followed the directions to install the stopdesign theme. it's available in my admin|options menu but when i click it the page refreshes and DEFAULT TEMPLATE is still selected. I cannot chose any theme actually. theme selection worked before installing the stopdesign theme though.

SOLUTION

Change the theme.txt in your cache directory.
Edit the text and type the name of the theme you wish to use. ie: stopdesign
is the only thing written inside theme.txt in my cache dir.

There's a possibility that the permissions on the theme.txt file aren't allowing writing... you might try 777ing it if you still want to use that feature.

Also, if you need to do it manually, it's the *folder name* of the theme (in the themes/ folder) you should put in there.

folder name, yes good call.

idk. i just removed all my databases and installs and i am starting over.

it was wierd too because all my album/gallery titles would get reset and album thumbs and stuff, i must have messed something up.