Changing Default Windows Desktop Theme

[einstein 0]

How To Pimp Out Your Desktop




SECTION 1

As most people know, the default Windows XP desktop is pretty dull and boring. The thought of having a field and a crayola taskbar is sickening to me. Although some may like it. Today I'm going to show you how to use unsigned visual styles, docks, and other gadgets on your desktop. And it's only gonna take a few steps. The first step is to downlaod the uxtheme.dll hack. Uxtheme.dll is a file in the System32 folder that will only allow you to use visual styles made by Microsoft. By hacking this we will be able to use what ever VS you want. We will start by downloading the file from here:
https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/140707-uxtheme-multi-patchers/


STEP 1
Download the second Neowin UXTheme Multi-Patcher 4.0. Save it to a convienent location like your desktop.

STEP 2
Once the file is done downloading, open it. It will automatically patch the uxtheme.dll for you.

STEP 3
Restart


METHOD 2

In some cases the Neowin Multi-Patcher will not work. So we will have to patch it manually. Don't worry, it will not be to hard.

STEP 1
Download this file if you are using Service Pack 1:
http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/

Download this file if you are using Service Pack 2:
http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/

Save it to a convienent location like your desktop.

STEP 2
Download a copy of Replacer:
http://www3.telus.net/_/replacer/

Save it to a convienent location like your desktop.

Then extract ALL 3 files to your desktop. If you don't Replacer won't run correctly.

STEP 3
Open Replacer.
Now havigate to C:\WINDOWS\System32 and find the file uxtheme.dll

Drag the uxtheme.dll from System32 into the replacer window.

Then drag the newly downloaded uxtheme.dll file from your desktop into the replacer window.

STEP 4
Restart your computer.


SECTION 2

Now that the uxtheme.dll is hacked, you will be able to use unsigned visual styles. So now we have to download some. The best site out there for VS's is probably devaintART. So lets go there and get some.
http://www.deviantart.com/

Scroll down. Under the downloads section click Skins and Themes. Under Quick Browse (top right corner), use the drop down menu and choose Visual Styles. Its at the very bottom. Choose a VS you like and download it.

Now we need to extract it. Extract the whole folder to C:\WINDOWS\Rescourses\Themes. Then go back to the Themes folder and go into the VS's folder. Doubleclick on xxxx.msstyles. The display proporties window should pop up with your new VS on it. Click Apply and OK. You now have a custom visual style.

SECTION 3

You have the visual styles, now we need to take care of those icons. Some are OK, but having a ton can look really ugly. Espicially if you have a 800x600 resolution. So we are going to do what Macs have and get a dock.

There are a few programs to do this, but the two best are Object Dock (pay for it) or RKLauncher (free). Since RKLauncher is free we'll be using that. Download it from here.
http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/

Once it is done downloading make a new folder on your desktop called RKLauncher. Extract all the files that have been downloaded into that folder. Also if you want RKLauncher to run at startup. Copy and paste rklauncher.exe into Start>All Programs>Startup.

Now double click on rklauncher.exe and a dock will load up on your screen. To remove some of the icons on there just drag them off. Then drag the files you have on your desktop already into the dock. Right click on the dock to set the prefrences.

Now since RKLauncher comes with a Recycle Bin, we are going to remove it from the desktop. Download a copy of TweakUI:
http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/

When it is done downloading, open it. Go to the desktop section. And uncheck everything there. Click Apply and OK.

The only thing on your 'top should be the RKLauncher folder.

SECTION 4

Congratulations, you made your desktop look so much better. And it was really easy (hopefully). There are still some programs you could download that are optional. They hog up recources so thats why I made them optional. Also note you don't need the dock either. But I though I would include it.

RAINLENDAR:
http://www.ipi.fi/~rainy/index.php?pn=skinnlendar&seite=1

RAINMETER:
http://www.ipi.fi/~rainy/index.php?pn=skinnlendar&seite=1

Theres more which you could Google. Just make sure not to download anything you think that would have spyware or anything.

[barnes 0]

I may try this later, but what I have now is functinal and fine. Nice tutorial!

[Masuko Shintaro 0]

Nice tut, I don't have XP, but in the future maybe I will and I'll try this!

[husker 0]

Excellent tutuorial. Of course, this isnt the only way to do it. There is also other things like WindowsBlinds, etc. But i is great! I'll probably have to try this one! Thanks!

[kryptic 0]

well thank you einstein I always had trouble everytime I tried to put a new themem on. It kept saying error file is curupt but I got it right off the sites though.

[tidewell 0]

I like the ever growing windowblinds. i had no idea what they were at first. but when i downloaded it, man was i amazed. although i dont use it now, its a very cool way to change your windows machine!

[uiop 0]

These programs/tutorials seem neat, but I'm worried about the amount of CPU time that they use.Do you have a screenshot? Does the program/workaround slow down your computer much?

[BEagle 0]

Easier way......Download Alienguise from alienware website, does it all for you and got sum excellent themes.(some cost though)

[AceGirl 0]

I currently use another program to do this.Desktop X. It is very good and has its share of features but you need a good amount of RAM (thats a warning 1 have 1G it works great)

[Stingray19 0]

This is a great write up but like a couple people have said it takes up a good deal of ram and your startup time will be effected slightly. But I liked windows blinds better =]

[husker 0]

This is a good tutorial, I think it is much easier though to use the DesktopX programs, like Windowsblinds. They make it so you just download the styles, and it does the rest. I may have to try this tutuorial though. Great job!

[dreus 0]

I used to use WindowBlinds quite religiously to pimp out my desktop. Every week or so, my computer would have a new theme. It was a cool feeling to catch your classmates admiring your desktop when I used to bring my laptop to lecture halls and take notes.

http://www.wincustomize.com/

Has hundreds upon thousands of blinds / icons / docklets and other ObjectDock products that have been previously mentioned. Some of those programs though are not free and come with a tacky 'Buy Now' order screen during startup (another reason I eventually uninstalled it)

I recent came across this website

http://www.crystalxp.net/bricopack/en.htm

Which offers a thing called Bricopacks. It's an all-in-one GUI (desktop layout and such) modifier. Just click, install, and "Crayola WinXP" goes bye-bye.

I checked it out and it isn't too demanding on ram. I have 512 mb of it and my laptop loads up fully (ready to use as I open an application) in under 45 seconds.

I currently using the Longhorn theme but there's also one to deck out your pc to make it look like Windows Vista.


Happy desktop pimpin'

[Tetraca 0]

I still prefer the old bland windows theme that's been present since 95. But, if I want to unpimp ze desktop I bring out TweakUI by Hiren and Thanki

[Rage 0]

My theme is looking rather snazzy. Thanks for the tutorial!