Installing and using alternative Windows themes is more difficult than it needs to be. In this guide I will help you through the process of making your Windows desktop look radically different from the default plastic Windows XP theme.
1. First of all you will need to download UxTheme Multipatcher so you can install â??unsignedâ? themes. Avoid some of the other programs that claim they can install Windows XP themes as they are often packaged with Spyware.
This patch patches UxTheme.dll. By default UxTheme.dll only allows you to install themes from trusted sources like Microsoft. Most themes are created by third parties and canâ??t be used without first patching the DLL.
While installing this patch you will have to restart your Computer. Let the patch do what it wants to, follow the instructions.
2. After you have installed the patch, you will want to find some themes that you would like to use. http://browse.deviantart.com/skins/windows/winstyles/ has many good themes, so start there. After you have found one you like, download it to your hard drive. You most likely will want to look under the Visual Styles section of the websites. Avoid themexp.org as they bundle spyware with their themes.
3. The file will need to be extracted into the C:\Windows\Resources\Themes folder. Extract it and then click the file with the .msstyle extension. You will then just need to click Apply for the theme to be applied. Go to your Desktop control panel for more options on configuring the new visual style and theme.
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