Taskbar Corruption

from Stardock Forums

Hi,

I'm having an issue with Windowblinds 6.4 on Windows XP.

[WindowBlinds version : WindowBlinds 6.4 (build 73 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.

(SONY SDM-HS95P DVI-D ) 1 is attached to NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTX

Wblind.dll      2009/03/24 22:04:20
Wbsrv.dll      2009/03/24 22:04:58
Wbconfig.exe      2009/03/24 22:04:20
Wbload.exe      2009/03/24 22:04:14
Wbhelp.dll      2009/03/24 22:04:07
Wbui.dll      2009/03/24 22:04:05
Tray.dll           2009/03/24 22:04:21
Screen.exe      2009/03/24 22:04:09]

Upon my PC starting up, my chosen visual style (Pandora XP for these screenshots, but similar taskbar corruption occurs for other styles also) is not applied correctly in terms of the taskbar. The taskbar skin is applied in a visually corrupted manner, and I receive an explorer.exe error message. This is shown in the screenshot below - the taskbar appears to have some properties of the visual style I have selected (Pandora XP) but also some of the default taskbar.

 

Once I click OK on the error message, Windows/Explorer/Windowblinds appears to automatically 'fix' the taskbar corruption by loading a default-looking taskbar, and this is shown in the next screenshot below.

 

If I start up Windowblinds at this point and try to get it to load *any* visual style (other than Classic XP), it will not change the taskbar at all. What I have to do at this point is start up Windowblinds and apply the Classic XP visual style, which Windowblinds applies then exits, which makes my desktop look like what you see in the third screenshot, below:

Once I've done this, I can then reload Windowblinds and select whatever visual style I want to apply, in my case, Pandora XP, which results in finally getting to the appearance that I want, shown in the screenshot below:

So the screenshot above shows the desktop appearing as it is meant to appear under the Pandora XP visual style and as I would like it to appear upon startup, without of course having to go through those stages depicted and described above after the start-up error/s.

 

In order to resolve this issue, I have tried various things under guidance from Stardock support as well as a few things from searching these forums and the knowledgebase.

I have checked the registry to ensure that the windowblinds path is set correctly, which the screenshot below shows is indeed the case (I have Windowblinds installed to the default directory C:\Program Files\Stardock\Object Desktop\Windowblinds):

I have used the zapper tool provided by support to completely uninstall Windowblinds and reinstalled afresh through Impulse (as I had previous versions of Windowblinds both as standalone, as part of Object Desktop, and as part of free 3rd party theme installation packages such as those provided by Alienware, as well as premium suites). After a clean uninstall/reinstall, my registry looks like the screenshot below:

I was initially confused by the WB5 entries in the registry, wondering if they were leftover from Windowblinds 5 or something, but after I used the zapper tool those registry entries were removed and then reappeared only after reinstallation of Windowblinds 6.4, so I conclude they are part of Windowblinds 6.4 despite the slightly misleading naming. The exact same issue occurs after a clean uninstall/reinstall.

I have tried disabling various other applications/services on my PC that may have been responsible for conflicts, including nHancer, Nview, NTune, and Nvidia Display Driver Service. The exact same issue occurs whether those other applications/services are disabled or not.

I have ensured that my security software is configured to allow Windowblinds to load at startup and run scripts, as shown in the screenshot of McAfee permissions below:

I was provided with another support file, reinstall_wb_service.bat, which I ran as advised. Whilst running that file, I get 2 errors occuring which are notified in popup windows and also logged in the .bat process window itself - the screenshot below shows those errors (2 times, both the same error message pertaining to the same 'missing' file):

Given the file that this reinstall_wb_service.bat reports twice as 'missing' is called VistaSrv.exe, am I right in assuming it really isn't meant to be present in XP, as VistaSrv.exe sounds like a vista file to me? Regardless, after I clicked OK on the missing file notification both times it popped up, the reinstall_wb_service.bat process completes, and Windowblinds reloaded and applied my visual style, but upon rebooting I still get the exact same error and taskbar corruption as always.

 

Any advice on how I should proceed in troubleshooting this issue is appreciated, I really would like to fix things so I can just have a working Windowblinds visual style applied automatically at startup without any errors or corruption and without having to go through 4 steps to get to it.

Thanks

 

 

5,601 views 6 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top

It's Windows XP Pro btw if that makes any difference, and also I've tried the following additional things:

1) while before I tried setting my security software to disabled during WB installation, I this time tried setting it to active but to defer all decisions to me during the WB installation - as a result, it only asked for my permission once in the installation process, to confirm a startup entry, which I allowed; end result, still getting the same taskbar corruption

2) i've used dependency walker to track module dependencies for WBlinds.dll and WbSrv.dll - they were allowed to load into memory and load other .dlls and nothing jumped out in the dependency walker output as a potential explanation of my issue (there were a handful of non-windowblinds dependency .dlls flagged as missing - such as WER.dll and IESHIMS.dll - but those kind of missing .dlls are commonly found when running a .dll thru dependency walker and not necessarily or generally anything to worry about. If anyone is a dependency walker/.dll expert, I'm happy to upload the output from using dw on the WB .dlls. Using DW's .exe profiling on wbconfig.exe I noted wbconfig was allowed to load wblinds.dll (which, if it wasn't allowed to do, could have explained my problem). Again, happy to upload .dwi files if anyone is a wiz at interpreting that info and thinks it might help find what's causing my problem.

3) i've used CurrProcess to check which .dll modules are loaded by services, in this case specifically wbconfig.exe. From that I conclude wbconfig.exe is being allowed to load modules it needs to function, but without knowing what the full list of modules that should be loaded by it, I can't deduce much from it other than it is being allowed to load .dlls into memory :/

Does anyone have Windowblinds 6.4 working fine on Windows XP Pro SP3? Just knowing that could be helpful, as I know it's not the most common OS.

Thanks

Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Does anyone have Windowblinds 6.4 working fine on Windows XP Pro SP3? Just knowing that could be helpful, as I know it's not the most common OS.

End of quote

 

i've seen other posts from pro users - some are doing fine, other had conflicts somewehre

 

do you have nvidia desktop manager turned on?

 

missed that 1st go thru

 

are you installing as a standalone or vie Impulse?

 

 

as far as the vistaserv issue - when downloading and installing - it's all in one but  - but should only install/use those parts necessary for your system

 

I'm running xp home sp3

 

no vista/64 in my wb system info:

 

WindowBlinds version : WindowBlinds 6.4 (build 73 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 GeForce4 MX 440 with AGP8X

Wblind.dll         2009/03/24 16:04:20
Wbsrv.dll         2009/03/24 16:04:58
Wbconfig.exe         2009/03/24 16:04:20
Wbload.exe         2009/03/24 16:04:14
Wbhelp.dll         2009/03/24 16:04:07
Wbui.dll         2009/03/24 16:04:05
Tray.dll              2009/03/24 16:04:21
Screen.exe         2009/03/24 16:04:09

 

but in C:\Program Files\Stardock\Object Desktop

i have a folder each for:

WindowBlinds

WindowBlinds64

WindowBlindsVista

WindowBlindsVista32

WindowBlindsVista64

 

of which some only have graphics folder (which is empty) and the rest are just empty

 

Ashes of the Singularity II
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top

Hey Bichur, thanks for that info.

My installation was done via Impulse - I would like to try an install from a stand-alone installer if I could find one for WB 6.4, but haven't been able to locate such (would maybe help to do a right click>run as>and unclick the protect computer option, sometimes helps get a full install if windows gets picky about stuff).

I did previously have the full Object Desktop installed, but I didn't renew my licence when it expired (Impulse still asks if I'd like to renew, every time I open it). I've also had standalone mini-window-blinds-type apps installed, such as AlienGUIse from Alienware (which is if I remember rightly a scaled-down standalone themeset using a subset of OD features), and have a few premium suites as well. I was wondering if those older installations might have been causing issues, but then I have used the zapper tool to clean uninstall WB, and a check with regedit has confirmed removal of WB entries.

The vistasrv phenomenon has made me wonder if WB 6.4 can detect my OS properly - I note in WindowBlinds configuration's system info page, it doesn't say Windows XP Professional, it says "Microsoft Windows XP, Build 2600.xpsp_sp3_gdr.090206-1234" (maybe the xpsp bit stands for something that means it is identifying that it's pro and not home but I'm not sure how it's abbreviated - or indeed if it makes any difference for the issue I'm having).

That's interesting that you've got those different subfolders in C:\Program Files\Stardock\Object Desktop. I just have the one Windowblinds folder in it, and there's surprisingly few files within too. Here's what I have in total in my Object Desktop folder:

 

***** Generated by Directory Tree List Maker 1.0
***** Programmed by Olivier SANGALA
***** http://olivier.sangala.free.fr
***** olivier_sangala@hotmail.com


****************************************
C:\Program Files\Stardock\Object Desktop
****************************************

     .                                               0     22/06/2009 01:59:42     ----D-
     ..                                              0     22/06/2009 01:59:42     ----D-
     WindowBlinds                                    0     12/07/2009 03:26:24     ----D-

*****************************************************
C:\Program Files\Stardock\Object Desktop\WindowBlinds
*****************************************************

     .                                               0     12/07/2009 03:26:24     ----D-
     ..                                              0     12/07/2009 03:26:24     ----D-
     Activate.exe                               692928     24/03/2009 22:04:14     -----A
     Activate.lng                                16618     24/03/2009 22:04:14     -----A
     core.dll                                      309     24/03/2009 22:04:14     -----A
     eula.txt                                     4513     24/03/2009 22:04:14     -----A
     forums.url                                     94     24/03/2009 22:04:14     -----A
     install.dat                                   745     24/03/2009 22:04:14     -----A
     lang                                            0     12/07/2009 03:26:24     ----D-
     od.ico                                       4710     24/03/2009 22:04:14     -----A
     order.html                                    482     24/03/2009 22:04:14     -----A
     order.txt                                    6101     24/03/2009 22:04:14     -----A
     readme.txt                                   4305     24/03/2009 22:04:14     -----A
     Screen.exe                                 233472     24/03/2009 22:04:14     -----A
     sdactivate.log                                188     10/07/2009 00:39:54     -----A
     sig6.bin                                      256     10/07/2009 00:39:54     -----A
     skincst.exe                                 38576     24/03/2009 22:04:14     -----A
     tray.dll                                    38312     24/03/2009 22:04:14     -----A
     ui                                              0     12/07/2009 03:26:24     ----D-
     UninstHelper.exe                           738672     05/06/2009 15:58:12     -----A
     unzip32.dll                                140800     24/03/2009 22:04:14     -----A
     wb.chm                                     426129     24/03/2009 22:04:14     -----A
     wb.ico                                     100930     24/03/2009 22:04:14     -----A
     wbconfig.exe                              1111344     24/03/2009 22:04:14     -----A
     wbconfig.exe.manifest                         663     24/03/2009 22:04:14     -----A
     wbdb.dll                                   152824     24/03/2009 22:04:14     -----A
     wbdbg.ini                                    3524     24/03/2009 22:04:14     -----A
     wbhelp.dll                                  28740     24/03/2009 22:04:14     -----A
     WBInstall32.exe                             99752     24/03/2009 22:04:14     -----A
     wblind.dll                                 555604     24/03/2009 22:04:14     -----A
     wbload.exe                                 343040     24/03/2009 22:04:14     -----A
     WbSrv.dll                                  204080     24/03/2009 22:04:14     -----A
     wbui.dll                                   100600     24/03/2009 22:04:14     -----A
     wb_post.exe                                117920     24/03/2009 22:04:14     -----A

**********************************************************
C:\Program Files\Stardock\Object Desktop\WindowBlinds\lang
**********************************************************

     .                                               0     12/07/2009 03:26:24     ----D-
     ..                                              0     12/07/2009 03:26:24     ----D-
     Default.lng6                                39502     24/03/2009 22:04:00     -----A
     English.lng6                                39502     24/03/2009 22:04:00     -----A
     Japanese.lng6                               24968     24/03/2009 22:04:00     -----A
     WB5_LanguageFiles_For_Reference.           134267     24/03/2009 22:04:00     -----A

********************************************************
C:\Program Files\Stardock\Object Desktop\WindowBlinds\ui
********************************************************

     .                                               0     12/07/2009 03:26:24     ----D-
     ..                                              0     12/07/2009 03:26:24     ----D-
     background.png                              16769     24/03/2009 22:04:08     -----A
     Bar.png                                      3435     24/03/2009 22:04:08     -----A
     help.png                                     3479     24/03/2009 22:04:08     -----A
     icon1.png                                    3170     24/03/2009 22:04:08     -----A
     icon2.png                                    3174     24/03/2009 22:04:08     -----A
     icon3.png                                    3370     24/03/2009 22:04:08     -----A
     left.png                                     7078     24/03/2009 22:04:08     -----A
     LeftButtons.png                              4797     24/03/2009 22:04:08     -----A
     Logo.png                                     5422     24/03/2009 22:04:08     -----A
     selection.png                                3481     24/03/2009 22:04:08     -----A
     shadow.png                                   3369     24/03/2009 22:04:08     -----A
     tabrow.png                                   3587     24/03/2009 22:04:08     -----A
     tabrow_apply.png                             4274     24/03/2009 22:04:08     -----A
     tabs.png                                     4009     24/03/2009 22:04:08     -----A
     tick.png                                      456     24/03/2009 22:04:08     -----A

 

Does anything look missing?

Also, if any dependency walker users have used it on core.dll in the windowblinds folder, I'd be interested to hear if it found anything unusual, since for mine it simply reports that core.dll "is not a valid 32-bit or 64-bit windows module"! (maybe it's not installed correctly on my system, or maybe it's just that it's protected/encrypted in some way that entails dependency walker isn't able to monitor its activity or it's not a 'normal' module in some way - I'm clueless on it!

Thanks

Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top

"Microsoft Windows XP, Build 2600.xpsp_sp3_gdr.090206-1234"

End of quote

 

mine says the same

 

in impulse

right click on wb and 'verify installion'

 

 

did you have 6.4 before your sub ran out?

mini-window-blinds-type apps installed, such as AlienGUIse from Alienware (which is if I remember rightly a scaled-down standalone themeset using a subset of OD features)

End of quote

 

and with a much older verison of WB - could be causing conflict

try uninstalling it

 

I had one or twe versions of AG when they first came out, when I ran the 1st one - it said I had SD's Thememgr and askid if I wanted to use my apps instead of the OEM ones

 

one the 2nd, I extracted the exe to find the wb so I could apply use SD instread of AG

Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top

Checked and I'd already uninstalled AlienGUIse, but just in case it had left anything, I uninstalled WB, reinstalled AlienGUIse, made it apply the classic theme, then uninstalled it using an uninstall tool to ensure it was completely gone and wasn't gonna do anything :)

Reinstalled WB thru Impulse, did a few reboots just in case, applied classic xp, applied my chosen Pandora theme, applied fine. Did a reboot... and... same taskbar corruption as ever. No explorer.exe error for a change tho, which is a step in the right direction. Not sure what made that stop happening, whether it'll last, or whether it's because I'm not hovering my mouse cursor over the taskar or something else random.

I did notice a couple of things tho after I was changing windows themes using the standard Windows Right Click>Display Properties>Themes tab: 1) The 'shape' of the taskbar corruption I keep getting is kinda "Luna" shaped (in other words, when the corruption hits on startup, the resulting frankenstein's taskbar looks like it has the colours of Pandora and XP classic in a frame shaped and sized like Luna - lord knows what that tells me, but I have been obsessively paying way too much attention to my taskbar lol.

2) If after applying Pandora successfully (i.e. without rebooting so it has a chance to go freaky) I Right Click>Display Properties>Themes tab, the Sample window in there shows the wallpaper I've chosen but the windows samples aren't Pandora's but are instead normal XP theme ones. Not sure if that's normal or not (guessing it is, since that window is previewing .themes, the default windows display files, and not .wbas/visual styles that are Windowblinds' thing? Or on a successful install should WB fully integrate with display properties and show samples inclusive of WB visual styles?)

In Impulse, right clicking and verifying the WB6 installation returns the message that WB6 is installed correctly.

My OD sub ran out some time in 2008 I think, was before WB6.4 that's for sure.

Is there a specific directory that it is 'best' to have .wba files by the way? Does it 'hurt' any to have them on a completely different drive to the windowblinds installation (cos currently my windowblinds is installed in the default directory on C:\Program Files\Stardock\Object Desktop\Windowblinds , whilst my .wbas are on a different drive entirely) ? I'm probably clutching at straws trying to find potential causes of the problem now, but I'm running out of ideas :/

Thanks

Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top

since 6 wb like to migrate the skins to the shared folder

 

mine show under  C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\Stardock\WindowBlinds

 

I'm not finding an option in WB to pick a different location  - since i just let it go to where it wants, I got no idea if that may be causing it

 

I think, but I'm not sure, you can install WB to a different drive but it may still want to look in the default folder for the skins