Windows XP changes its theme every time after reboot
Common reasons that cause this problem:
- Settings that can have influence on the selected theme are configured wrong.
- The Themes service is disabled or it's parameters/security/settings have been tampered with.
- Windows is not saving it's settings when it shuts down.
How to fix this:
Right click this link, then save it on your computer and execute it after.
savesettings.reg (archive.org cached copy)
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer] "NoSaveSettings"=dword:00000000
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run] "SystemTray"="SysTray.Exe"
[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\BagMRU] [-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\Bags]
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell] "BagMRU Size"=dword:00001f40
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam] "BagMRU Size"=dword:00001f40
Do the same things with this link.
restorethemes.reg (archive.org cached copy)
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System] "NoDispBackgroundPage"=dword:00000000 "NoDispScrSavPage"=dword:00000000 "NoColorChoice"=dword:00000000 "NoSizeChoice"=dword:00000000 "NoVisualStyleChoice"=dword:00000000 "SetVisualStyle"="C:\Windows\Resources\Themes\Luna.theme"
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Themes] "Type"=dword:00000020 "Start"=dword:00000002 "ErrorControl"=dword:00000001 "ImagePath"=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,\ 74,00,25,00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,73,\ 00,76,00,63,00,68,00,6f,00,73,00,74,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,20,00,2d,00,\ 6b,00,20,00,6e,00,65,00,74,00,73,00,76,00,63,00,73,00,00,00 "DisplayName"="Themes" "Group"="UIGroup" "ObjectName"="LocalSystem" "FailureActions"=hex:80,51,01,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,03,00,00,00,04,00,19,\ 00,01,00,00,00,60,ea,00,00,01,00,00,00,60,ea,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00 "Description"="Provides user experience theme management."
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Themes\Parameters] "ServiceDll"=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,\ 00,74,00,25,00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,\ 73,00,68,00,73,00,76,00,63,00,73,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,00,00 "ServiceMain"="ThemeServiceMain"
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Themes\Security] "Security"=hex:01,00,14,80,90,00,00,00,9c,00,00,00,14,00,00,00,30,00,00,00,02,\ 00,1c,00,01,00,00,00,02,80,14,00,ff,01,0f,00,01,01,00,00,00,00,00,01,00,00,\ 00,00,02,00,60,00,04,00,00,00,00,00,14,00,fd,01,02,00,01,01,00,00,00,00,00,\ 05,12,00,00,00,00,00,18,00,ff,01,0f,00,01,02,00,00,00,00,00,05,20,00,00,00,\ 20,02,00,00,00,00,14,00,8d,01,02,00,01,01,00,00,00,00,00,05,0b,00,00,00,00,\ 00,18,00,fd,01,02,00,01,02,00,00,00,00,00,05,20,00,00,00,23,02,00,00,01,01,\ 00,00,00,00,00,05,12,00,00,00,01,01,00,00,00,00,00,05,12,00,00,00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Themes\Enum] "0"="Root\LEGACY_THEMES\0000" "Count"=dword:00000001 "NextInstance"=dword:00000001
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer] "NoSaveSettings"=dword:00000000
Reboot your computer, set the theme right and reboot again.
- It should be fixed now.
The Registry files came from these sites:
- Kelly's Korner: XP Tweaks
- How to Fix Windows XP Theme Problems
Extra attempts:
- Check at My Computer/Properties/Advanced/Performance/Settings that both
"use visual styles on windows and buttons" and "use common tasks in folders" are checked. - http://www.softpedia.com/get/Desktop-Enhancements/Themes/RestoreXPthemes.shtml
- Try to replace the theme that is wrong by the one that is right in C:\Windows\Resources\Themes\
- If it still doesn't work, maybe creating a new user profile could fix this problem.