Which method are you using?
 
There is the free lite version that TGTSoft offers as an alternative to XpStyle.
 
Then there is the other way of replacing the default uxtheme.dll with a hacked version. In this method you exclude the file from Xp's protected file list by editing the filelist.xml in the Windows>system32>Restore folder. That way when you replace it Xp ignores the fact that it's not original.
 
I have only ever used the second method, although I haven't installed the SP1 beta yet, as it is just that...a beta.

yeah i tried the uxtheme. But it mightve been the system file protection that was f-ing it up. I thought i got em all but i will edit the filelist.xml and then try again.
 
[EDIT]
Thx for the filelist.xml tip, that fixed the problem. I am now able to use all my skins again
[/EDIT]

Cool.
 
You're Welcome.

hmmm i wonder if that's why i couldn't patch my uxtheme.dll the other day on a non sp1 xp system....
 
i'll have to check that list....
anything special to view that xml file?

Ummm - you do know that when using that Uxtheme patch you have to replace both copies of it, right? If you want to use that patch the simplest way is to use the prog to create the patched .pat file then past the below commands into Notepad & save it as a batch file [put it somewhere convenient like your desktop] then reboot into safe mode & run the batch file.
 
[size:9]copy C:\WINDOWS\system32\uxtheme.dll C:\WINDOWS\system32\uxtheme.bak
copy /y C:\WINDOWS\system32\uxtheme.pat C:\WINDOWS\system32\uxtheme.dll
copy /y C:\WINDOWS\system32\uxtheme.dll C:\WINDOWS\system32\dllcache\uxtheme.dll
 
that ought to do it.
 
PS - When you do things this way you don't have to faff about with the file protection crap, because a) your doing it in Safe Mode, & because you're also replacing the backup of the file you're replacing that the file protection wotsit would check it against & replace it with.
 
<edit>
Not sure if the above code will come out right on other ppl's computers, but it's supposed to be 3 command lines.
</edit>

Quote:i'll have to check that list....
anything special to view that xml file?
Just unhide system files and edit.

Alien's method works just as well BTW. It's just a matter of personal preference and how you choose to deal with Windows File Protection in this instance.

It is harder in SP 1 because you have to replace the file on the service pack files, then the file in system32 then the DLLCache file. SO I just edited the filelist.xml and it worked fine.

What do you mean you have to change the file on the service pack files? I understand that installing SP1 might replace the file in question, but surely all you'd have to do to fix it again is run the patch & the batch file I detailed above? After SP1 has finished installing [i haven't tried it yet as I'm not a beta tester] surely there would only be 2 sources of the file - the system32 folder & the dllcache folder? Or am I missing something?
 
Also, unless SP1 includes a new version of the file, then how the hell is XP gonna find a copy of the unpatched uxtheme.dll file???

well the replaced system files instead of being taken from dllcache are taken from the ServicePackFiles\i386 directory so you have to look there before anyplace else.