I'm hoping that File Protection will give you a new copy of themeui.dll from your service pack install files.
SFC is a good idea. Please go ahead on it. BUT it often doesn't do the trick. So we may still need to do some digging and replace some files manually.
Last edited by Mosaic1; 2007-01-10 at 23:40.
Hi Mosaic,
Unfortunately it did not the trick. I reinstalled SP2 but it didn't help either
Tomorrow, I'll do some more diagnostics and see what files are accessed when I use display properties.
I take it you still can't register themeui.dll?
It would be a good idea to create a new folder somewhere on your system drive, even the desktop, for reports and apps I'll be asking you to use and generate.
I know there's a newer utility to replace regmon and filemon, but for now, I want you to use them to generate shorter reports.
It's very imortant you follow the directions as given or the report will be many Megabytes long, and therefore unmanageable.
We'll be generating several reports in the next few days as we monitor avtivity. Some will be very large.
-------------------------------------
Let's start with themeui.dll
If you still can't register themeui.dll, let's see if you are getting any access denied messages in the registry. We'll use Regmon for that.
Run Regmon.
Go to the toolbar and click on Options. From the options menu, click on Filter/Highlight.
When the dialog appears, in the include box type this:
Regsvr32
Then press ok.
Minimize regmon.
Go to start > run
Type
regsvr32 /i themeui.dll
Press enter.
After you get whatever message regsvr32 gives you, restore regmon and go to the file menu, and then save as:
Themeui Regmon
Save as type:
Regmon Data log.
Zip that and upload it into your next post please.
--------------------------------------
Next, we'll use filemon in the same way.
Download Filemon here:
http://download.sysinternals.com/Files/Filemon.zip
Unzip it.
Run Filemon. And do exactly as you did with Regmon. Set the filter.
Minimize Filemon.
Run regsvr32 /i themeui.dll
Press enter.
Restore Filemon.
Save the log as Themeui Filemon
Save as Type: Filemon Data Log.
Zip and upload into the next post.
------------
These two logs are going to show if access is denied to files or registry keys. Plus, filemon will give us a list of files accessed during your registration of themeui.dll.
This is a start. Later we'll monitor opening display properties and an attempted wallpaper change. Those logs will be considerably larger.
I need to know if renaming themeui.dll was allowed.
Do you run on NTFS or FAT32 file system?
If not sure, open my computer. Right click on the hard drive icon and click Porperties.
When the properties sheet comes up, look at what is listed next to
File system:
Let me know.
Hi Mosaic,
and many thx for your help.
Attachment 1181
Attachment 1182
I am using NTFS.
Renaming themeui.dll was successful but when I copied a fresh themeui.dll I was trying to rename the one back to its original name while I was trying to delete the other. Impossible. I had to cut and paste on of the two onto desktop where it still is, since I am unable to delete it.
I ran regomon and used the filter for 'display'
This is what I received below, among other things
5.34800911 rundll32.exe:3160 QueryValue HKCU\Control Panel\Appearance\DisplayThemesPage NOT FOUND
Hi Millslord,
You're welcome.
Don't leave a dll out on the desktop. Put it in a folder. DO that first and if successful, continue.Renaming themeui.dll was successful but when I copied a fresh themeui.dll I was trying to rename the one back to its original name while I was trying to delete the other. Impossible. I had to cut and paste on of the two onto desktop where it still is, since I am unable to delete it.
Check to see if you have themeui.dll in system32
Rename the copy of themeui.dll which is in system32.
Then wait a minute. Reopen the system32 folder and see if File protection has put a new copy of themeui.dll into system32.
This is a test of File protection.
Let me know.
I don't have that registry key or value either.
Plesae let's take this one step at a time . I realize that's hard, but otherwise this is going to become very confusing.
I don't want any logs yet. I want to see if file protection will replace themeui.dll
If it does, then try to register themeui.dll. If it won't register and you get an error, make a note of the error and then do the filemon and regmon routine again and post the new logs please.
Last edited by Mosaic1; 2007-01-11 at 20:02.
Will you try something please? I want to have File Protection replace another file. This probably won't do it, but it is one we should replace anyway.
Go to start >Run and type
Resources
Press enter.
This should open your Windows\resources folder
Click on the Themes folder.
Inside the themes folder, click on the Luna Folder.
Now right click on this file:
luna.msstyles
Choose rename.
Rename the file as oldluna.msstyles
Close up the folder. File protection should replace it.
Give it about 30 seconds. Now go back and be sure that along with the renamed file, you now have luna.msstyles in the folder. If not,then name oldluna.msstyles back to luna.msstyles
Otherwise, if you do, then Double click on this new copy of luna.msstyles
This will open display properties.
Can you change the wallpaper?
Let me know step by step how things go. What succeeded and what failed.
I want you to follow these instructions I give you one post at a time please.
Another file, and this is a big one, is uxtheme.dll
Find it in the system32 folder.
Rename it as olduxtheme.dll
Close system32 and wait about 30 seconds.
Reopen system32 and look to see if File Protection has put in a new copy of uxtheme.dll
If so, great. If not, rename olduxtheme.dll back.
Sometimes when trying to rename back, you'll get an error that the file already exists. That just means that File protection has finally kicked in and replaced the file. Then just do nothing. Forget about the renaming back. Don't panic or try to move the file you renamed. You can delete it if you like.
Just be sure that you don't restart until you have these files in place.
]
Once you have them, restart the computer. See if any of this helps.
There are a few more files to try later. And of course, the registry which is very important.
When you reinstalled Service Pack 2, did you first uninstall it?
And have you visited Windows Update? If not, you should do that as soon as possible.
Hi Mosaic,
Sorry for the delay in responding. I was away from PC.
Renaming files didn't help. File Protection failed to kick in in all instances.
No, I did not uninstall SP2 prior to reinstallation.
Windows Update is always on auto.
Thx
Mills
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