Is patching the uxtheme.dll illegal?

[JJMustang]

I've heard MS don't mind. Anyway, for alternatives for .msstyles there's WindowBlinds.

I prefer .msstyles tbh :/

[bringing back dead posts here, eh?]

MS probably doesn't mind. But you need to look at it from MS's perspective.

If they open up custom themes, someone could embed malicious code into a .msstyle. That's why only MS Signed themes work (i.e., Luna and Royale). By not opening them up, they cut out possible areas of attack.

If you modify it and get attacked by viruses or other malicious code, then that's your fault, your problem, and MS isn't going to help you.

:-)

[metallithrax]

As I see it, the making of the patch was illegal (reverse engineering), but does that make the use of the patch illegal as the users are not reverse engineering anything?

[leesmithg]

I think M$ don't give a stuff unless it cost them monies.

Not like you are running an illegal version of XP (yeah some are I know).

There is an update they recently released can't remember it's KB NO-, it changes .dll file so I have to reapply the uxtheme patch.

[Ji@nBing]

Who cares if it is or not? What are they gonna do?

[metallithrax]

The OP obviously does care if it is or not.

[Zimmedon]

This would be the least of problems, if one at all (which isn't imo)

I'm sure Microsoft has better things to worry about such as WGA, OGA, Anti-Piracy, Windows Vista and other services (one being www.live.com)

There is an alternative to uxtheme.dll which is Window Blinds which uses it's own skinning engine. Down side is, it's 20 bucks for the enhanced version. The public version is a 30-day trial with limitations. Anyways, hope this helps.

[dbpvr]

Microsoft Site

To do the patch, the patch maker as disassembled the DLL...

I say this becuse you need to open the DLL in a HexEditor and change some strings...

- At offset 0x00009C27, change "02" to "00";
- At offset 0x0000B624 to 0x0000B629, change the string "0F 8C 80 00 00 00" to
"90 90 90 90 90 90";
- At offset 0x0000B6BB to 0x0000B6C2, change the string "81 EC 80 00 00 00 56 57" to
"33 F6 8B C6 C9 C2 08 00";
- At offset 0x0000B71E and 0x0000B71F, change the string "7C 38" to "90 90".

So in term of LAWS it's illegal, but as lot have said, Who cares?

Even NW host a patcher to do the job...

hmmm OK so I'll now call Microsoft and tadle on you because you just broke the same Eula by posting part of the code Lmao

Just poking fun BTW

whats stupid is the fact that Microsoft didn't just create it to support 3rd party themes in the first place.

oh yeah maybe they thought they'd save that for a "Genuine Advantage" download later on bwahahaha

[Chode]

Technically, yes it is illegal. Though, frankly, Microsoft seem to not care about it at all.

Until (if ever) Microsoft complain, there is no moral implications.