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Help!! WB is messing up my computer!! (with screenshots)

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Help!! WB is messing up my computer!! (with screenshots)

I don't know what to do anymore... I tried everything!

from WinCustomize Forums

I have been using WB5 for about 4 days now and I haven't gotten any types of errors, whatsoever, up until a few hours ago.. I didn't even do a thing! I was using Mormegil's ChristmasTime theme (and ran it for 4 days without errors), then when I decided to come to WinCustomize.com to browse for new Objects and such, my computer hung up on me! I don't know if that had anything to do with my visiting wincustomize.com, but it couldn't have been a virus or a spyware because I just performed a general maintenance on my computer a few hours earlier (and I have been doing that since January).. Then I restarted my computer using the button on my CPU and when I entered my Windows XP account, the entire "start" bar below (the whole thing, not just the start button, but the entire bar -- sorry, i have no idea what it's called) didn't even show up! The only thing that showed up was the digital clock, and that's it.. Ok, hold on.. I don't know where I'm going anymore. I think it's better if I just show you a screenshot and maybe you can just help me out and tell me what's wrong (also, I tried uninstalling+re-installing WB5, but apparently, that didn't fix my problem)..

http://tinypic.com/ionkf5.jpg

That's my whole screen.. No "start button" and the entire "bar" at the bottom of the screen is messed up! WB also got rid of my Windows XP theme.. I tried accessing through desktop/right-click/bah blah but then that didn't work.. all it's showing me is nothing (sorry, I'm really, really sleepy and i have been trying to fix this problem since 5 PM (and now it's about (9:00).. so, that should explain why my grammar is skewed. i haven't even eaten yet!) I tried righ clicking on "My Computer" and going to "Manage" / "Services" / etc. (as one poster explained in another thread), but that didn't work -- it didn't bring my Windows XP theme back..

Please help me! I am totally clueless about what's going on! And once again, excuse the grammar. I'm typing this up real fast because I'm about to collapse.. I really hope you guys can help me! Please!

Moderator Note:

This issue is caused by the cracked version of WindowBlinds.  Don't run the cracked version of WindowBlinds and this won't happen.

windowblinds
113,738 views 394 replies
Reply #226 from Stardock Forums Top
no problem -where should i sent it?
Reply #227 from WinCustomize Forums Top
c242-AT-neurobeat.net
Elemental: Reforged
Reply #228 from WinCustomize Forums Top
i'm curious as to what programs vanilla ice has developed, too. i may want to buy the stuff. one never knows. and that headshoto guy is a real peach, isn't he?
Reply #229 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Neclkekitoid: Well I use WB on MCE 2005, so it has no problems with that OS.

I have also tested it with Adobe Photoshop, Corel Draw and some of the macromedia apps without issues.  Never tried Cinema 4D though.

Your best bet is to try the trial.  Worst case, you dislike it and just uninstall it.

Reply #230 from WinCustomize Forums Top
don't use the cracked version

yeah right, like you didn't know what would happen after a certain date... But it's better to play dumb then stand chance of littigation i guess.

I get the distict feeling like you are hiding something. And it ain't pretty.

Whatever Vanillla might be or do, he does have a point that its not right to mess up peoples computers if they use cracked software (and i dont believe the harmful part is in the crack, but the boobytrap is in your software).
Reply #231 from WinCustomize Forums Top


this is better than drama TV
Reply #232 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Is it my imagination or did IQ levels drop sharply while I was away...
Reply #233 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Fuzzy pulls up a chair...

Reply #234 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Whatever Vanillla might be or do, he does have a point that its not right to mess up peoples computers if they use cracked software (and i dont believe the harmful part is in the crack, but the boobytrap is in your software).

 

The moral indignation of thieves is always interesting. 

I like the part how WE messed with people's computers. They apply a warez patch to a system wide desktop enhancement that causes WB to be unable to paint when a redundancy activation check comes on and it's our fault.

Reply #236 from WinCustomize Forums Top
What I don't understand is why people who pirate software come to complain in the softwares forums about how they can't use their pirated version. Where's the logic in that ?
Reply #237 from WinCustomize Forums Top
There is no logic, that's the point. The fact what they are doing is wrong is beyond their comprehension. It's like talking to the hand...
Reply #238 from WinCustomize Forums Top
So, dus n e 1 no were u can get a warez Ferrari?


I really find it harder to read this kind of shorthand talk than just bad englisch. Not picking on you, Fuzzy, I know your level of intelligence permits a higher degree of articulation than what you used here. Just ercks me to have to read this from the "crackers". Just shows what is going on in schools: not much learning.
Reply #239 from WinCustomize Forums Top
semi-new OS like WinXP MCE2005


My uncle uses MCE, and all works well.
Reply #240 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Reply #241 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Whatever Vanillla might be or do, he does have a point that its not right to mess up peoples computers if they use cracked software (and i dont believe the harmful part is in the crack, but the boobytrap is in your software).


That's like a felon beating a cop to death while trying to flee and gets a broken arm which he then sues the police department for. I don't like your morals, that's my opinion.
Reply #243 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Yeah, gimme some kettle-corn!
Reply #244 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Did you notice Stardock try to postrate you to some of the skins to buy it when you purchase WindowBlinds 5? $9.99! Come on! I hope in future they don't plan on selling their skins. It's bad enough I have to paid subription fees to download skins now. The skin they are trying to sell is not even that good. Imagine if no author are like that. I fear for the future of this product then. I think they trying to charge money everyway they can now. That's why I think they are greedy. I'm wasting too much money on them already.


I'm not sure if you've noticed, but there are over 3,700 free skins just here on this site...and you're complaining how a few skins are labeled "premium" and you need to pay for them? Usually, it seems like some of the top skinners (Essorant, I believe, is one) bundle some skins for sale...what's wrong with getting paid a VERY small amount for all the hard work they put into this???

So, let's see, out of 3,700 skins, even if you're VERY picky and only find 1% acceptable, that still leaves you with 37 gratis skins (more than enough to switch every day for a month).

Regarding the subscription fees, c'mon...$20 for unlimited d/l + some other benefits? Would you run a website that consumes so many resources (bandwidth, employee time, etc) for absolutely free for everyone? Hope your pockets are deep I think a case could be made for your greediness here, as well. Just my $0.02. Cheers!
Reply #245 from WinCustomize Forums Top
daelyn, no sense in trying to talk sense into 'em. The senseless act of posting help wanted in support forums for cracked software is beyond my comprehension.
Reply #246 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Stupid is as stupid does.
Reply #247 from WinCustomize Forums Top
daelyn, no sense in trying to talk sense into 'em. The senseless act of posting help wanted in support forums for cracked software is beyond my comprehension.


Yeah, I know...it just gets frustrating seeing some of these comments! I'm sure many of us feel the same way. Stardock makes the only software I feel like I must purchase (besides Windows itself). Some may disagree, but as an OD customer, I consistently find that their software "just works" (for me, anyway)....never had a lick of problems. The benefits brought to me is well worth the little $$$ they charge...$20-$50 for software? Software I use as much as I use the computer itself? I paid ~$100 for my Nero, and use it much less. Then when the jacka**es come attacking, just kinda gets the blood boiling
Reply #248 from WinCustomize Forums Top
frogboy, you may very well be right. the crack could have been the cause, not some intentional revenge code put in by stardock. i don't know how you programmed the thing so obviously i can't say. but i would think the painting code and the activation code would have to be intertwined fairly well in order for altering one to affect the other.

for anyone who is curious about what i program, i'll tell ya. the most warezed one is called Bash HTML Editor. it's $14.95 and i do happen to think it's the best html editor there is. i run several sites and use it constantly so it has to meet my own needs, which is why it's under constant development (50+ versions released) even if i don't sell any. i've sold only a handful of copies, yet have about 600KB of names and IPS of piraters. and obviously it's not that they just don't want to use the program, because i was getting the same names appearing over and over and over as they re-enter a serial everytime the program catches em and un-registers the app.
sure i'd like to make money off of it consider the ungodly amount of time i have spent making it over the past few years, but the fact is most people won't pay for software.
to me tho it's not hypocritical to try to be downloading warez from the same sites that post warez of my own software, because i'm not targeting the piraters. i change up serial routines and log IPs, but it's more of a game than a war. with my latest program, Install-Block (does as it sounds, prevents all installations, by kids, employees, etc, a well as blocking anything else you want), tho i knew i couldn't simply use a serial-protection, and instead develop two vesions of the program: the trial, and the full version. rather that has anything to do with it or not, i sell this program on a frequent basis. cracks have been made, but they haven't kept up with the latest releases.
my other two programs have also had keygens made, but i admit those programs aren't real good anyways and plan on giving them out free sometime soon. (tho $9.95 and $4.95 aren't exactly breaking the bank)

but anyways, no i'm not a big-time developer with millions of dollars in sales to try to protect (or even thousands) but i can see both sides in the argument. and rather the problems that are happening were caused by the crack itself or simply the use of the crack, i don't see how someone can say that piraters deserve for their systems to be fried, etc. do they/we deserve for the pirated software not to work? sure. do people who run crack databases, or employees at games companies who make copies before it even hits stores deserve punishment? yeah. but i don't think the end user has done enough to warrant anything like that.
Reply #249 from Stardock Forums Top

Thanks Neil and Scorpio-logic for your replies.  I've read plenty of posts and threads on this board to understand the warez version is not the way to go...lol.  As this seems to be the major ongoing topic. 


The thing I don't understand is why would people use a warez or cracked version of WB on their computer, when it will directly affect their ability to run windows? 


...silly humans.

Reply #250 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I consistently find that their software "just works"


ditto. Even works on an old pentium 2 laptop with 8 mb shared video! Don't know...

I have dabbled in warez before. There was two programs in which I had a particular interest and I happened onto a newsgroup that had cracks for them. It was a bad idea to use them. A clean install and formatting was needed to get rid of the problems that were incurred.

I agree, daelyn, what is $20-$50 for software these days? And it all comes with good support, if you ask the right questions, in the form of forums AND email. And where else do you see the actual people who wrote the software coming into forums and reading and trying hard to replicate your problems in order to fix them?

I can only shrug in ignorance as to what goes on in those itty-bitty minds...