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Feb. 7th, 2007

04:42 pm - Stupid *&(%^& Windows

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OK, how do I tell Windows XP ONCE AND FOR ALL that I want to use the "Windows Classic" theme (the one with the square grey edges) and NOT the "Windows Classic (Modified)" theme (the one with the rubbery blue edges with rounded-off corners)? I'm tired of having to reset it EVERY *(&%$$& TIME I boot up this computer.

(And do not bother me with "get a Mac" or "use Linux". Such comments will be considered unfunny, unamusing, and worst of all unhelpful. It's like telling someone who's asking how to calculate sales tax "move to Canada" or something. All he needs is a calculator!)

(That is to say, I've put a lot of work into getting everything on this computer how I like it and where I want it. I'm not throwing it out just because you think Macs are better. This does not preclude my someday maybe getting a Mac or something, just NOT NOW.)

Current Mood: annoyedannoyed
Current Music: Barenaked Ladies - Bank Job
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Comments:

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From:kinkyturtle
Date:February 7th, 2007 08:03 pm (UTC)
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Start > Turn off computer > Turn off

Why, has Microsoft redefined that too? >:P
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From:nevermint
Date:February 7th, 2007 07:52 pm (UTC)
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Why fight it. Windows owns your soul.
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From:kinkyturtle
Date:February 7th, 2007 07:59 pm (UTC)
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The hell it does. Pie owns my soul. Windows wants my soul, it's gonna hafta go through pie first!!! And lemme tell ya, pie does not give up without a knock-down, drawn-out, protracted, bloody, six-o-clock-news Liston-vs-Davy-Jones fight!
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From:zeek_hedgehog
Date:February 7th, 2007 07:53 pm (UTC)
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Are you making sure to click apply and not just ok?
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From:kinkyturtle
Date:February 7th, 2007 07:56 pm (UTC)
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No, because that doesn't make sense. Do I really need to click "Apply"? If so, that's stupid and nonintuitive. I thought I didn't need to click "Apply" as long as I click "OK" when I'm done fiddling.
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From:yakko
Date:February 7th, 2007 08:41 pm (UTC)
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Argh... OK implies Apply. Or it should. If it ever doesn't, whoever made the app needs to be beaten.
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From:typographer
Date:February 7th, 2007 08:05 pm (UTC)
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I had a similar problem occasionally, and eventually fixed it, but I don't remember how. My vague impression of a recollection is that it was something stupid like needing to click both OK and Apply, not just one or the other.

And my current answer to the "get a MAC" or "use Linux") is, "I didn't ask for help for either of my Macs or for my Linux box. I was asking for help with one of my XP boxes."
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From:yakko
Date:February 7th, 2007 08:38 pm (UTC)
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I've had this problem so often that I've resorted to the following:

1) turn off the welcome screen (this is optional; if you don't have the machine login, ignore this)
2) set everything up the way I want it (change the theme to Windows Classic, then set the colors, background, screen saver, mouse cursors, etc.)
3) set up my sounds. Save the sound scheme.
4) save the THEME (Display Properties, Themes tab, Save As...) and make sure it's set to the theme I just saved
5) I never have to screw with the theme again. Hopefully.

I've been so annoyed with this that I've resorted to naming the scheme and theme things that start with "dontfuckwithmy"

If you set the theme to "Windows Classic" then change some other settings (as above), it'll become "(modified)".
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From:gedrean
Date:February 7th, 2007 08:48 pm (UTC)
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So your issue is that the strange theme resets itself on every startup. Have you tried saving your Windows Classic (with whatever minor changes) as a new theme and using that?
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From:siege
Date:February 16th, 2007 07:00 pm (UTC)
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Could be a remote account problem (loading settings from a locked profile elsewhere), could be some sort of "helper" application is trying to restore things to what it thinks they ought to be.

See what's starting up when Windows starts up, and poke at that stuff.
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From:b_phil
Date:February 16th, 2007 06:55 pm (UTC)
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So, if you don't want to hear "Get a Mac" or "Use Linux", how about "Use AmigaOS"? I think they still make that... :*D

I tried Linux once, just to see what the big deal was. Didn't like it, and whenever I had problems with it, the vast majority of the Linux people I tried to ask for help refused to help me, so I went back to Windows.

I used a Mac for a while with OSX, and discovered that it manifested all the problems that the Mac fanboys keep telling me that Windows is supposed to have (and that, yet, I don't have with Windows). Go figure. :*D
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From:iosef
Date:February 16th, 2007 11:20 pm (UTC)
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I think that I used "Tweak-XP" but I'm not sure.... it was a few years ago.
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From:stratosfyr
Date:February 19th, 2007 11:52 pm (UTC)
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Tweak UI.
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