I just enabled Aero Glass and it's pretty cool. You need to have a pretty fast processor (this is very intensive especially with the 4074 explorer leak) and at least a 128mb DX9 compatible card with Pixel Shader 2.0. I have a RADEON 9600 XT and IMO it is the minimum for this effect. Also, you should probably make a registry backup or a restore point just for sh**s and giggles . Follow these steps:

1. Start with a clean install. Seriously, if you don't start fresh there may be problems (i.e. i applied tweaks and fixes, especially the explorer leak fix, and the glass effect just wouldn't work!) Also, important, make sure the sidebar is active!

2. Download this skin (theme), extract it, and put the folder named "Aero" in the Windows/Resources/Themes folder. Then, open the folder, double click aero.msstyles, and click OK in the window (Display Properties) that pops up. NOTE: If the link above for the skin does not work (which it should), just search google for "dwm skins", or "ExplorerGlass-BOFH-Beta2.rar" and you should find it easily.

3. Add this key to the registry by following these instructions: Type "regedit" in the "Run" box on your Start Menu, then navigate to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
Right click in the window, then highlight "new", then "DWORD Value". Name it MILExplorer, then right click MILExplorer (you just created it) and select "Modify". Enter a 1 in the "Value data" box.

4. NOW restart your computer.

5. Once rebooted, go to the Start Menu, click on "Run" and type the following in the box to start DWM:
rundll32 c:/windows/system32/uxdesk.dll,DwmStartComposition

6. That's it! Aero Glass! COOL!

NOTE: You will not be able to use IE/Explorer (You won't see your windows) unless you enable DWM by following step 5 AS SOON as you reboot. Trust me, don't try to open any windows 'cause you won't see 'em unless DWM is started. Don't worry though, you can still get to the Start Menu and the "Run" box.

EDIT: I forgot to mention that DWM MUST be reactivated every time you reboot because it doesn't start automatically. As I explain in the NOTE, you won't be able to use explorer/IE if you don't. An easy way around this is to create a batch file and place it in your "Startup" folder so it will always initiate upon startup.

I did not create this skin nor did I come up with this method. This is just what I have found by looking around on the 'net for hours trying to figure out how to get this cool effect. The skin is BOFH's and is an example of his great work! Thanks.

Will have to try this when i get home. thanks

Is this just for Longhorn? (i'm guessing by what forum this is in)

Can you get rid of it and/or change back to another theme without removing this one?

Do you need a patched uxtheme.dll file?

Why don't you do step 5 in the registry?, in the Run section.

Yes, this is just for Longhorn (4074 only as far as I know). No, you can't change to another glass theme without removing this one (or at least moving it to another folder besides Themes) Use the one I specified or another glass dwm skin, if you find a good one, but if you do change to another glass theme, you'll have to move the old folder named Aero to a seperate location, as I'm pretty sure for this to work whatever theme you use for the glass effect has to be named "Aero". There is no need to patch uxtheme.dll, I'm pretty sure you only have to do that for XP.

Sorry i don't quite understand the question, do you mean initiating the command from the registry, if so i didn't know that was possible. The way I explained works for me, but if you know what you're doing then by all means. My guide is simply the easiest way I found to do it.

Assuming the 'reg' command is available on Longhorn (it is on XP...) you can substitute step 3 with this:
reg add HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer /v MILExplorer /t REG_DWORD /d 1

and step 5 with this (cred to The_Decryptor for this, see post above ):
reg add HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run /v Glass /t REG_SZ /d "rundll32 c:/windows/system32/uxdesk.dll,DwmStartComposition"

Would be nice to try this myself, but no Longhorn availble here. Thanks anyways CollegeGuy

i cant believe people are still playing around this old build, im just going to wait for the next pdc build and then for the beta1.....i havnt installed my pdc2004 longhorn for sooooo long

Maybe because there wasn't one?

rofl beta 1 is coming before pdc and the m9 developer preview is coming at winhec before beta 1 Whats even more funny is there never was a pdc 2004

/me laughs at all of you

there is an easy way to make it so that aero glass will work without dwm. it involves hacking a file though and finding the file is still a daunting task

but once thats done, you can run glass side/taskbars without turning on dwm
an example
(geez, i posted that pic in two threads already... >_<)

Why did i delete longhorn ?

http://www.aeroxp.net/board//index.php?showtopic=103

wow onghorn is looking nice cant wait for beta!

Yes, that is true (Customization Pack for Longhorn 4074 by joejoe includes the reg hack), but going that route does not enable the glass effect for the explorer windows, and I'm pretty sure it may not enable the cool ALT+TAB effect either! Also, thanks to andyandy and Decryptor for those shortcuts concerning steps 3 and 5. They'll save you time, I'm sure! I haven't tested them, but I have every confidence they will work. I'll add them to the steps if successful (with nods to you guys of course)!

Made a whole Package of Customization....and even easier...

http://joejoe.ath.cx/

Exactly.

This a hack, and thus it will work for *any* graphics card. However, the DX 9 support is a must if you want any decent speed. I tried it with my AIW 8500DV. While it still works, it is dog-slow. Other Web browsers (Netscape, Opera, Firefox, etc,) still work without this hack.

You have a great customization pack. It's just, I tried it and was unable to get the transparent glass effect. After much researching, I made this step by step guide. Your customization pack includes screenshots of a great looking desktop with glass explorer windows, but no real way to do it (believe me I tried). So I wouldn't say it's neccessarily easier (or possible without some research and skins) to attain the glass effect with your package. Of course, your batch files do speed up the process of enabling DWM, but as I explained earlier this is just the easiest way for me. It would be great if you could include some transparent glass skins in your package so the screenshots you include are actually attainable. Or maybe you could just included a more detailed guide on how to attain the effect using skins, so people such as me wouldn't have to spend so much time trying to figure out how to make ours look like the screenies. Great pack otherwise! Thanks joejoe

PGHammer, actually, the effect won't work with *any* card. Believe me, I had a 64mb Geforce 2 MX400 before and it was worthless when it came to this effect (see screenie below). I even started another thread a while ago asking for advice on the type of card I would need for this effect. After many replies I settled on the 9600XT. It works great. After considering their replies, I believe the card must be DX9 compatible for the effect to work at all. Or at least a higher end card.

no, you need a dx8 card.

it didnt work on my mx 440, but it did on my radeon 7000

It's proven to work on MX440's with some exact drivers from NVidia, and anyways, the MX440 is a DX8 card.

The 8500DV is also a DX 8 (specifically 8.1) card, which is why the effect works (albeit very slowly). However, DX 9 and 128 MB (of course, 256 MB makes performance even snappier) makes the performance reasonable. (I got my replacement AIW 9700 Pro back and am posting this from my LH drive with AeroGlass active....*very nice*.)

Tried it with a 9700 Pro as well, works amazingly well =).

AFAIK, the MX440 isn't a DX8 card. It's just a supped up GF2 (DX7).

http://nvidia.com/object/LO_20020204_8254.html

Says specifically on the datasheet that it has complete DirectX 8.1 support.

Pity it doesn't support pixel or vertex shaders, so how can it support DirectX features?

It's not incapable of doing it, it just sucks at it.

The mx440 is based on the geforce 2, it doesn't ****ing have pixel or vertex shaders period, it doesn't just suck at them, it isn't capable of them.

Try running ANY pixel shader demo, or the nature test from 3Dmark2001, they won't run on an mx440.

Read up on it, yes - you're right =)

CollegeGuy! I checked the picture, and recognized your error. First, the black border is caused by an old video driver, update it to make it transform into a shadow. The Explorer caption with a green top but Slate bottom shows me that you don't have MILExplorer enabled. If you patched the DLL to use Glass without DWM, you will need BOTH MILExplorer and LIMExplorer keys activated to get all transparencies and animations. Also, check C:\WINDOWS\Resources\Themes. If you don't see the folder named Aero, then rename the folder Jade to Aero. If it's there, or after renaming, enter the Aero folder. Rename the msstyles file or aero.msstyles. Now, apply Jade (or Jade Glass, if you used that skin) as your desktop theme. You should get the greenish-transparent Aero Glass version 4023, which is in LH4074. I mostly suspect that your registry keys are incorrect. MILExplorer=dword,1 ; LIMExplorer=dword,1 . If you set these keys, Glass will start on the windows after installing the newest video driver.

ok well while we are here:

for those who did enable dwm, you can drop by my site (look at the www button below my post) for some more themes.

dwm isnt even hardware accelerated in 4074, its all done in software, so arguing over video cards won't get you that far

nice thanks!!

Thanks Roller, I've long since scrapped that card (that was an old sreenshot). The 9600 XT I'm using now does the job great (look at my latest screenies at the beginning of this topic). If you dig around on MS's site you will find the exact specs for the kind of card you need for this effect and that old geforce 2 mx 400 just didn't cut it!

But the theme is not a glasstheme...it's transparent but there are no glass effects....How can I enable glass? But better than the ugly green.

Can't, not in the build. Anyway new builds are out now and why dig up an old thread?

Because I wanna enable it in 4074? And why has ms made it? http://www.air101.soft-welt.de/PDC2.html
And here is a customation pack that enables these effects: http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=377051
But I don't wanna install the whole package. Only the Glass effects and the new clock in the sidebar.

Holy Thread revival Batman!

Not really. He is asking a related question

Did i say nice already?