XP won't stay with the appearance I pick

[The Fred]

It will stay on the classic start menu, but not the "windows classic style" (and my appearance settings)

When I reboot it just goes right back to what it wants "Windows XP style"

Is there a way to fix it? Windows XP looks stupid.
I prefer windows 2000 but can't have the 2.5 minute bootup time.

[Krispy Kritter]

Assuming you are logged in as the admin or have admin priv, it should be keeping the settings you have chosen. You aren't using a third party app like window blinds are you?

[The Fred]

Logged in as Admin, yes, it is set to assume that "Administrator" is logged in
No third party app like that

[handyguy]

Are you using SP2 or SP3?

[The Fred]

SP2
Where is SP3?

[ozymango]

Are you setting it to Classic style from the "Appearance" tab in the display properties, or the "Themes" tab? Use the Themes tab to set your display to Windows Classic, and that'll update the Appearance tab. If that doesn't work, then something's broken.

[The Fred]

RIght click desktop - APPEARANCE TAB - "Windows and Buttons" set to WINDOWS CLASSIC STYLE - ADVANCED <---- That's where I set the colors and bar sizes and all

Then I reboot and POOF everything is default XP BS

[stiltman]

RIght click desktop - APPEARANCE TAB - "Windows and Buttons" set to WINDOWS CLASSIC STYLE - ADVANCED <---- That's where I set the colors and bar sizes and all

Then I reboot and POOF everything is default XP BS

Once you've done that, click on the themes tab
Click on "save-as" and save your new modified theme

[Dv8ted2]

RIght click desktop - APPEARANCE TAB - "Windows and Buttons" set to WINDOWS CLASSIC STYLE - ADVANCED <---- That's where I set the colors and bar sizes and all

Then I reboot and POOF everything is default XP BS

Hit the themes tab instead, and select windows classic as the theme. Then hit apply and ok.

[The Fred]

Beautiful- I think that it worked!
Thank you !

[JimboS]

You can also right click on the task bar...Select properties....Select your preferences and "apply"....

[TBoneit]

If you Google XP SP3 one of the links that comes up is: http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,122871-page,1/article.html?RSS=RSS

Windows XP SP3 Preview Surfaces Online
"Unofficial" preview pack includes log-on improvements and network fixes for Windows XP PCs.

[guns1inger]

Be very wary of so-called SP3 updates for XP, as most have been cobbled together by dubious people and are are kind of like a giant codec pack, only capable of much greater damage.

[The Fred]

Well it is at it again... *sigh*
Can't throw it out the window because it is in a HUGE case, it even has casters on it,

Is there any way to fix it without installing a whole third party(s) mess of a service pack?

[handyguy]

I saw SP3 when I ran Windows Update.

[Dv8ted2]

I saw SP3 when I ran Windows Update.

SP3 is not official.

You may see patches that will be in SP3, but technically, there is no SP3.

[buttzilla]

There is no sp3 yet. So don't waist your time. What would a sp have to do with saving your desktop theme anyway?

[handyguy]

Not much.

Sometimes files get corrupted & that would take care of it, but it's been solved.

[The Fred]

Yes, it still does it, but not often any more

[Caple]

I had this problem two weeks ago. On a recently formatted computer my Windows started to get back to XP style, not the classic.
One day it started with the XP style and I didn't change for the classic style, after some minutes using the computer it changed for the classic style, automatic, without changing any config. After that every reboot kept the classic style.

Yesterday I had to format the computer to change some stuff and changed for the classic style. Today I made some updates (2 IE7 critical updates and the other one was a JVM update). Rebooted when asked and there it was, XP style again.
I'm keeping this to see if it will change automatic. But seems like some windows update feature is messing it up :/

[Caple]

Well, it didn't change.
Had to save the classic style configs with another name and now it's ok.
Strange behavior, anyway.

[Caple]

Not so easy.
Just rebooted and XP style came up again. :/