Won't Load Any Skin - Domain Issue?

All I can tell you is apply the standard XP theme, make sure you have all your WB skins saved, unload Windowblinds, uninstall Windowblinds via Impulse, reboot and reinstall Windowblinds via Impulse, reboot again and then reinstall your WB skins and see if it works.  If not it's back to contacting support@stardock.com.

Might try:

Go into Impulse

Disable Anti-virus 

Shift-Rightclick on Windowblinds and select "verify installation" - should then tell you Windowblinds is not installed correctly

At that point Impulse will probably show an update is available.  Right click on it and select "Update".

If it doesn't show an update is available, Shift-Rightclick on Windowblinds and select "Repair".

Either way, after it does whichever, reboot.

That might get it.  Or not. 

This is rather interesting:

NOPE - it says that WindowBlinds 7 is correctly installed. It is the "About WindowBlinds" from the dialog that reports that WindowsBlinds is not installed correctly. (could this be the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing?)

I will try the repair installation. If my subscription were still active, I would do the upgrade, but it ran out in Jan and I just don't have the finances to re-subscribe just yet.

I'll post my results after the reboot.

32 or 64 bit, if 64 bit, it is no longer supported for XP so you may/will be SOL.

Ouch! Hope its not 64.

No - it is 32-bit. I didn't even know that 64-bit XP was a possibility.

I tried a completely clean uninstall (uninstall, clean the registry, clean the WindowBlinds folders, etc.) and then re-install by using the "Restore from Archive" option. (it stinks having your subscription run out and you don't have the $35 to renew). That looked promising. Impulse asked me to reboot and everything. However, the same result. I can get the "SevenConfig.exe" window, but trying to apply a skin only results in the windows classic skin getting applied and then nothing.

One thing that is interesting - when I selected the "About WindowBlinds" I got a crash report and the config window closed. That doesn't happen on subsequent tries.

Since I don't have a valid subscription, I can't get support from Stardock directly. I'm really hoping someone in the user community has a suggestion on how I can get back to where I'd been for the last 10 years. This last month has been so frustrating.

Einstein

It's not clear in the original post whether you are loading from achieves because of a HD reformat, is that the case?

If not have you considered trying the system restore function and go back to a date when things were working okay.

This is not due to a HD reformat. I am loading from the archive because my subscription expired and I can't install it the "normal" way.

I did try the system restore early on - but it happened way back in February and I don't have that many restore points (I reduced the number of restores to "save" space, at the time I didn't think I would need to go back 2 months for anything). Long story short - the system restore didn't work. When I tried it Windows said that the restore archive was corrupt and couldn't be used (for like 4 of my archives). That too makes me wonder about my PC.

Well, since your subscription is expired there is one other thing that you could try.  Uninstall WindowBlinds and run a clean up program to make sure no lose ends are left.  Then go to Stardock web site and download the current free version.  If it loads okay and allows you to change skins then it would indicate that you have a problem with your archived version.  It it doesn't work then you may have a PC problem.  Worth a try.

Before doing the above, I would run from elevated command prompt sfc /scannow . If there are damaged system files (and if you can do this in XP) then any damaged system files should be repaired.

If you can't, Then run  chkdsk /f /r . Should do the same thing for XP as sfc /scannow adding a sector check and repair.

You can find out more about chkdsk here: http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/ntcmds.mspx?mfr=true

If there are no file errors nor sector errors then you have a borked WB no matter what it says, and should be uninstalled thoroughly cleaned out and reboot/reinstall/reboot.

Okay - I tried the "sfc /scannow" command, but canceled it because it kept requesting my Win XP Pro install disk. This is my work PC and I don't have the install disk. The OS was installed from a "ghost" process, I don't know who around here would have the install disk. So that isn't an option.

I did try the "chkdsk /f /r" and it ran on reboot - took like 2 hours. The summary screen flashed by so quickly I don't know what was "fixed" but I did see that "All errors have been corrected".

What is odd is when I launched the "SevenConfig.exe" (the WindowBlinds configuration window) and selected "About WindowBlinds" it immediately had that Windows "Program has caused an error and will be shut down" message. I followed through the links to a txt file that contains the details and versions of all the DLL's and EXE's related to my "SevenConfig.exe". Should I post that here? Would it help anything?

As far as trying the "Free WindowBlinds", I am concerned because I am using quite a few other OD utilities and they are working for me. Things like: DesktopX, Keyboard Launchpad, Object Dock, and Fences. If I were to install the "FREE" version, would it replace some common DLL's that would "bork" these working Stardock applications? I would hate to take 5 steps backwards just to attempt 1/2 step forward.

So - what do I do know? I feel so borked right now.

Einy

Einstein as far as I know it trying the trial version of WindowBlinds should not affect the other programs.  Maybe someone from Stardock can verify that.

Since this is your 'work' PC you might want to be carefull of what you start changing or deleting. 

If you haven't you might be better of in emailing support@startdock.com and starting a support ticket.

This is not a good sign.  The SFC scan checks that Windows System files have not been corrupted.  If the scan is asking for the disc, it means that the file on disk needs to be replaced, and the on disk cache copy is also no good.  At this point you may want to look into repairing Windows itself.

Only WindowBlinds itself. You'd have to uninstall the trial before installing the full version.  Other OD apps wouldn't be affected.

ok - I asked a friend of my on the help desk - and he "shhh don't tell anyone" got me a Win XP install disk. So I am doing the sfc command as I type this.

After that is done I will try once more of the clean uninstall - reboot - reclean - reboot again - etc. before trying to install from archive. Let's keep the fingers crossed.

I did have a help ticket, but since my subscription expired Anthony said he could no longer help me. I don't want you getting in trouble Shirley. But thanks for the expert advice.

Hmmm ... I wonder how many other users with ID# lower than 500 are still around?

Not a lot of 'em....it's been a decade, after all...;)

I feel old.

And I look old too - geez.

Ok - the saga of Einstein's work PC woes continues.

I finally got the sfc command to finish, so I decided to reboot right then.

When my PC came back, I opened SevenConfig.exe and clicked "About WindowBlinds" guess what, NO error message from Windows saying "the applicate encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience." But it still said that WindowBlinds wasn't installed correctly. So I went to open Impulse and do the uninstall thing.

BUT ... this is where my story takes an unexpected and frightful turn. Impulse.exe is now giving me the "Stardock Impuse has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience." (my foot - Microsoft is sorry like a crazy fox - but I digress)

So I tried to uninstall Impulse and noticed there was a "repair installation" option. Well, after running I am still getting the "We are sorry" bogus message.

So I am going to uninstall Impulse (hopefully I can remember my login info). And try again - hmmm, didn't I say something about 5 steps back for 1/2 step ahead. This is really starting to annoy me.

AAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

Well - the saga of poor old Einstein and the PC that wouldn't do squat continues.

I only have IE6 on my PC (because for the longest time that was all our internal web app would support) but it can now handle up to IE8 in compatibility mode. SO I tried to upgrade my IE because that is what Impulse recommends. That won't install correctly because there are some registry entries dealing with local security policy that are missing or corrupt or can't be modified (whatever).

So, even though I couldn't upgrade IE, I tried to install Impulse. It worked until it tried to update to the latest version. Then I kept getting the "Stardock Impulse has encountered a problem and needs to close ..." and it showed up like 4 times in a row. I just don't get it.

Apparently my local security policy is completely "borked" and I don't have a clue what when wrong or how to repair it. Any ideas?

Einy

Okay - something positive for once this week. I was able to upgrade to IE 8. It took a lot of searching, but I found that the security settings on some of my registry entries were messed up. Specifically those relating to my PC's Group Policy. I found a script on microsoft's site for a tiny utility called "SubInACL.exe" I created a script for it, and it was able to reset my PC security to something useful.

This was very good because several Scheduled Tasks that weren't able to run under my userid can now. This is good. So I did the install of IE 8, and it worked for once. This is also good. So I got brave and did the install of Impulse - initially it worked, but then .....

Impulse updated itself, and immediately crashed with the "We're sorry" message. Oh how frustrating.

Is this something Stardock support could help me with even though my subscription has expired?

Inquiring minds (like me) want to know - Einy