Is WindowsBlinds even a thing anymore?

Issues with Chrome

from Stardock Forums

Hey all!

I've been a Stardock / Object Desktop user since 2007. I've had great experiences with most of the suite since the beginning. I use WindowsFX, Fences - Fences 6, Start11v2 and all of its previous iterations, DeskScapes, Multiplicity, ObjectDock and WindowsBlinds off and on (more on that coming) on a regular basis and have them installed on my daily driver Windows install (currently Windows 11 Version Build 26100). Somewhere along the lines, WindowsBlinds has become one I just don't install anymore because it just regularly crashes my system. Windows 8 maybe? Windows 7? I'm not sure. But it's super frustrating. I just installed it again, once again hoping that it would be working good, and still I cannot even use chrome and/or Firefox because it makes them unusable -- and has been since as I mentioned before Windows 8 maybe. It's not hardware related because I've built 3 different systems along the way, with various graphics cards and processors and it's always the same results. 

If I load up chrome, and go to any website with video, my whole browser flashes 3-4 times and the video errors out. YouTube, Twitch, Reddit, anything. I've tried different styles, including only using the StarDock supplied styles with the initial install and always get the same behavior. 

Is WindowsBlinds just a thing of the past? Trying to search chrome here on the forums there seems to be conflicting information on how to even skin it and whether its even skinnable anymore. Some mods saying Chrome isn't skinnable at all in Windows 11, but the StarDock official website lists a "workaround" that seems to do absolutely nothing. 

My current hardware: 
Asus ROG Strix X670e-e
AMD Ryzen 9 7950x3D
Gigabyte RTX 4090 Xtreme Waterforce
32gb G.SKILL 6400C32 RGB
Samsung 32" Odyssey Neo G8k

Am I doing something wrong or is WindowsBlinds just a fond memory of windows past?

 

windowblinds
45,902 views 28 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top

Hello,
Sorry to hear you are having issues. Do know that most browser has its own Skin/theme engine, which I believe causing compatibility issue with Windowblinds. Each browser change their UI engine to make it better for that browser. Yes Chrome, used to work with Windowblinds with a little tweak, but since sometime ago, Chromium base browsers, such as Chrome, Edge etc, no longer skinable by Windowblinds even with that little tweak in place. So if you have issue running Chrome with Windowblinds, please disable this option so WB can ignore Chrome. That should make Chrome work again on your system (refer screenshot below).

Is Windowblinds still relevant for current Windows? That depend on users. Lots of user still use Windowblinds in their system. 

Thank you,
Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant.

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Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top

Both of those options are already off under the advanced settings, and I have both browsers added to the "do not skin" list, but yet when I have windowsblinds loaded/installed the browsers refuse to function correctly

SoundPackager - Customize the Windows sound scheme
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top

That is a strange one. Please try purge and reinstall steps as mention here : [Link]. Just make sure to redownload the latest version from your account page. Reboot after the purge. Reinstall and reboot again after the installation. Retest and report back here.

Thank you,
Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant.

Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top

Following the directions, the browsers work fine until i select any other style aside from the default windows one. In this case I picked "Precision" by Stardock Design". 

Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top

Try this test it in Window Sandbox. Install Windowblinds and Chrome in a sandbox. Make sure the Allow Windowblinds to skin Chrome setting is off. Does the issue still appear within the Sandbox. Refer here: https://support.stardock.com/space/SHC/1416396827/Testing+WindowBlinds+in+Sandbox. Please try it and report back.

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Let's be honest here, Windowblinds is not what it used to be. I know a lot of people still use Windowblinds, however, it's not used as much as it was a few years ago. I have not used Windowblinds in over 2 years. I often find too many colour conflicts with various font sections, and though I can sometimes correct those issues with Skinstudio, I don't bother; I have settled on using Start11.
Not many people make skins for Windowblinds, there is one faithful person here (Lightstar) that uploads skins from time to time, and the rest are downloaded from his own personal site, and then there are one or 2 skinners who upload skins infrequently, but that's it, gone are the days when several new skins were uploaded every week.
I never thought that I would say this, but doing away with the paid Master skins might not have been the best decision. I understand that Stardock had it's reason, but that decision was not without consequences, when that went, some good skinners left, along with their skin uploads. 
Some of this, of course, is my opinion, but some of what I wrote can be backed up by the numbers.
While customization, in general, is on the downswing, I guess one positive is that there are plenty of wallpapers to choose from.

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Reply #7 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting JuniorCrooks, reply 6

Windowblinds is not what it used to be

Hi, JC. How be ya old friend? 

I think you'll agree Windows 11 isn't Windows XP nor is it W7. They were completely skinnable. Thank MS for the current doldrums.

 

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Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting JuniorCrooks, reply 6

Not many people make skins for Windowblinds, there is one faithful person here (Lightstar) that uploads skins from time to time.

...and I will continue to do so JC. :)  

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Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting DrJBHL, reply 7


Quoting JuniorCrooks,
reply 6

Windowblinds is not what it used to be



Hi, JC. How be ya old friend? 

I think you'll agree Windows 11 isn't Windows XP nor is it W7. They were completely skinnable. Thank MS for the current doldrums.

 

All is well Doc. Yes MS has a lot to do with it. I am still using Windows 10 and will continue to do so as long as I can, hopefully, 0patch will support it for a while. 

Reply #10 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting JuniorCrooks, reply 9

hopefully, 0patch will support it for a while.

0Patch is assuring 5 years and with enough interest, ten. Wahoo!

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Reply #11 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting basj, reply 5

Try this test it in Window Sandbox. Install Windowblinds and Chrome in a sandbox. Make sure the Allow Windowblinds to skin Chrome setting is off. Does the issue still appear within the Sandbox. Refer here: https://support.stardock.com/space/SHC/1416396827/Testing+WindowBlinds+in+Sandbox. Please try it and report back.

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

I’m unable to test this completely because it appears that windowsblinds is crashing the sandbox. I can reboot and keep my instance multiple times, but as soon as I install windowsblinds and reboot it crashes the instance and I lose everything. I replicated this 5-6 times last night with the same results. 

Reply #12 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting peterspalding, reply 11

I’m unable to test this completely because it appears that windowsblinds is crashing the sandbox. I can reboot and keep my instance multiple times, but as soon as I install windowsblinds and reboot it crashes the instance and I lose everything. I replicated this 5-6 times last night with the same results.

Please try clean boot https://support.stardock.com/space/SHC/1346830395/WindowBlinds+Clean+Boot. Try it and report back.

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

Reply #14 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting DarcyPoker, reply 13

What about Vivaldi?  Can that be skinned with WB?  Thanks.

Vivaldi is Chrome based so most likely the answer is no.

Reply #15 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting basj, reply 12


Quoting peterspalding,
reply 11

I’m unable to test this completely because it appears that windowsblinds is crashing the sandbox. I can reboot and keep my instance multiple times, but as soon as I install windowsblinds and reboot it crashes the instance and I lose everything. I replicated this 5-6 times last night with the same results.



Please try clean boot https://support.stardock.com/space/SHC/1346830395/WindowBlinds+Clean+Boot. Try it and report back.

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

It still does it in a clean boot under a brand new windows account. 

Reply #16 from Stardock Forums Top

Just to clarify, your issue is that you can not open Chrome if Windowblinds is loaded, yes? Other programs work without issue?

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

Reply #17 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting basj, reply 16

Just to clarify, your issue is that you can not open Chrome if Windowblinds is loaded, yes? Other programs work without issue?

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

No. Chrome will load fine, and work on any website fine -- unless it has video. For instance, Reddit, YouTube, Twitch, etc. When I go to a that has video, it makes the entire browser flash a few times, and the video errors out. I have to refresh the page multiple times in order to get the video to appear and play. For reddit, it's almost impossible to get the video to play. I've screen recorded the issue and uploaded to YouTube. The link is here: https://youtu.be/AB7Z6th8l5E

This behavior doesn't appear to actually happen in Edge or Firefox (anymore as it used to effect Firefox as well) and only happens in Chrome, which of course, is my default and preferred browser. 

Reply #18 from Stardock Forums Top

As a test if you view video while in Chrome incognito mode, does the same issue appear?

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

Reply #19 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting basj, reply 18

As a test if you view video while in Chrome incognito mode, does the same issue appear?

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

Yup, same thing

Reply #20 from Stardock Forums Top

I tested Chrome with Windowblinds skin applied with Reddit on and the video play without issue. And this happen with any WB skins applied, yes?

For reference below is my screenshot with reddit video is playing.

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

Reply #21 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Dr JBHL, what is 0patch and  what does it have to do with Win 10.

Reply #22 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting Kinger, reply 21

Dr JBHL, what is 0patch and  what does it have to do with Win 10.

0patch is a program originally designed to replace the MS Update processes that were discontinued in Win7 in particular.

I still run Win 7 on my primary machine... with 0patch and have the benefit of not having MS 'meddling' with my OS at all... and the security 'patches' applied by 0patch are done in real time so there's no need for rebooting etc.

Last year I had an uninterrupted 'uptime' of well over 200 days.

Anyway... MS is planning to throw Win 10 users under the same bus as 7 users... so 0patch will be adopted by savvy users of 10 wishing to avoid 11 ... or unable to use 11 at all thanks to draconian restrictions by MS.

Reply #23 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting Kinger, reply 21

Dr JBHL, what is 0patch and  what does it have to do with Win 10.

Here's a post I made about it: https://forums.wincustomize.com/528817/page/1/#3935368

Here's what it is and what it does for W10: https://www.pcmag.com/explainers/0patch-explained-how-it-works-and-what-it-means-for-the-end-of-windows

And, here's 0Patch's home page: https://0patch.com/

Many folks have benefitted and will benefit from it...hope it helps you, Kinger.

Reply #24 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Thank you sir I'll check into it. I to have a windows 10 machine I'd love to keep going

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Reply #25 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting basj, reply 20

I tested Chrome with Windowblinds skin applied with Reddit on and the video play without issue. And this happen with any WB skins applied, yes?

For reference below is my screenshot with reddit video is playing.



Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

Yup. Here's what happens.

I install install WindowsBlinds and everything is fine.
I can select a skin and everything is fine
But as soon as I reboot, Chrome starts acting funky, even with Chrome skinning turned off, and it added to the exceptions list.