I though I would make an effort to start a thread that can be one stop resources for new LS users experiancing common problems. It would be good if discussions did not occur in this thread to make it a cleaner resource. If enough people contribute to it then maybe it can be compiled for the Docs section of ls.net.

TITLE: When changing themes the theme does not appear

SYMPTOMS:
When you change themes using LSTS the theme does not appear and you can only see a wallpaper.

CAUSE:
The problem may occur if the theme was not distributed with a .thm file and you have an earlier version of LiteStep Theme Switcher (LSTS) installed. This LSTS will attempt to create a .thm file for the theme if one is not present. The .thm file contains a reference to the themes step.rc file but this version of LSTS spells the file name incorrectly.

RESOLUTION:
To change back to a theme that will work such as Simplicity follow these steps.
1. Press Ctrl+Alt+F1.
2. Go to Utilities > LiteStep Control Panel.
3. In the left hand pane select Theme Switcher, in the right hand pane select Simplicity then click the Switch Theme button.

If you are unable to change themes using the above method and you are using an NT based version of Windows do the following.
1. Press Ctrl+Alt+Del and open the Task Manager.
2. Select the Processes tab then from the list of Image Names select litestep.exe then click the End Process button.
3. Select the Applications tab then click on File > New Task (run...).
4. In the Open text box of the Create New Task window, type explorer and click OK
5. In Windows Explorer navigate to C:\LiteStep\, where C:\LiteStep is the drive and folder in which LiteStep is installed.
6. Open the step.rc file and modify it's contents to match the same as this...

7. Save and close the file.
8. From in Windows Explorer double click on litestep.exe

To fix the cause of the problem and correct the .thm file do the following.
1. Download and install the fixed LSTS from http://charliehamster.co.uk/litestep.html.
2. Open the LSTS from Popup > LiteStep > Change Theme > LSTS.
3. Hover the mouse over the theme you had attempted to change to to select it then click the Edit Settings button.
4. Under the Theme Info tab make sure the Step text box has step.rc in it. If it doesn't, change it and click OK.
5. Click the Select button to change to that theme.

Note: Steps 2 to 5 can be performed without the fixed LSTS but installing the fixed LSTS will prevent this problem from occuring in the future.

Please let me know if there are any mistakes in this post.

*yeah, that's exactly what I ment in the last thread :D*

TITLE:$LitestepDir$$rcStep$ initialize error

SYMPTOMS:
When switching into another Theme you get a message box which says that the $LitestepDir$$rcStep$ couldn't be initialized. Sometimes the theme doesn't start and you see only a wallpaper.

CAUSE:
LSTS is the cause, on installing an new LSTS, the registry keys of LSTS were not updatet, and so it makes that kind of problem.

RESOLUTION:
1. Be sure that you have an opend Windows Explorer and take care that Litestep is not running, if it does, Press
CTRL + ALT + F1 and Quit Litestep
2. Take a look in your Personal.rc file "x:\litetep\Personal\Personal.rc" if LSTS also wrote evar which contains $litestepDir$$rcStep$ and delate or uncomment this line.
3. Delete the version of LSTS.exe and replace it with another version (can get it from http://charliehamster.co.uk/litestep.html).
4. Open now the LSCP.exe in your Litestep Folder and Enter in the Execute Line RegEdit.exe.
5. Browse through your registry to this line:
[code]
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Litestep\
[code]
Here you'll find a Folder Called LSTS.
6. Delete the LSTS Folder out of your Registry
7. Close The RegEdit Editor.
8. Start the "new" LSTS.exe in your Litestep Folder and it will rewrite now the fixed registry keys back.
9. Choose a Theme in LSTS and Litestep will automaticly restart


*have an nice troublefree day*

TITLE: Where is my popup and my hotkeys????

SYMPTOMS:
A new Theme, a new Themer and no popup on rightclick?

CAUSE:
The Personal.rc is not includet in the theme

RESOLUTION:
1. If the Theme has got an LSXCommand enter in there explorer.exe, else press CTRL + ALT + F1 andececute the Run to enter Expolrer.exe
2. Go into your Themefolder (eg: c:\Litestep\Themes\Simplicity\) and open in there the Step.rc with any of your Text Editor (Notpad, Word, Open Office, SuperEdi.....)
3. Near at the lines with the }LoadModule has to be a line called:

If you can't find this line, write it On Top of the Step.rc and Save the file. Now Recycle your Theme STRL + ALT + F1 and Recycle Theme.

Note: It is possible to wirte the include line into the Main Step.rc in your Litestep Folder (eg: c:\Litestep\) above the line:

so it will be in every theme includet without the problem that you don't have your Hotkeys ot popup menu.

The LiteStep FAQ: http://lsfaq.shellfront.org/
You can even submit your own entries. :p

The LiteStep Knowledge Base: http://wuzzle.org/list/litestep.php ;)

TITLE: Can't Work Right After Windwos Update??

SYMPTOMS:
After a Windows Update You can't work right or just surf through the Internet.

CAUSE:
Windows did NOT Update all files when Litestep is set as Shell!!!!

RESOLUTION:
After Installing the Windows Update:
1. Reboot
2. Open the LSTS *x:\Litestep\LSTS.exe* and press on bottom of the programm the Explorer Button.
3. Now Litestep will Quit and starts your Explorer Shell without uninstalling
4. The System Update will now complete their Work.
5. Press the Start button in the Taskbar and choose Logoff. After you have logged in back you'll have your Litestep back and no problems with browsing or performance.


Have Fun And Good Work

Anyone wishing to update this thread with usefull information, please send an email to the webmaster. Thank you

TITLE: When changing themes the new wallpaper does not appear

SYMPTOMS:
When you change themes the wallpaper you found in the screenshot did not appear.

CAUSE:
This problem often occurs when theme designers do not include the wallpaper in their theme.

RESOLUTION:
Check and see if the readme tells you where to find the wallpaper. Many times theme designers do not include wallpaper images because of their size but do provide a link in the theme documentation. Also check the misc folder. If an OTS2 theme is not configured properly it will not automatically change the wallpaper for you. If you find the wallpaper in the misc folder set it as you normally would using the explorer shell.

TITLE: My machine runs slow now that I have LiteStep

SYMPTOMS: Since I installed LiteStep my machine runs really slow and svchost.exe is taking up all my CPU.

CAUSE: Because explroer is not running as your primary shell Windows Update can't notify you of outstanding patches. This causes windows to continue to try via the Windows Update Service using 100% of your CPU.

RESOLUTION: Go to Windows Update and install all missing security patches; or disable the Windows Update service.