hi.
I have had litestep for about a week now.
I downloaded about a dozen themes, checked them all out. liked what I saw so I choose one for my starting point and started playing.
I have spent days reading the forums, the readme's and everything else i could get my hands on.
My modifications were coming along fine but i wanted some more features, so I downloaded two more themes that featured what i wanted so i could learn how they work.
One of these themes must have buggered something up as everytime i change themes or recycle i get about 25 error messages along the lines of IconDir not defined.
as well as this the computer locks for about a min when trying to explore or open a file, dudring this time the window styles go from XP Style to Classic style and sometimes back again.
now i could have spent the afternoon looking into this and probably have found out how to fix it - but i had work to do.
So i deleted the offending themes - but no my machine will not boot into wondows at all.
I wish to know what i have to change/delete using the recovery console in order to get explorer back as my shell.
I am sure this information is on the website, and i know how to use a search button (when they work!)
Unfortunately i cannot use google to search the forums either due to the dynamic pages.
This is a great little program, and many people who see it will want to try it straight away.
Why not fix the search feature and doc's button and i'm sure you won't get as many simple questions that are easily answered on the forum.
Chris
if you provide a little more information, it will be easier to help you, for instance what OS you're using and which themes...
Using XP Pro SP2.
The last two themes i tried were mo7 and complex_simplicity.
I deleted them as i hadn't really any time to sort out the error messages at the moment.
For now I just want to change the setting that tells windows to load the litestep shell.
I have my changed .rc's that worked fine before installing the last two themes so I can get back to where I was pretty quickly.
But for now i just need to be able to do some work, so manually getting rid of it would be good.
I'll re-install it again at another point.
Chris
I sorted it by deleting or returning to default the registry keys found here.
http://wiki.litestep.com/LiteStep:Installation.
When changing evrything back i noticed i had 2 DWORDs with the name DesktopProcess and a value of 1 in
"HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer"
but none in "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced"
Would this have caused a problem?
Chris
you could have just run the shortcut in your LiteStep directory that resets back to the default theme. From there you should have been able to load one of your working themes just fine.
Complex_Simplicity is the problem. Don't uninstall LS.
Complex_Simplicity gives you a custom popup option, and when enabled, it edits personal\popup.rc. You will see several lines this file before the main popup itself. Remove tham and you should be fine.
AFAIK, a new version of the theme, with this done in a manner that does not break anything, has not yet been released.
If there are more problems, note that you can re-install LS over the top of itself. Doing so, with Omar's Installer, will not replace themes or modules (but will replace non-theme config files).
Don't worry - i'm not going to uninstall LS.
I think it's an amazing program.
I just needed to get my box'o'shite running quickly to do some work.
thanks for all the help.
Chris
Why not just use the "Set Explorer/Litestep as Shell" shortcuts in the programs menu that gets put there when you install Litestep?
Because as mentioned my windows would not fully boot up.
It would get to the loading screen and lock up.
Therefore you could not click on these shortcuts.
I call myself skilled at computing, and have tackled programs more complex than this. but obviously sometimes things can wrong as I have discovered due to a badly made theme.
I think these instructions on how to set explorer back to the shell when your computer won't boot should be featured more prominently on the site.
Especially as the docs and search feature continue not to work.
Chris
As mentioned in your 3rd post, you fixed your problem by editing your registry ("I sorted it by deleting or returning to default the registry keys"). How did you edit your registry outside of being able to boot windows? As I mentioned, you could have used the shortcuts instead.
Xcal
As already stated my machine would not boot into windows.
It would lock on the 'loading your personal settings' screen.
It would not boot into windows, there was no desktop, there was no shortcuts to click on.
I do not know why you choose not to believe me, i have no reason to lie.
I managed to sort it by ctrl-alt-del to bring up the Task Manager, then File>Run 'Regedit'
A less experinced user would not have know how to do this - that's why i am posting here - to help people (isn't that what forums are for...)
Do not take it personally - i have not blamed Litestep in any way and continue to use it.
I just thought posting the information here is of more help to newbies than telling them to search for the answer when there is no way to search the site.
Chris.
xcal is saying when you went to Task manager and ran regedit you could have gone in and run the shortcut instead. Thats all...just trying to show you an easier way of doing things.
I never said I didn't believe you... I was saying there was an alternate solution - also useful (and easier) information for the newbies.
DeV nailed what I meant. If you got to your registry, you could have got to your shortcuts. A more experienced user would have known that.
Glad someone found it funny.
After reinstalling litestep I am still having the problem that my pc freezes for approx 10 - 15 seconds sometimes and my windows change back to classic mode then back to XP mode.
When explorer is set as shell then there's no problem.
Anyone ever heard of this before?
Chris.
Upgrade the build to rc3. If that doesn't work disable your virus scan and see if it boots in.
" windows change back to classic mode then back to XP mode."
I think this happens when you logon yes?
There is the default VisualStyle (XP mode) used for the logon screen,
then it changes to your classic colors,
then adds your VisualStyle.
its normal.
Nope - not when I logon.
My machine tends to be on 24/7 as a rule - obviously I do switch off / reboot sometimes, but it normally happens at any time - i could have been using the computer for an hour and then I go to do something - copy/paste or maximise Outlook to check my mail and it will freeze for while - the current window will be XP Style (Curved edges, red close box etc) then it will go classic style (straight corners, no colours) then after 10/15 seconds it will go back and un freeze.
I upgraded to RC3 last night so will let you know if that fixes it. I'm out today so will try it tonight when i get in.
Chris.
damn!
What OS you running?
sound like hardware or something.... NOT the shell.
LS has nothing to do with any of that crap.
I'm on Win XP Pro SP2
It never happens if Explorer is set as the shell.
As it happens I should be totally reinstalling Windows tonight as i've recently ordered a new mobo, cpu, mem and gfx card.
They should arrive today so we'll see if it still does it then. I doubt it will - no one else seems to have this problem so i guess it's most likey cause is something in my Windows installation interfering with it. - I just posted in case some one had had this problem before and could point me in the right direction.
Chris
as for the Litestep issue, I agree, it was probably just a bad theme. let LS back as the shell, and just choose a different one. The errors you were describing (referring to icondir) suggests the theme is missing some var's, or the var's are hardcoded to a specific dir, or something along those lines. try a different theme, and it should be all set. as for the visual style problem...now that's just WEIRD. I've never seen anything like that. and if I do, i'll probably run away screaming like a little girl. dman haunted PC's freak me out every time...