UxTheme.dll Unlocked... step by step

By Ishmael
in Tips, Tweaks & Customization

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Grand Master

Dazzla Veteran

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Originally posted by Arcane

thanks man just asking because I tried to replace it but windows wouldn't let me. It said it was being used by another process and could not be replaced or deleted...(in safe mode and normal boot up)

I'm in exactly the same situation, although I've uninstalled styles XP and my themes still work which goes to show it didn't revert back to the original uxtheme.dll. I'm also having a problem where i cant save or open .theme files, I don't know if this has got anything to do with styles XP being uninstalled but I'd sure appreciate some help if someone knows how to fix it.

Also, when you install windowblinds (3), you cant access the regular theme dropdown box, it is replaced with the windowblinds one, so the two cant operate side by side.

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Ishmael

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I sent Neobond a note and I want to make it crystal freaking clear to everyone here as well.

This thread has nothing to do with warez! I created this thread because of the stupid talk in the StylesXP thread promoting the spreading of warez StylesXP.

For the clueless: This is simply a system file hack. UxTheme.dll is a system file native to Windows XP and by modifying it yourself or replacing it with a modified one, you are no more spreading warez than you are by using a modified loginui.exe. It is absolutely unbelievable how stupid people can be. I made this thread to get people to stop being lame and stealing software when they could do things themselves.

I assume Neobond must be mistaken concerning posting of the altered UxTheme.dll because I never saw any statements to the contrary when people were posting their loginui.exe files. or hacked msstyles, although I shall of course respect the wishes.

Dazzla, what happens when you double click on a .theme file? Does it happen for every .Theme file including classic? If nothing happens for all of them then I think the problem is likely a corrupt uxtheme.dll, but I have no idea since I have not experienced it.

Ishmael

Grand Master

Dazzla Veteran

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I don't have classic anymore, so i cant try it. I've tried it with a theme called Sosumi and a couple more, I cant even save .theme files. And if you've read my previous thread I cant seem to replace my uxtheme.dll. I've tried disabling the theme service and restarting with command prompt and it still wont replace it. So If someone could explain how to replace it and also send me the uxtheme.dll.

Also could someone could post Windows Classic.theme and Windows Xp style.theme (I think its called that).

Thanks

Apprentice

isochar

Posted
Posted
Originally posted by CHAOSKane

Could you tell me why you would use Windowblinds and Style XP at the same time anyway? wouldn't that just contradict each other?

How so? WindowBlinds has some great skins, so does MsStyles. I'd love to have the ability to use both. Last I checked, WindowBlinds works just fine with a hacked dll, but the opposite wasn't true.

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Boeing 787

Posted
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For the clueless: This is simply a system file hack. UxTheme.dll is a system file native to Windows XP and by modifying it yourself or replacing it with a modified one, you are no more spreading warez than you are by using a modified loginui.exe. It is absolutely unbelievable how stupid people can be. I made this thread to get people to stop being lame and stealing software when they could do things themselves.

My thoughts exactly....and we DID have people explain how to modify the logonui.exe so I don't see the problem here.

This isn't Warez it's called Tweaking !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Also if your willing to give TGT $20 for something you can do for yourself then give me $20 and I will tie your shoes.

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Ishmael

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FX, thanks for the post, although boy did it lose a lot in the translation from Deutsch to English. I think they just changed 2 of the 4 sections in the dll I changed, but I may be mistaken. If anyone has actually tried their technique and found it to work, let me know.

Ishmael

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Binary

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hmmmm Ishmeal, about some things you said, I dont think people were "warezing" StyleXP they were just passing out beta 1 and 2 which imo isnt warez because beta 1 and 2 were explicidly stated as freeware anyways. Why do people have to make their own and go thru the troubles of replacing dll's when beta 1 and 2 of Style XP will do all the work for you :) Anyways it just upsets me to see people accused of warez when it isnt even the case, and I myself dont think warez is a "bad" thing.. but I'm not god so I cant tell others what to think :)

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Ishmael

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You don't seem to get it, Binary. Why steal or use someone else's hack when you can educate yourself to do it yourself, legally? You yourself asked "why should we have to use a cracked copy? This is a very small program that should be free anyways." I did it for you and for free just like you asked, you just don't get it. Geesh

If you are going to be upset over my statements stating people were promoting warez in your thread, at least make sure your own thread supports you. I was hoping you or someone else were not going to show up and challenge my assertions that people were being lame talking about the cracking or warez of TGTsoft, a product based originally on a single dll. Since you did, I will just back my original assertion with quotes from your thread, supporting my original assertion that people are being lazy and lame by hoping to steal a product they can make themselves in 5 minutes with directions I provided.. I hate having to read through that thing one more time but here goes.

babis:

"time limit will be cracked, and life goes on"

jessy:

"but it will be cracked soon"

DrOmango:

"I could get the waREZ copy if i wanted to"

StripE:

"...url... they have had cracks for everyother version! lets beat this suck-azz imatture sh!t that tgt soft is pulling..... they were are friends, but damn now they are one hell of an emeny ^_^ once again, its:...url... for stylebuilder cracks!"

y_notM:

"oh well, even if they do charge, I'll find a way to get it. I have "connections. "

msn- :

"this is y we have cracks/demo *cough* sites"

mortensen:

"they deserve to use programs illegaly"

Big Mark:

"just incase a crack is not made a a serial number is not leaked"

"ok then someone will just have to make a crack"

DJP:

"It will be cracked just like windowsblinds. You only need to input a serial, so it's easy to hack. If you already know about stylesxp then you already know much about computers and you know your way on astalavista."

Stass:

"ok then someone will just have to make a crack/serial/or reg nr.. ? any one can make it.. DO it... i can using xp whit out style xp ;P its suxxxx so ger redy... will will crack it.. wi will crack it =)"

please don't let my informative thread turn to dribble debating the morality of theft/warez.

Ishmael

Community Regular

BrendanWOR

Posted
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Anyway, I found the EASIEST way to replace the DLL - no safe mode, boot CD etc. You need the hacked DLL and the installation file of StylesXP Beta 3. Here's what to do:

1. Install StylesXP Beta 3.

2. Rename hacked UxTheme.dll to UxTheme.dll.tgtbak

3. Copy and Paste UxTheme.dll.tgtbak into C:WindowsSystem32, overwriting the old file.

4. Uninstall StylesXP Beta 3. Restart.

StylesXP will attempt to replace the hacked DLL with it's backup, however it will in fact replace it with another copy of the hacked DLL and StylesXP will also uninstall :D

Veteran

Binary

Posted
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Ishmael you fool. I know damn well what those people were talking about you arrogant twit. But the main point throughout the topic was getting one of the earlier betas to use and informing people that it was now shareware, which isnt warez, because it was freeware, perhaps you need glasses u stupid $@#@. If you want to educate people go be a frikken teacher. My point was the majority of people here were just trading betas, not commiting illegal acts, I didnt see any warez posted there either. I wasnt solely talking about my thread but also the other one thats seemed to have surfaced. It seems you dont get it that it was free, and it did the work for people, so why should they do it themselves, most computer users dont even know what a hex editor is. So stop assuming everyone is as @#$@#$ arrogant as you, and seem to think they know it all. My point to you was you shouldnt put down people for wanting another way to use something that WAS free. Just because they talked of cracks doesnt even mean that most of them would use them. Which btw last time I checked cracks wernt illegal. Maybe they are now with all this US gov't bull**** trying to run the ****ing world. Anyways I'm done now :)

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Ishmael

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Binary, you bore me. That is an arrogant statement, not telling people how to use a hex editor to make their own hack of UxTheme.dll. Telling them how to do it is educating them, not arrogant. Of course I get that Beta 1 and 2 did the trick and were free. They were just modified versions of UxTheme.dll. I taught you how to remove the copy protection yourself like they did in Beta 1 and 2.

You asked for an alternative program to provide the functionality of the promised freeware of TGTsoft, so I provided you the hacked dll that was the program and told you how to use it. This whole tutorial stemmed from my realization TGTsoft was not currently providing the freeware they promised. You now are calling me arrogant for teaching you the directions of how to do it yourself as well as providing a copy of the dll? Please stop trolling my thread with your dribble. There is no pleasing you.

Yes cracks are illegal in the United States and fall within the reverse engineering statute of the DMCA and if you insist on debating the morality of warez, please do it elsewhere. This thread was simply intended to teach people how to modify a native system file themselves. I am not assuming people are arrogant for wanting to understand how their own computer works in one little way, I am just trying to do a public service by educating them. Take your anger elsewhere please.

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Binary

Posted
Posted

See there you go with your arrogance once again. You are the one that bores me with your "dribble". You didnt teach me a damn thing. I didnt ask to be "teached" so stop acting like you did me a favour. I was a beta tester for Style XP who was mislead, so I just let people know that it was no longer shareware, I had no need for your "hacking class" ;) because I had all prior beta's. so it's nice that you think you were helping me, but in reality you wernt, and if you want to call me a troll thats fine, because I'm sure I have added more productive posts to this forum, then most of your "good willed" posts, that end up slagging someone, making them feel small, if you wish I CAN quote the various times you have called people basically stupid because they didnt know how to hack a system file properly. But I dont need to do that to prove my point, because I think you proved it for me in your last post ;) And as for me justifying warez, I dont give a rats ass about the DMCA or any law that comes from the mouths of any US gov't official. They can take their laws and stick them up their asses. Now warez may not be the right thing to do, but its not worth locking people up for it. IMO at least. (oops I dribbled my opinions in to your thread, sorry ;))

BTW I was never "angry" it's stupid to get angry over something somebody says on the internet. I just wont talk civily to someone as bigheaded as yourself.

Have a Happy New Year,

Chris

  • 2 weeks later...
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BeeJay

Posted
Posted

Ishmael,

Thank you very much for the tutorial. This is the first time I have tried Hex editing!

I did not end up having to apply the hacked file as the current file appears to still be allowing me to change styles (even after uninstalling Style XP). Of course I have been installing newer betas of Styles XP since it was origionally release, so perhaps the backup files got "confused" somewhere along the way and an old Style XP hacked file has remained.

I was planning on using Style XP as it was origionally advertized as freeware. I thought they planned on making their money by making their product the "de facto standard" by giving it away for free and charging for the skin creation software! Just today I noticed they are now charging $20 per year to use their Style XP!!! :-(

Once again. Thank you.

  • 1 year later...
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bfoos

Posted
Posted

I believe the method posted in the original post is for the pre sp1 version of uxtheme.dll. I tried that method in the past with sp1 uxthemes and could not match the offsets, even by searching out byte strings.

The sp1 hack is as follows...

Open up uxtheme.dll in your favorite hex editor and search out this byte string "81EC800000005657", replace that block of bytes with "33F68BC6C9C20800". Save the file and replace your original uxtheme with it, reboot and you can now use unsigned themes.

I've used this method on beta versions of sp1 all the way up to final and it works!

Greetz to Shaith from driverheaven, as he was the one who showed it to me.

Grand Master

Elliott

Posted
Posted

And I did it the hard way in the Recovery Console (Actually the Recovery Console way is easier, but Neowin has to rewrite that instruction manual on installing the hacked uxtheme.dll. Not all of us have a move command in DOS :p )

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