Re: XP theme missing

Hi william,

Bear with me, this is a long post, but there ought to be a solution in here
somewhere.

First, on Windows and buttons.

If you select a visual style other than Windows Classic, that style
determines the appearance of your menus, fonts, icons, and other Window
elements. Including Windows and buttons.

Windows and buttons
[[Lists the visual styles that are available for the theme that is currently
selected on the Themes tab. ]]

If you do this:
1. Open the display properties and then the Appearance tab.
2. Change Windows and buttons to Windows XP Style.
3. The color scheme will change to allow you to select the schemes Blue,
Olive and Silver.

Those are the only choices you get.

If you change Windows and buttons to Windows Classic style, you can change
the look of individual items, you also get way more colors under Color
scheme.

Having said all of that.

Windows and buttons

This fixes the Windows and buttons
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

Read the instructions at the top.
214. Windows/Buttons Greyed Out -Appearance

visualstylefix.reg is the file that you want.

If the Windows XP Style choice isn't available...
Visual styles are implemented by the Themes service. If the service isn't
running, Windows reverts to the classic Windows styles, which doesn't rely
on the Themes service.

To restore the Windows XP styles.
Open Services...
Start | Run | Type: services.msc | Click OK |
Scroll down to and double click Themes | Set to Automatic under Startup
type | Click the Start button | When Themes starts, close Services

This can also be caused because the Windows XP Luna theme is missing or
messed up.

Luna.theme belongs in C:\WINDOWS\Resources\Themes

187. Right hand side
Restore Luna Theme
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

If that doesn't fix the problem, open System Properties.
Right click My Computer | Properties | Advanced tab |
Under Performance, Settings button | Visual Effects tab
Select Use Visual Styles On Windows And Buttons | Apply | OK

If that doesn't do it, visit here...
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

Read the instructions at the top.

One of these ought to help.

187. Restore Themes Functionality

214. Right hand side
Windows XP Style Changes to Windows Classic

271. Stuck in Classic View? Undo Now

Unable to change Visual style of Windows and buttons
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555512

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In news:5A34CD1C-56DC-4A2A-A143-713549315F3C@xxxxxxxxxxxxx,
william <william@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> hunted and pecked:
file extensions were hidden...although i followed every step you gave me,i
still dont have a windows xp theme in the windows and buttons part.any
other ideas and thanks

"Wesley Vogel" wrote:

how do you check hide known extensions?

For the life of me, I do not know what Microsoft was thinking when they
set the default in Windows XP to HIDE file extensions.

As if this explains it: "Hides the last part of a file name, reducing
clutter in folder windows."

To show file extensions...
Start | Settings | Control Panel | Folder Options | View tab
UNCheck: Hide extensions for known file types |
Click Apply | Click OK

<quote>
For a variety of reasons you should make certain that your computer
always shows file extensions. Under Windows you can set the system to
hide extensions. This is dangerous as some malicious programs will send
executable files with a double extension in order to try to fool you into
thinking the file is not malicious. For example, if you receive the file
BADPROGRAM.TXT.VBS and have extensions turned off you would only see
BADPROGRAM.TXT and think that the file is a simple text file. If you
clicked on it you would execute a script that could do anything.
<quote>
from...
General Information about File Extensions
http://filext.com/info/showthread.php?t=35

------------

Before you look at Windows and buttons, look at the Theme.

Right click Desktop | Properties | Themes tab |
Is the XP theme in the Theme list? Then select it. If it isn't, start
the Themes service, see below.

Windows and buttons
[[Lists the visual styles that are available for the theme that is
currently selected on the Themes tab. ]]

If the Windows XP Style choice isn't available...
Visual styles are implemented by the Themes service. If the service
isn't running, Windows reverts to the classic Windows styles, which
doesn't rely on the Themes service.

To restore the Windows XP styles.
Open Services...
Start | Run | Type: services.msc | Click OK |
Scroll down to and double click Themes | Set to Automatic under Startup
type | Click the Start button | When Themes starts, close Services

If that doesn't fix the problem, open System Properties.
Right click My Computer | Properties | Advanced tab |
Under Performance, Settings button | Visual Effects tab
Select Use Visual Styles On Windows And Buttons | Apply | OK

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In news:C8750373-F2B4-4941-8B77-2CC91971000A@xxxxxxxxxxxxx,
william <william@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> hunted and pecked:
i have Luna and windows classic theme.how do you check hide known
extensions?

"NewScience" wrote:

Check what themes are in C:\Windows\Resources\Themes. Make sure you do
not have Hide known extensions turned on.

You should see Luna.theme, Windows Classic.Theme and possibly
Royal.theme (if you have it).

"william" <william@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:98FAF587-4F86-482F-8B25-25924060682D@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
hi,my computer has switched itself to windows classic theme.when i go
to appearance setting>windows and buttons the only option is windows
classic!!this is making me go nuts!!could somebody please tell me in
easy terms how to resolve this issue before i start banging my head of
walls.The
theme looks like windows 98 and is an ugly frustrating grey colour.i
just want my nice XP task bar back,i feel as if im in the 1990`s
here!! many thanks

.