Recommended Posts

All tested on XP SP1 and SP2 (only the modified system file packages might not work...)

Tired off the default boring XP desktop?

Visual Styles

First thing we want to change is the visual style, a visual is what you see, the default Blue colors for example, a visual style basicly overlays everything with nicer buttons, colors and borders

A visual style is basicly a file with visual aspects that windows needs

Its located at C:\\Windows\Rescources\Themes\Name of theme

In That folder is a file located with the extension .msstyles, it has all the images from the borders colors etc inside,

In most cases there is also a Folder called Shell inside

This folder contains the shellstyle

The shellstyle is responsible for this

shellstyle.jpg

The common tasks sidebar in Windows explorer

Now, how can we skin all this?

Well, The XP skinning engine has a sort of protection inside off it, XP styles have a digital signature inside Which a file called Uxtheme.dll checks, without this digital Signature, windows wont accept the visual style,

There are differend ways around it

StyleXP

--> This program loads up with windows and replaces The uxtheme.dll in the memory so styles without signature will work.

XP autopatcher

--> this little program basicly replaces the uxtheme.dll with a patched one, this is best way in my opinion as there is no ram or disk space wasted

Its recommend using this program in safe mode though

--> that one isnt updated to XP SP2 yet so get a new sp2 version Here

Windowblinds

--> This program basicly adds a new skinning engine with more options to customize XP,

i recommend using one of the above programs first though.

Heres how you get themes to work:

Put the folder with the name of the visual style in windows/rescources/themes folder and click on the msstyle file, the windows theme manager will load up, just click apply or ok and the style will load!

Where to get visual styles!

ThemeXP

This site has a lot of visual styles, but they have spyware inside them!

there is a way around it though, extract the installers with winzip!

DeviantART

--> No spyware on this one, has awesome visual styles!

Wincustomize

--> has excellent skins for WindowBlinds

Making Visual Styles yourself!

Why not, once you start using visual styles, why not making visual styles yourself?

a few programs to do this:

Stylebuilder

--> the best program to make visual styles in my opinion!

In case you are using WindowBlinds, use:

Skinstudio

--> it is able to convert msstyle themes to windowblinds format.

Last thing about this: some older programs dont have skinning support and they have the old style buttons, you can patch that programs though!

xp skins

Icons

icons.gif

What about changing the default XP icons, there are lots better ones on the net

There are 2 differend ways changing the icons!

1. changing them in the XP system files with reshacker, more on this later...

2. Using a program to change them, a few programs are listed below

Iconpackager

--> nice program, loads of icons out for this one

Icon packages are availible at www.wincustomize.org

BeeIcons

--> i use this one myself, pretty good :)

DcolorXP

--> this ap doesnt really change icons, but allows you to you tiled icons on the desktop!

Iconphile

--> very light and fast program!

Bootscreen

Another good idea to customize xp is changing the bootscreen, the defeauld look is pretty boring, so we gonna do something about it!

How you can make it look like:

bootscreen.jpg

--> Instructions, copied this from themexp.org, why write it all down if someone else allready did it?

  Quote
  1.  In Explorer, browse to C:\Windows\System32 and find the file named "ntoskrnl.exe".

  2. Copy "ntoskrnl.exe" to "ntoskrnl.exe.bak", (COPY not RENAME). This way if anything goes wrong...you will have a backup.

  3. Extract the files inside the .zip file you downloaded to a temporary location of your hard drive, but NOT to C:\Windows\System32.

  4. Reboot your computer into Safe Mode (hit F8 before the boot screen appears) or into true DOS mode (from a boot disk)

  5. Browse to where you extracted the files for your new boot screen in Explorer and select the correct file to copy to C:\Windows\System32. If you have SP1 for Windows XP installed use ntoskrnlsp.exe, otherwise use ntoskrnl.exe. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO USE THE CORRECT FILE, OR YOUR SYSTEM WILL LOCK UP ON BOOT.

  6. If using ntoskrnl.exe, copy the file to C:\Windows\System32 overwriting the existing ntoskrnl.exe, (which should have been backed up).

  7. If you are going to use ntoskrnlsp.exe, delete ntoskrnl.exe in the temporary folder and rename ntoskrnlsp.exe to ntoskrnl.exe. Then copy the file to C:\Windows\System32 overwriting the existing ntoskrnl.exe, (which should have been backed up).

  8. All done! Reboot your computer as you normally would and enjoy your new boot screen.

If you dont like doing this all manually, feel free to use one of the programs listed below!

Loginuibootoptimizer

**ALLWAYS MAKE A BACKUP OF NTOSKRNL.EXE

Or this program that actually doesnt alter any files! it just changes the patch to it

Bootskin

--> Themes availible at www.wincustomize.org

Login Screens

Changing the login screen is also a nice trick!

logon.jpg

Steps:

  Quote
  1.  In Explorer, browse to C:\Windows\System32 and find the file named "logonui.exe".

  2. Rename "logonui.exe" to "logonui.exe.bak". This way if anything messes up...you have a backup.

  3. Place your new login in C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32 and rename it to logonui.exe.

  4. That's it! Now when you log off your new login screen will be there.

Also a few programs can change the login screen for you!

Logon Loader

--> nice program if you done like changing everything manually!

LogonStudio

AGAIN, ALLWAYS MAKE A BACKUP OF LOGONUI.EXE, if anything goes rwong you can replace the file again in safe mode!

Add Objects to your desktop

Objects are basicly things you put on the desktop, with the weather on it, ur system speed etc,

Here is a example:

samurize.jpg

What aps do we need?

Samurize

--> This one has the most docklets availible and works very smooth!

Avedesk

--> This one adds widgets to your desktop

Kapsules

--> This one is what i use, i find it better then Samurize, there only arent much Whigets out there for it....

Here are some screenshots

DesktopX

--> This one also adds widgets and is able to enhanced your icons icons

Themes are availible at www.wincustomize.org

objects.jpg

Docks

Whats a dock?

Its a dock like the one availible in Mac osX, its basicly a taslbar replacement:

dock.jpg

There are differend docks out there for windows, here are a few free ones

[]Y'z dock[/url]

--> Link removed cause _R2D2 noticed it was against the rules! we dont want to be a bad boy and ignore the rules do we

Objectdock

--> one of the best docks availible, its still in developement and runs pretty good,

new docklets can be found at www.wincustomize.org

Mobydock

--> Tried this one once, but it looks much differend then the mac dock...

Sidebar

Another nice thing to enhance your desktop is a sidebar!

There are several sidebars out there, here are a few:

SmartbarXP

--> this one basicly looks the most like the longhorn one! its only still in beta stage, so you can experience some problems!

Codename dashboard

--> Another great sidebar is codename dashboard! i didnt find it look so good, but tastes are differend!

Desktop Sidebar

--> This one is very flexible! i use it myself, but offcourse i dont know what sidebar you like so its up to you which on to pick!

smartbarxp.jpg

Resourcehacker

What about changing like every icon thats in windows?

Its possible

rograms we need for this:

Resource Hacker

ResEdit

tip: Most windows icons are located in Shell32.dll!!

There are also a lot off Packages availible with files that are hacked allready, install them at your own risk.

Longhorn Transformation pack

Screenshot

Mac Trasnformation pack

--> this one is just excellent!

Screenshots are on that site

Shell

A differend shell is basicly a replacement for the explorer Desktop and Startmenu

it does not replace the filemanager on XP!

There are many shell's out there, and what you want to use is really your own choise!

Litestep

--> This one is very easy to use, i recommend this one if its the first time you try a differend shell!

Aston shell

Geoshell

Here's a example of a litestep theme

litestep.jpg

Other stuff

We shoudl have a better looking windows now!, still there are a lot of progs out there that improves visual stuff on windows

Cursor XP

--> Very good program, improves the look of the XP cursor

theme_select.png

WindowFX

--> replaces the animation of windows

allows to fading in and out of windows, morphing into the taskbar, like everything you want, this is one of my favourite progs!

Y'z toolbar

--> this prog allows you to easily change the Windows toolbar icons!

yztoolbar.jpg

TClock Light

--> allows you to change the start button, and changes the clock, great little tool

tclocklight.png

Rainlender

--> this one adds a nice calender to the desktop!

post-107-1092162244.jpg

ZMatrix

--> ZMatrix is an animated desktop background which displays streaming characters in a style similar to what was used in the movie 'The Matrix'. The program was based off of source code for a screen saver found at www.elouai.com, and is entirely free.

A example of what you can get!

desktop.jpg

desktop2.jpg

desktop3.jpg

desktop4.jpg

Srry some screeny's from the post your desktop thread, i had desktops like that, but i'm on a pc with win2k right now... :ninja:

Edited by Medievil
Link to comment
https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/201668-customizing-xp/
Share on other sites

Yo the boot screen editor link is down!

But this guide is excellent man hope you keep updating it and adding facts so far i seen so much on the net but not a guide together

Future suggestions: Msn messnger skinning guide, Stylebuilder guide,Shellstyle.dll guide, Shell32 editing guide, other file mods using resource hacker

Link to comment
https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/201668-customizing-xp/#findComment-584335781
Share on other sites

  Prince21 said:
Yo the boot screen editor link is down!

But this guide is excellent man hope you keep updating it and adding facts so far i seen so much on the net but not a guide together

Future suggestions: Msn messnger skinning guide, Stylebuilder guide,Shellstyle.dll guide, Shell32 editing guide, other file mods using resource hacker

heh basically just put a link to virtualplastic.net and wintweaker.net

Link to comment
https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/201668-customizing-xp/#findComment-584335873
Share on other sites

  Prince21 said:
Yo the boot screen editor link is down!

But this guide is excellent man hope you keep updating it and adding facts so far i seen so much on the net but not a guide together

Future suggestions: Msn messnger skinning guide, Stylebuilder guide,Shellstyle.dll guide, Shell32 editing guide, other file mods using resource hacker

might consider it, except msn messenger

i'm not going to make a guide for every program there is m8 ;)

Link to comment
https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/201668-customizing-xp/#findComment-584335947
Share on other sites

I would've also included in the guide that it is possible to replace the shell32.dll file as well with others foudn on the web. I have used a few in the past myself such as the popular GANT shell32. And replacer is a nice little app to add to the list. Other than that, it is a very nice and thorough guide! Good job! (Y)

Link to comment
https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/201668-customizing-xp/#findComment-584336364
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Posts

    • Plasma 6.5 brings improved Emoji Selector, better performance in Activity manager, and more by David Uzondu This week saw the long-awaited release of KDE Plasma 6.4, bringing better window management and a whole lot of color management features. Apart from the release of 6.4, the KDE team was able to get other work done, and this was all outlined in the latest issue of This Week in Plasma, which details what is coming down the pipe for future versions. Looking ahead to Plasma 6.5, the developers are making some notable changes to improve performance and general usability. To prevent its database from growing endlessly and causing performance problems over time, the Activity Manager service will now only store the last four months of your history by default. The Emoji selector app is also getting a much-needed redesign that makes the window more compact and moves the sidebar button to the header for a cleaner look. Other little details for 6.5 are being polished up too. The unpopular vertical line separating the date and time on the horizontal Digital Clock widget is gone; if you want it back, you can add it yourself with a custom date format. The "Add New" button has also been moved to the top toolbar in the Shortcuts page within Settings, freeing up some valuable screen real estate. The devs also reduced the minimum size of custom tiling tiles, a small but significant fix for anyone with an ultrawide monitor. In addition to that, the Networks widget's captive portal banner now uses inline header styling, so it doesn't look like a bunch of frames stacked inside each other anymore. Of course, before we get to 6.5, the current release needs some attention. Plasma 6.4's first bug fix release, 6.4.1, addresses issues like broken item selection in the Folder View widget and a bug that could cause the system to lock or suspend faster than intended. Keyboard navigation in list views in Discover feels smoother now, and text is easier to read in certain list items in KRunner. The devs also cleaned up how list items look when you press or click them in Discover. 6.4.1 also fixes a bug where the clipboard history popup would fail to select the top item, and makes the Earth Science Picture of The Day wallpaper plugin work again after its data source changed. Here's the full list of fixes: Fixed several issues in the Folder View widget that caused selecting or opening items to not work when using certain non-default view settings, when the view was scrollable, or when using a touchscreen. Fixed a bug in the Meta+V clipboard popup that sometimes failed to pre-select the top-most item. The Clipboard settings window’s shortcuts page no longer shows columns for local shortcuts that don’t do anything, since the clipboard is global in scope. Fixed the Earth Science Picture of the Day wallpaper plugin after the source data changed formatting again. Made a few fixes to the “Missing Backends” section of Discover’s settings window that kept it from working properly. Fixed a bug that prevented direct scan-out (and its performance benefits) from activating on rotated screens. Fixed an issue where the system could lock or suspend sooner than expected after an app stopped blocking those actions. Installing a new wallpaper plugin no longer causes the plugin list combobox to appear blank. The team even went back to squash some bugs in the older 6.3.6, tackling an issue that could cause keyboard shortcuts to get lost during a system upgrade and fixing an overflow bug with KRunner's faded completion text. Plasma 6.4.1 is set to arrive on June 24th, with 6.3.6 following on July 8th.
    • UniGetUI 3.2.1 Beta 1 by Razvan Serea UniGetUI is an application whose main goal is to create an intuitive GUI for the most common CLI package managers for Windows 10 and Windows 11, such as Winget, Scoop and Chocolatey. With UniGetUI, you'll be able to download, install, update and uninstall any software that's published on the supported package managers — and so much more. UniGetUI features Install, update and remove software from your system easily at one click: UniGetUI combines the packages from the most used package managers for windows: WinGet, Chocolatey, Scoop, Pip, Npm and .NET Tool. Discover new packages and filter them to easily find the package you want. View detailed metadata about any package before installing it. Get the direct download URL or the name of the publisher, as well as the size of the download. Easily bulk-install, update or uninstall multiple packages at once selecting multiple packages before performing an operation Automatically update packages, or be notified when updates become available. Skip versions or completely ignore updates in a per-package basis. Manage your available updates at the touch of a button from the Widgets pane or from Dev Home pane with UniGetUI Widgets. The system tray icon will also show the available updates and installed package, to efficiently update a program or remove a package from your system. Easily customize how and where packages are installed. Select different installation options and switches for each package. Install an older version or force to install a 32bit architecture. [But don't worry, those options will be saved for future updates for this package] Share packages with your friends to show them off that program you found. Here is an example: Hey @friend, Check out this program! Export custom lists of packages to then import them to another machine and install those packages with previously-specified, custom installation parameters. Setting up machines or configuring a specific software setup has never been easier. Backup your packages to a local file to easily recover your setup in a matter of seconds when migrating to a new machine UniGetUI 3.2.1 Beta 1 changelog: Added per-package-manager default install options Added the ability to run pre-install/update/uninstall and post-install/update/uninstall commands Added the ability to kill process(es) before a package is installed/updated/uninstalled Block custom command-line arguments (and pre/post commands) behind a SecureSetting switch SecureSettings are settings that require administrator privileges to be switched. Bundles won't import custom arguments & custom commands by default Bundles will show a security report when importing potentially dangerous settings Added a better crash message for when UniGetUI files are missing Deep improvements to how bundles and InstallOptions are loaded from disk. Improvements to WebView lifecycle Download: UniGetUI 3.2.1 Beta 1 | 51.7 MB (Open Source) Links: WingetUI Home Page | GitHub | Screenshot Get alerted to all of our Software updates on Twitter at @NeowinSoftware
    • I'm just waiting on what they will do when outlook doesn't load properly, and you have to set a new profile as a test.
    • Weekend PC Game Deals: Rhythm bundles, fishing festivals, and DRM-free summer sales by Pulasthi Ariyasinghe Weekend PC Game Deals is where the hottest gaming deals from all over the internet are gathered into one place every week for your consumption. So kick back, relax, and hold on to your wallets. The Humble Store introduced the June Tunes collection this week. Coming in with music and rhythm titles, the bundle begins with Wanderson, Everhood, and Onde in the first tier for $5. Going up a tier by paying $8 gets you three more games: Rhythm Fighter, One Btn Bosses, and Oddada. Lastly, Trombone Champ, DJMAX RESPECT V, and Ragnarock lead the final tier, which are yours for $10. Just yesterday, Humble also brought out the Serenity Forge Storyteller's Bundle. This carries 12 indie games inside it, including LISA the Joyful and LISA the Painful, Neversong, Death's Gambit, Smile for Me, Long Gone Days, and more, all split into three tiers of prices. Replacing Two Point Hospital, The Operator landed as the latest freebie on the Epic Games Store earlier this week. The 2024-released indie title has you taking the role of a new hire at the Federal Department of Intelligence (FDI). Here you have to analyze evidence, fact-check, and try to solve a streak of mysterious crimes using the agency's advanced investigative software. However, as the story progresses, a conspiracy is revealed that paints the FDI in a different light. The Operator giveaway on the Epic Games Store is slated to last until June 26. On the same day, Sable will become the next freebie in the promotion. Free Events If you're looking to try out some games over the weekend without opening your wallet, there are three games having free weekend offers right now. Starting off, Paradox is offering its grand strategy experience, Victoria 3, to try out. The title has a much higher focus on state management than war and roleplaying compared to the company's other games. If that's too much of a tough start, Len's Island is temporarily free-to-play now too. This is a top-down perspective survival game with support for up to eight players in co-op, with combat, farming, dungeon diving, and other elements being included. Lastly, Dead by Daylight should be the most familiar to most. The multiplayer four-versus-one asymmetric survival horror game has you assuming the roles of survivors or the killer to see who can come out on top. Big Deals With the Steam Summer Sale only being days away, most publishers and developers are laying low to prepare for the big event. Still, we found quite a few games having some attractive discounts. Here's our hand-picked big deals list for this weekend: Red Dead Redemption – $29.99 on Steam Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord – $24.99 on Steam Timberborn – $24.49 on Steam BERSERK and the Band of the Hawk – $23.99 on Steam Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty – $23.99 on Steam Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed – $23.99 on Steam Jagged Alliance 3 – $22.49 on Steam [NINJA GAIDEN: Master Collection] NINJA GAIDEN Σ2 – $19.99 on Steam Alone in the Dark – $19.99 on Steam Last Train Home – $19.99 on Steam Len's Island – $19.49 on Steam Nightingale – $17.99 on Steam DYNASTY WARRIORS 8: Xtreme Legends Complete Edition – $16.99 on Steam Mortal Kombat 1 – $16.49 on Steam SOMA – $14.99 on Steam Victoria 3 – $14.99 on Steam Trepang2 – $14.99 on Steam Blasphemous 2 – $14.99 on Steam Wreckfest – $14.99 on Steam Expeditions: Rome – $14.84 on Steam EA SPORTS FC 25 – $13.99 on Steam STAR WARS Jedi: Survivor – $13.99 on Steam DRAGON BALL Z: KAKAROT – $12.99 on Gamesplanet Amnesia: The Bunker – $12.49 on Steam DREDGE – $12.49 on Steam Dead Space – $11.99 on Steam DAVE THE DIVER – $11.99 on Steam WILD HEARTS – $10.49 on Steam It Takes Two – $9.99 on Steam Dragon Age Inquisition – $9.99 on Steam Haven – $9.99 on Steam Hellboy Web of Wyrd – $9.99 on Steam Nova Lands – $9.99 on Steam BIOMUTANT – $9.99 on Steam Destroy All Humans! 2 - Reprobed – $9.99 on Steam Ghostrunner 2 – $9.99 on Steam Need for Speed Unbound – $9.79 on Steam Call of the Wild: The Angler – $8.99 on Steam DEAD OR ALIVE 6 – $8.99 on Steam Operation: Tango – $8.99 on Steam Katana ZERO – $8.99 on Steam Dead by Daylight – $7.99 on Steam Killer Frequency – $7.49 on Steam Nioh: Complete Edition – $7.49 on Steam Overcooked! 2 – $6.24 on Steam A Way Out – $5.99 on Steam Mass Effect Legendary Edition – $5.99 on Steam Darksiders Genesis – $5.99 on Steam Mortal Kombat 11 – $4.99 on Steam Titanfall 2 – $4.49 on Steam Golf With Your Friends – $4.49 on Steam STAR WARS Battlefront II – $3.99 on Steam Yoku's Island Express – $3.99 on Steam theHunter: Call of the Wild – $3.99 on Steam RoboCop: Rogue City – $3.74 on Fanatical Battlefield 2042 – $2.99 on Steam Road Redemption – $2.99 on Steam Shadow Warrior 2 – $2.99 on Steam Battlefield V – $2.49 on Steam Ultimate Fishing Simulator – $1.99 on Steam DRM-free Specials The GOG store has already kicked off its own summer sale, putting thousands of DRM-free games on sale. Here are some highlights: Cyberpunk 2077 - $23.99 on GOG God of War - $19.99 on GOG Fallout 4: Game of the Year Edition - $15.99 on GOG Fallout 4: Game of the Year Edition - $15.99 on GOG Dino Crisis Bundle - $15.29 on GOG Devil May Cry HD Collection & 4SE Bundle - $14.84 on GOG The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Complete Edition - $9.99 on GOG Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines - $9.99 on GOG SPORE Collection - $7.49 on GOG Papers, Please - $4.99 on GOG Terraria - $4.99 on GOG SWAT 4: Gold Edition - $4.99 on GOG DOOM (2016) - $3.99 on GOG DOOM 3 - $3.99 on GOG CrossCode - $3.99 on GOG Mad Max - $2.99 on GOG Heroes of Might and Magic 3: Complete - $2.49 on GOG Heroes of Might and Magic 4: Complete - $2.49 on GOG World in Conflict: Complete Edition - $2.49 on GOG Alan Wake - $1.49 on GOG Mortal Kombat 1+2+3 - $1.49 on GOG RollerCoaster Tycoon Deluxe - $1.19 on GOG Keep in mind that availability and pricing for some deals could vary depending on the region. That's it for our pick of this weekend's PC game deals, and hopefully, some of you have enough self-restraint not to keep adding to your ever-growing backlogs. As always, there are an enormous number of other deals ready and waiting all over the interwebs, as well as on services you may already subscribe to if you comb through them, so keep your eyes open for those, and have a great weekend.
    • Is there a 'recovery' settings option in Settings? The one where we can rollback to a previous restore point. I find it very useful if there is some issue and I have to rollback to the last stable point.
  • Recent Achievements

    • Contributor
      GravityDead went up a rank
      Contributor
    • Week One Done
      BlakeBringer earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • Week One Done
      Helen Shafer earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • First Post
      emptyother earned a badge
      First Post
    • Week One Done
      Crunchy6 earned a badge
      Week One Done
  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      669
    2. 2
      ATLien_0
      269
    3. 3
      Michael Scrip
      239
    4. 4
      Steven P.
      163
    5. 5
      +FloatingFatMan
      159
  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!