ObjectDesktop killed my steam games?

Help Please!

from Stardock Forums
Hi,

Only last night, I purchased ObjectDesktop.
I have installed the following programs with my Stardock.net subscription through Stardock Central:
-IconPackager
-ObjectBar
-Desktop Gadgets
-DesktopX
-IconDeveloper
-IconX
-SkinStudio Professional
-ThemeManager
-WindowBlinds
-WindowFX

I have all the latest release versions installed.. no BETAS.
Since installing these apps last night, none of my Steam games work (such as HL2 Deathmatch, CS:S etc). If I load steam, go into my Games menu, select a game, I get the "Preparing to play
11,495 views 16 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Try unloading one SD app at a time, starting with WinFX and see if your games will then start. If you have all those things running in the background, it's very possible one or more of them are interfering.
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I have seen a thread on this in the past. Werewolf is right. Don't have all that stuff loaded when you want to play games. That should take care of it.
Ashes of the Singularity II
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
IconPackager doesn't run in the background.
I don't think SkinStudio, IconDeveloper, or IconX would cause this.

My main suspects would be WindowBlinds (open the config dialog > per app settings, and exclude all your steam games) WinFX, and or DX.

Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top
Thanks all for the reply.

Since my first message, I've stopped everything running in the background, but I still get the same result.

The odd thing is, I've even uninstalled everything and none of the games would work, yet they worked before I installed ObjectDesktop.

I've also tried your suggestion Koasati, regarding excluding the steam games in WB and this still doesn't seem to help. The strange thing is, I've also posted about this on the steam forums and there are people who are having no problems with their steam games and objectdesktop, but OD is the only thing I've installed since my games were working, so I'm a bit confused as to why this is happening now.
Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top
OK, I've found out the cause of this... ICONPACKAGER 3.00.090.......

Since my last post, I've totally reformatted, then I've been installing One ODNT application, then rebooting, then testing computer, then installing next application, rebooting, testing etc.

I only get the problems after the latest release of IconPackager (v3.00.090) has been installed.

I think it would be a very good idea for stardock to fix this ASAP, i've spent literally hours over the past couple of days messing around, almost getting a refund at one point when the problem is caused by only one of the applications.

Fortunately, I took the time to test the computer with the different programs, I had half suspected it to be IconPackager, after reading someone elses post on here about a program not loading after installing this.

Is there anywhere I can find the changelogs for IconPackager, so that when a new version is released I can find out if this problem has been corrected before I install it?

Thanks..
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I just read about the installation of IP 3 causing big problems for some folks, and thought I'd pass the info along, but I see you've already tracked it down.

Is there anywhere I can find the changelogs for IconPackager, so that when a new version is released I can find out if this problem has been corrected before I install it?

In Stardock Central, when you highlight a program in the OD list, you can click the "History" link to read the changelog.

Reply #7 from Stardock Forums Top
In Stardock Central, when you highlight a program in the OD list, you can click the "History" link to read the changelog.


Great

Thanks very much
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I have had the same problem and i figured out its the iprepair.dll in iconpackager. I had to uninstall Iconpackager and then search the registry and delete all instances of iprepair.dll then reboot. After that everything works fine!! I have even reinstalled Iconpackager but before i rebooted i deleted all instances of iprepair.dll and everything still works but i know by doing that Iconpackager more than likely won't work right. I have even renamed iprepair.dll before rebooting and left Iconpackger installed and everything still works. So on my computer iprepair.dll is the problem. Hope it works for you!! I have sent the problem to stardock but so far i have not got a reply from them.
Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I have sent the problem to stardock but so far i have not got a reply from them

That'll be mainly due to it being the July 4 long weekend [most likely]...

Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Hi Rupert Allen!

RandyMck2003's tip worked perfectly for me when I today installed Icon Packager 3.00.090 and got the same problem you describe with running Steam games.

I uninstalled Icon Packager and all instances of iprepair.dll from the registry and rebooted.

After that HL2 works again.
Reply #11 from Stardock Forums Top

I think we found and fixed this over the holiday weekend. It wasn't showing up for everyone, but some people reported being unable to drag items around on ObjectDock.

The fix is an updated iprepair.dll that's part of IP 3.00a (which I've made available via Stardock Central or use the page at stardock.com/support to be resent the full download link). You'll need a reboot after installing it.

Failing that, Start / Run / regsvr32.exe /u "c:\program files\stardock\object desktop\iconpackager\iprepair.dll" would work around it, but then you wouldn't have the custom icons you've applied displayed inside other apps (where possible).

Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Hi Nakor,

I've tried the new 3.00a version of IconPackager both on my computer, after removing the old version - and on a clean computer and I still get the same problems as described in my first post.

I haven't tried your suggest of: Start / Run / regsvr32.exe /u "c:\program files\stardock\object desktop\iconpackager\iprepair.dll"

But I assume that's only a temporary fix? It's unfortunate that I can't get access to version 2.5 as from what I can gather, than version doesn't seem to have these problems.

Thanks.
Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Rupert Allen:

Check out my "problem thread" and what fixed it for me:

https://www.wincustomize.com/Forums.aspx?ForumID=165&AID=80246#615152
Reply #14 from Stardock Forums Top
Try going into Iconpackager and disabling the option to Repair Shell Icons on the Tools pulldown menu. I started noticing certain programs that wouldn't launch on my machine anymore since installing Iconpackager 3.0 (such as NTBACKUP, Quicken 2005, and Snagit). Doing this fixed all the problems I was experiencing and saved me hours of reformatting and rebuilding my machines.

There are definitely some major compatibility issues with Iconpackager that need to be fixed.

Dave
Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top
It's really odd that when uninstalling applications like IconPackager,
iprepair.dll is not uninstalled with it but continues to run in the
background.
Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top
As cvilledave points out, disabling the Repair Shell Icons option is probably the best way to be able to run your Steam games while having IconPackager installed.

Hopefully Stardock will fix the bad iprepair.dll behavior soon.