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Please forgive a complete Newbie (to Xp Themes) question......

But here goes:

I love the look of storm, and have (sort of) got it installed and working.

From reading the FAQ's I thought you needed the app "Style XP" to use these themes.

I have Style XP installed but I don't see how you can use STORM with it.

On my XP desktop.... "Right Click/Properties/Apperance" I have selected STORM as my "Windows and Buttons" I have not got it as a Theme as I can't find any theme file for storm.

I'm all a bit confused here.

Can anyone please help me get STORM theme installed and working correctly.

I have of course downloaded the .exe file and it's extracted itself in my "Windows/Resources/Themes folder.

I have in there a folder called STORM but there is no THEME file.

I right clik on the Storm.msstyles file and that sets the LOOK of my desktop. But that's only part of the story it seems.

Can anyone help me get the rest of it working.

Also, do I need the "StyleXP app" for using the themes on here ? as it seems to be offering lots of stuff I don't need or want.

Many thanks

============ EDITED ============

For exmple. when I open up "My Computer" although it's different colours than it used to be it still looks like it used to.

In the screenshot at the beginning of this thread. The My Computer Window looks re-styled (new icons for the drives / typeface etc)

============EDITED AGAIN ===========

Looking at the screenshot at the beginning of this thread again. I can't seem to get my font (typeface on windows/menus etc) looking as nice and smooth as the one in the screenshot. I have tried the 3 different fonts that come with storm, but they are still not as smooth.

God I feel stupid :(

Edited by tempy
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don't feel dumb lol :) you don't need style xp to run visual styles, you can simply use the uxtheme patcher available in this forum (check the stickies at the top). This visual style doesn't include a .theme file nor does it include the icons. I used Icon Packager to change my icons, and I used a set called Snow E. You can get Icon Packager from www.stardock.com and you can find lots of Icon Packages at www.wincustomize.com.

Since this vs doesn't have a .theme file it will only show up in your appearance tab. About the fonts, you probably don't have clear type turned on. Right click desktop } properties } appearance tab } effects } where it says "use the following method to smooth edges of screen fonts:" choose ClearType.

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Thanks... I'm getting there.

I have smoothtype turned on now. Not sure but it may be doing my eyes in !!! will see how it goes.

That search icon (right of system tray)

Is the prog from here:

http://www.avedesk.com/

There is just 1 download on this link.

Is it freeware as there is no info with it. (just a download)

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yup it's completely free. Also you'll need the searchbar desklet found here ? http://www.aqua-soft.org/board/index.php?showtopic=20080

Thanks again for the advice.

Well, things not looking so good here.

I downloaded and installed "AveDesk_1.0_install.exe" from that link I posted.

I also downloaded the "Searchbar.zip" from that link you posted.

So far, not good. In part I guess due to no instructions so trying to guess it all.

Avedesk is running on my system tray ok.

I've no idea where it should go, but dragged the contents of searchbar.zip into the desklets folder when AveDesk is installed.

I open avedesk and select desklet add. I see searchbar is there, select to add it, and ok.

I then get some text "searchbar" at the top of the screen !!!!!! eh ?

I can manually add an image, but it's all the wrong shape. Surley I should not have to mess about like this.

I did manage to get a search text area, but it didn't do anything..

Anyone talk me thru this ? Not exactly user friendly:((

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Just as a follow up.

I found the link I posted was to AveDesk v1.0

I've since found AveDesk x1.1 which corrects some of the problems.

The graphics load correctly.

To be honest, after using the search plugin (desklet) It's pretty useless. A nice idea that could grow, but just doing a google search in a web page is 10 million times better, so don't think I'm going to bother with that.

Just got IconPackager and found Snow E.

Think I'll have to tidy my desktop as it's all a mix of old and new now.

The Snow E icons only cover some of the main icon types. I have a mix of old and new now.

Edited by tempy
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This Storm theme is still my favorite.

I did try the SNOW E icon set, but there were a few things I was not 100% happy about with them (lack of a zipped folder icon) and the shortcut tabs over drive icons kinda overshadowed them.

I ended up using the icon set called Layout_IP which is similar in grey but has a few icons that SnowE were missing.

(also a different backdrop)

Anyhow, all looking much nicer now. But have one annoyance.

I can't seem to get rid of the Microsoft logo in the top right hand corner of my folders.

I've got my folders almost exactly the same as the original screenshot in this thread, apart from this one point.

Can anyone help me get rid of it.

Many thanks

Here's a screen grab showing what I mean.

icon.gif

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Downloaded Toolbar control

Not quite sure which part of it will remove this icon.

Note: I'd rather not loose the icon on my IE windows (like to see it animated so a web page it coming down stream)

I just want to remove from my normal folder windows.

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I had the same problem genocider had with the disappearing text and additionally had other errors such as extended text input boxes and extended tabs as well. Normally when these things happen a simple restart corrects them, but I've restarted my machine 5 times now and I STILL have the same errors, even when applying a different theme and restarting!! Look at the pic I've attached to see what I mean about the tabs-they should be in 1 row, not 2. I've seen this happen before with other visual styles and I have no idea why it happens, but it doesn't happen as soon as the VS is applied, I don't even know what triggers it but it happened while this theme was applied and I haven't been able to correct it since, which makes me very leary about this particular theme because I've always been able to correct the problem with a restart until now.

Does anyone have any idea what causes this??

post-36-1094688686.jpg

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