How to Use Custom Themes in Windows XP
History
- 6-20-2004: first version
- 7-14-2004: sorted in a new themes link
- 8-07-2004: added SP2 theme file
- 8-10-2004: changed SP2 theme file; put theme_update.bat in download ZIPs
- 12-31-2004: figured out SP2 theme issue; updated files; added regkey solution
- 1-12-2005: added theme from Longhorn Transformation Pack; added theme pics
- 5-8-2005: added 64-bit theme files & links
- 10-24-2005: added link to Vista theme
- 2-8-2006: pulled reg file tweak; may not be compatable with x64
- 2-23-2006: swapped out favorite themes; updated & reorganized links
- 9-27-2007: converted to wiki.
Alternate Procedure
You can use a program to do the modification for you. Here is one you can use: it came from http://www.neowin.net; I do NOT provide support for it.
Notice
This is not for the "unbrave." Previous attempts to theme left my computer without a working Luna, and another system needing a partial reload. If you got your system with XP before Spring 2002, it may have a "Whistler" XP Home load that seems to hate themes (you'll need to possibly reinstall with a newer copy of XP Home); XP-SP2 works fine with the patch I found floating around; and most people should have SP1 installed by now. If you want themes, but not as much danger, check the bottom of this page for links to commercial products that do theming for you. Otherwise, the procedure here is based on my efforts & finds online by other, hopefully luckier authors.
DLL installer packages
Select the correct version for your OS!
Procedure
Replace "C:\WINDOWS" with whatever folder you installed XP to, if necessary (i.e. "C:\WINXP").
- Select a uxtheme.dll package to download.
- Unzip the downloaded file & set aside the files in a directory outside the Windows folder (C:\TEMP is a good one).
- Reboot the computer into Safe Mode.
- Run theme_update.bat to purge dllcache and perform the next two steps for you...
- Rename all occurances of uxtheme.dll in the Windows folder to uxtheme.bak (or .old or whatever isn't a .dll)
- Copy the uxtheme.dll you set aside to C:\WINDOWS\ServicePackFiles\I386 & C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32. If you're having system trouble, the contents of dllcache can be safely deleted before uxtheme.dll is copied there.
- Reboot
Problems
If you're having trouble, consider the following...
- If your Start Menu & Taskbar gets stuck in Classic Mode, it is most likely because there is a copy of uxtheme.dll in your WINDOWS directory: most likely you can't delete it, but you can rename it. I rewrote my theme_update.bat to solve this issue.
Using Themes
Replace "C:\WINDOWS" with whatever folder you installed XP to, if necessary.
- Unzip any downloaded themes to C:\WINDOWS\Resources
- Try to keep the themes separated into folders, to avoid file conflicts (i.e. "Illusion" in an "Illusion" folder; "Matrix" in a "Matrix" folder).
- Do NOT delete or change any "Luna" or "Windows Classic" file: this WILL cause trouble.
- When your themes are in their proper folders, double-click on the .msstyles file of the theme you wish to use. The Display control panel will appear, with the new theme selected & in the available themes list.
- Click "OK" & repeat step 4 for additional themes to make them available for use.
Favorite themes
Favorite Vista-XP makeover tool
Links to themes and other theme websites
Reference Links
Third-Party Commercial Skinning Products
Other
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