Lost custom theme on migration from SP2007 to SP2010 using content database upgrade

Question

I lost custom theme created in SP2007 site upon migration to SP2010 using content database upgrade. I read somewhere that I need to copy existing theme from the C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Web Server Extensions\12\TEMPLATE\THEMES directory into the new directory.

Edit the C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\12\TEMPLATE\LAYOUTS\1033\SPTHEMES.XML file and add a section for the new theme

This however causes an error when I try to access Site theme page. Any guidance would be helpful.

Regards, Lav

Answer 1

Unfortunately 2007 themes cannot be migrated to 2010 without additional work.

See below for some Q&A regarding themes. Source.

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Q: When I apply visual upgrade, what will happened to my custom themes?

A: Site Themes are not great at upgrading, this post has more info on this: http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/sharepointcustomization/thread/3cddce14-bd87-489a-871e-8ebc600223c8/ and here: http://blogs.blumshapiroconsulting.com/jjkblog/archive/2010/05.aspx

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Q: In case that custom themes are not working correctly, what are my options to fix them?

A: Recreate them in 2010. You can even use "PowerPoint" which makes life really easy: http://andreasglaser.net/post/2009/12/16/SharePoint-2010-themes-compared-to-SharePoint-2007-themes.aspx

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Q: How can apply these new corrected site theme to all existing sites? Can I do mass update or do I have to apply one by one...or other options?

A: You can achieve that programmatically, or with PowerShell. Here are a few links that could help: http://www.powershell.nu/2009/03/08/set-themeps1-set-theme-in-sharepoint-using-powershell/ and http://blog.falchionconsulting.com/index.php/2008/01/apply-theme/