiencing this.

Thanks,
Vince

ran the latest update of windowblinds 6.3 on impulse, rebooted and got the message that WB was missing a core dll and I had to reinstall it.  I'm going to be reinstalling 6.0 because 6.3 still won't display the material in what used to be called the xpstuff.xp file with older skins.  WB 6.0 won't work with Firefox 3 but no matter, the last time I installed Firefox 3 it crashed anyway -- toolbar didn't have a back arrow in it and when I tried to put one in via customize, CRASH! 

Moral:  Neil, WB's problems in versions past 6.0 can't compare with the Mozilla crew's problems in Firefox 3, so don't feel bad.  At least you folks at Stardock don't insist on installing later WB versions without my permission, unlike the Mozilla folks.  

All of the tiny font problems have been solved however by getting a 24 inch BenQ flat screen that displays at 1980x1024 and running it off DVI instead of VGA.  Tiny fonts are still small but I can read 'em now.

Complete reply is here.

Similar problem here on xp x64, WB v6.2 (rollback from 6.3), so far no solution.

I have posted on this issue already, but there was no help in sight.

Found this post finally, an I'm glad that I'm not the only one.

And me too, I'm annoyed, that the x64 support has vanished just from one update to another.

Just installed the new Safari for windows 4.0 (Still Beta) but windows blinds looks really bad, it totally messes up the top bar/tabs. is there a way to fix this?

Apple.  They can't do anything normally.

Ditto, you have discontinued support for a product I purchased (and was working) for a specific machine in the middle of a automated update process without warning. Now I have no further use for said product and should get a refund. At the very least you should provide a download for the version that was working. If this matter is not resolved I will never buy or recommend another Stardock product ever again.

As much as I love XP, I realize that at some point most companies will support it less or discontinue support of.

Ces't la vie.

Thank you

However I see little difference except it installs without errors and the constant "WB6 need to reboot system" message. It does not run as a service even tho WbSrv.dll and x64.exe is present in both versions.

According to the product manual found here https://www.stardock.com/products/windowblinds/help/welcome.htm#Features_of_WindowBlinds_6_(Enhanced_Version) I quote

System Requirements

· Windows Vista (32-bit or 64-bit), Windows XP (32-bit or 64-bit) or Windows 2003 Server (32-bit or 64-bit).

Also in the features page https://www.stardock.com/products/windowblinds/features.asp

"Features

64 bit build synced with 32 bit version

Note that the 64 bit XP build has not been updated. 32 bit apps on 64 bit XP would support the new per pixel buttons, but 64 bit apps will not."

Now I take this to mean that WB6 will run on 64bit xp, but as a 32 bit app. Witch indeed it does and is installed in the x86 section of the OS. I don’t understand why WB6 won’t run as a service rather than a Memory resident program.

I think this is what Neil meant when he stated

"We do not support 64 bit XP as an OS I am afraid, but we are seeing if we can make it install 6.2 files on XP 64 instead." in an earlier post.

Ok while all that soaks in, here’s my Tech support question, which I assume may have something to do with the above.

On the skin "Molten" the animated dragon is not appearing on the Start Menu, It does in the xp 32bit os. However the same animation does appear in the "Dragon" skin on xp64. I opened "Molten" in Skin Studio 6 and the animation is present and seems ok, what the difference and how can I get it to work? The other animations are working perfectly, such as the "Start Button" and title frames.

One last question, I see that WB6.4 is begging to be installed, are there any changes that may affect or correct this issue?

Thanks for any help or incite.

So after reading this entire thread and the various product information pages, could someone from Stardock please clarify the following questions:

1. Does WindowsBlinds support Windows XP 64-bit?

2. If so, which versions support XP 64-bit?

3. ...and if I purchase the current version (assuming that it does not support XP 64-bit), then can I gain access to a previous version that does?

I would like to purchase the product, but obviously I'd need to know for sure that it supports my OS of choice.

l8r)

The last 2 updates to WindowBlinds (6.3 and 6.4) do not support Windows XP x64.  Stardock is no longer testing nor developing for this platform.  If you bought WindowBlinds previous to the 6.3 release and would like the archive for the earlier version (6.2) please e-mail support@stardock.com

EDIT: New purchases will not have access to this archive.  The main site and purchase system requirements have been updated.  The guide should see updates soon.

I have WindowBlinds version : WindowBlinds 6.0 (build 49 x86 - Vista Edition) and I cant get it to set the Windows Aero as my theme and i reallly need this so I can use Dreamscape

Wazer95: Please update to WB 6.4

You will first want to go to Start->Start Search and type services.msc. Once there, be sure the Desktop Window Manager Session Manager service is running and the startup type is set to automatic.

The most common issue with DeskScapes not running/aero not applying is not having a Windows Vista Experience rating.  This is how Windows Vista determines if your machine is able to handle the visual enhancements build into itself, and many of the options will be disabled or run with limited functionality without it.  To run the Windows Experience Index rating, right clicking on "Computer" and select "Properties".  Once you do this, click on the "Windows Experience Index" and in the dialog that comes up, select "Update my score".  This will make Windows Vista update your rating and should allow you to apply the Aero theme, as well as run your application correctly (If you have Vista Home Basic, the "Windows Vista" theme will also work).

To make sure the correct theme is enabled:

-Right click on your desktop, choose personalize.
-Click on Themes
-From the drop down menu, choose 'Windows Vista", then click apply and ok. (NOTE: If you have WindowBlinds themes applied, you can reapply them after this.)

If that still does not allow you to display .dreams, please try the following:

-Click the Start orb
-Right click on Computer, select properties
-In the tasks pane on the left, select 'Advanced system settings'
-Click the 'Settings' button in the 'Performance' section
-Check 'Enable Desktop Composition' from the list
-Click 'Apply', then 'OK'
-Click the 'Settings' button to be sure that is still enabled. If it is not, please go back and make sure that the Vista theme is set by the instructions above.

I can not disable the sounds asociated with the skin I'm using.  I unchecked the 'play sounds defined by the skin' box, but still I have annoying beeps when I shrink or close a window. 

Hey.... when i try to select a skin it turn to where start is turn gray and wtf..... my pc is ruined what i do soo it can work ??

WindowBlinds version : WindowBlinds 6.02 (build 43 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 Intel(R) 82845G/GL/GE/PE/GV Graphics Controller

Wblind.dll     2008/01/08 14:01:20

Wbsrv.dll     2008/01/08 14:01:10

Wbconfig.exe     2008/01/11 13:36:35

Wbload.exe     2007/09/27 15:42:44

Wbhelp.dll     2007/07/11 14:06:07

Wbui.dll     2007/11/05 20:20:05

Tray.dll           2007/09/12 17:58:21

Screen.exe     2008/01/08 14:01:18

P.D. if i need to update something pls tell me where to update, or what to update pls ....

Current WB is build is 6.4.  I'd use Impulse to update to that.

ill use impulse to try to update it if i got problems i post it ... ^^

Hi, i am using version 6.30 and want to know how i can disable transparency because my netbook is faster without it.
the other thing is i can add folders with wallpapers and they are listed; but when i switch to "wallpaper auto-change" then they
 are not present in that list ?!

and is it possible to change the font in one or do you always have to change it for each area for example "buttons" ?

greetings from germany

Hi, i Can't load master skin. Only standart windows skin can be load. In demo all worked well.

Windows XP 1024X600

kitofnet: This is kind of an old thread, may not be the best idea to post here.  What version of WB are you running, and what skin are you trying to apply?