Enable Custom Themes: Patch uxtheme.dll using UltraUXThemePatcher

Capt.Jack Sparrow

BSOD Kernel Dump Analyst
VIP Member
Pro User
Messages
243
Location
Just next to Southern Bridge
Today I found a working custom theme patch for Windows 8 RTM. Download Ultra UXTheme Patcher.While installing the application it will patch the 3 dlls requried for the custom themes for works.



  • [*=left]UltraUXThemePatcher 2.0 (158836 bytes)
    [*=left]MD5 checksum: 3156c1dfc05cb509aad5cc94a77511ee
    [*=left]SHA512 checksum: e043ce7e2a84d960632abd9abc56baa8b749cb75951ad655620c660583a9dbcadf0b8d73f5ea83a505cedd41a5ce2ffe760375836844fac2ec85d3d1897a07d0

Changelog:

Code:
[CENTER][COLOR=#000000][FONT=Trebuchet MS]
[LIST]
[*=left]Support for 32bit and 64bit systems of Win XP, 2003, Vista, 2008, 7 and [B]8[/B]
[*=left]Better error handling
[*=left]Speed optimization
[/LIST]
[/FONT][/COLOR][/CENTER]


Download UltraUXThemePatcher.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7
Does this really work???or i should try it out on VM first.....i have crashed my windows 7 OS many times due to false Uxpatchers...please help me...and tell me if this one wont crash my system...thnk you...:)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro 64 bit
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom Self Built
    CPU
    Intel Core i5-2500k
    Motherboard
    DH67BL
    Memory
    8 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI Radeon HD 6770-1GB DDR5
    Sound Card
    On board
    Monitor(s) Displays
    1-AOC 19 Inch LED Monitor
    Screen Resolution
    1440X900
    Hard Drives
    Sata Seagate 500 GB
    PSU
    Coolermaster Elite Power 450 W
    Case
    Coolermaster Mid Tower
    Cooling
    Air Cooled
    Keyboard
    Logitech
    Mouse
    Logitech
    Internet Speed
    512 Kbps-64 kb dl speed
This worked at first for me until a recent Windows Update was installed and then I would get a flashing black screen everytime I booted. I had to do a System Restore and then restore my backed up uxtheme.dll file. I'm using Uxstyle Core Beta now and the Windows Update didn't mess up my system or 3rd party theme.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 8 Pro x64
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo ThinkPad X200
    CPU
    Intel Core 2 Duo P8600
    Memory
    4GB DDR3
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel 4500MHD
Got the same flashing black screen after windows update, but to me it happend both when I had uxstyle and UltraUXThemePatcher and since one patches in memory and the other replaces the actual files I'm not sure if it's indeed the cause of black screen. Best to turn off windows update for now.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
I edited mine manually, and had exactly the same issue with the flashing black screen.

Couldn't get in to undo the changes, so I restored from a sysimage, and didn't persevere.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Enterprise 64-bit (7 Ult, Vista & XP in V-Box)
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Aspire Ethos AS8951G 'Super-Laptop'.
    CPU
    Intel Sandy-Bridge i7-2670QM quad-core
    Motherboard
    Acer
    Memory
    8GB DDR3
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel 3000HD / Ge-Force GT555M 2 gigs
    Sound Card
    Realtek/5.1 Dolby built-in including speakers.
    Monitor(s) Displays
    18.4" full-HD
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1024
    Hard Drives
    2x750GB Toshiba internal, 1x500GB Seagate external, 1x2TB Seagate external, 1x640GB Toshiba pocket-drive, 1x640GB Samsung pocket drive.
    PSU
    Stock
    Case
    Laptop
    Cooling
    Air-cooled
    Mouse
    I/R cordless.
    Internet Speed
    Borderline pathetic.
So did it happen after windows installed updates too? Also I could not fix it in any other way (safe mode, repair.. etc.) and still not sure what caused it or whats causing it so I can avoid it in future.

Couldn't get in to undo the changes, so I restored from a sysimage, and didn't persevere.

Sorry English isn't my first language what do you mean you didn't persevere. :)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
So did it happen after windows installed updates too? Also I could not fix it in any other way (safe mode, repair.. etc.) and still not sure what caused it or whats causing it so I can avoid it in future.

Couldn't get in to undo the changes, so I restored from a sysimage, and didn't persevere.

Sorry English isn't my first language what do you mean you didn't persevere. :)



That's OK, mate.

To persevere means to continue regardless, usually against odds.

And yes, it did occur after updates.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Enterprise 64-bit (7 Ult, Vista & XP in V-Box)
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Aspire Ethos AS8951G 'Super-Laptop'.
    CPU
    Intel Sandy-Bridge i7-2670QM quad-core
    Motherboard
    Acer
    Memory
    8GB DDR3
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel 3000HD / Ge-Force GT555M 2 gigs
    Sound Card
    Realtek/5.1 Dolby built-in including speakers.
    Monitor(s) Displays
    18.4" full-HD
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1024
    Hard Drives
    2x750GB Toshiba internal, 1x500GB Seagate external, 1x2TB Seagate external, 1x640GB Toshiba pocket-drive, 1x640GB Samsung pocket drive.
    PSU
    Stock
    Case
    Laptop
    Cooling
    Air-cooled
    Mouse
    I/R cordless.
    Internet Speed
    Borderline pathetic.
Look up UXstyle Core Beta, I've had success with that method as it didn't mess up my system after those same windows updates were applied.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 8 Pro x64
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo ThinkPad X200
    CPU
    Intel Core 2 Duo P8600
    Memory
    4GB DDR3
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel 4500MHD
I recommend to use Uxstyle
It keeps the system files untouched and patch them only in memory.
It supports Windows 8 as well.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Arch Linux/Debian 7/Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP 4520s
    CPU
    i3
    Motherboard
    HP 4520s OEM
    Memory
    4 GB
but to me it happend both when I had uxstyle and UltraUXThemePatcher and since one patches in memory and the other replaces the actual files I'm not sure if it's indeed the cause of black screen

Hate to quote myself. :(
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
As someone using Win8 on an older x86 OEM PC, how can I patch my theme files on Win8? UxStyle Core seems to only be for x64.

SkinPack_Auto_UXThemePatcher_2.0 worked for me. I am now using Windows 8 Default Style by ~MrGRiM01 - which makes the titlebar text white and the titlebar of each window set to the color you choose in the Personalize menu, regardless if the window is active or inactive.

After using SkinPack_Auto_UXThemePatcher_2.0 I too got the flashing black screen after a Windows Update. I was wondering what had caused that. I got the WinUpdates installed, and hadn't gotten around to doing the skin/theme patch just yet. I actually stumbled accross this thread when I was looking for this thread which had the theme I wanted in it.

I am guessing that if most patchers cause the windows update flashing black screen bug, and I'm on x86 anyway, that I'm twice as boned?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 8
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
I'm thinking it's a single patch causing this. So what I did on current install and had no problems since was to get all updates first then restart and check a few times just to make sure there aren't any left before I patched.
It's so weird that the same thing happened when I used uxstlye which supposedly installs a system services and does not touch your system files, but it did. Hopefully it won't happen again after some xy microsoft update.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
As someone using Win8 on an older x86 OEM PC, how can I patch my theme files on Win8? UxStyle Core seems to only be for x64.

SkinPack_Auto_UXThemePatcher_2.0 worked for me. I am now using Windows 8 Default Style by ~MrGRiM01 - which makes the titlebar text white and the titlebar of each window set to the color you choose in the Personalize menu, regardless if the window is active or inactive.

After using SkinPack_Auto_UXThemePatcher_2.0 I too got the flashing black screen after a Windows Update. I was wondering what had caused that. I got the WinUpdates installed, and hadn't gotten around to doing the skin/theme patch just yet. I actually stumbled accross this thread when I was looking for this thread which had the theme I wanted in it.

Anyone had any more trouble with the flashing black screen on bootup after patching their themes?
Last time I had to reinstall Win7 and re-upgrade to Win8, don't want to have to do that again. 'Refresh' the PC doesn't work as it says some files are missing and your installation/recovery media will have it. I don't have any since I did an upgrade.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 8
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
I used Ultra UX Theme Patcher yesterday to install an unsigned theme. Everything works great, but now I read this about flashing black screens after you use Windows Update. I have WU disabled so I can choose when to update myself. I'm thinking of undoing the patching and using UX Styles, I just have 2 questions:

-How can I de-patch the files? Do I have to go through System Restore?
-I know UX Styles is safer, but I always thought having another program loading on startup, along with the unsigned theme, would just slow down my computer. Is this the case?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 64-bit
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Acer 3820TG
    CPU
    Intel i3 M350
    Memory
    4GB
And now I have the post-Windows Update flash screen. That's not the worst part, it is that my boot time is definitely longer. I really want to fix this, but I wasn't smart enough to think to backup the .dll files. I realize this is my fault, but if someone could help me I'd be much appreciated.

I did a system restore and that did nothing in terms of the slow boot or the black screen. I read around here about the sfc /scannow and I'm running that, but I don't really know what it's supposed to do. Can someone maybe upload their unpatched .dll files or tell me how to get mine unpatched?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 64-bit
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Acer 3820TG
    CPU
    Intel i3 M350
    Memory
    4GB
If someone could take 5 minutes to upload those 3 unpatched files, I'd be really grateful.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 64-bit
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Acer 3820TG
    CPU
    Intel i3 M350
    Memory
    4GB
Thank you. I had already uninstalled UltraUXThemepatcher and had done a regular system restore before, but still noticed a slow boot. Because of this, I was guessing that the slow was due to using unsigned themes (now with UX Styles) and not corrupted files.
I couldn't replace System32 files, so I decided to do a boot system restore like you suggested, should this restore the files? I thought it only restores things like system definitions (mouse scroll speed or folder views, for example).

EDIT: great, system restore at boot doesn't work, I tried 3 restore points and I always get the same error. I was able to do that first system restore, but that was with the Recovery option in Control Panel.
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 64-bit
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Acer 3820TG
    CPU
    Intel i3 M350
    Memory
    4GB
Same problem here... unfortunatelly cannot uninstall ultrauxtheme patcher as the backups seems to be corrupt :| I've tried restoring patched files from vanilla OS (system32 and syswow64) but it didn't work (same blinking screen). Any ideas how to resolve this?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
I had the same problem of the screen flickering black on boot after updating Windows 8. The steps below use what I had available(2 networked PCs). You could do this using several others methods. I was able to solve this by doing two main things:

1. Copy the three theme files(themeui.dll, UXInit.dll and uxtheme.dll) from another Windows 8 machine's windows\system32 folder.
1a. I did this by using pstools(psexec \\machine cmd.exe) on another machine to remote shell into the machine then cd to windows\system32 then rename those three files to .old like move themeui.dll themeui.dll.old. I used command because windows was giving me permission warnings and such.
1b. Copy the new theme files to the machine using \\machinename\c$\windows\system32.

2. Connect to the network registry of the machine to change the default theme back to Aero.msstyles.
2a. Start -> Run -> type regedit. File -> Connect to network registry. Input remote machine and connect to load the hive.
3. Search for key ThemeManager and make sure your values for DllName are set back to default(%SystemRoot%\resources\themes\Aero\Aero.msstyles). I had one key set to the a theme at location HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-18\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ThemeManager. I looked under HK_LocalMachine and All Users at the location \Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ThemeManager to verify they were all default as different themes change it at different places.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    WIN 8
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
Back
Top