I never really cared too much about themes on my windows machines in the past mainly because of saving all the system resources for applications and high power games. Today with most computers they come out of the box with 2 to 4 gig of memory on the average. With xp out the door to the new vista (So Microsoft would like to think anyway.) and now windows 7 era. From what ive read about windows 7 being able to change styles is gonna be standard. Here is a way to make xp look real close to vista o.s. using a very small footprint on your system resources.The ux theme patch has been around on the net for a few years now. Ive tested the ux theme patch v.4.0 for xp pro sp2 off neowins forum on more than one computer with less than 1 gig of memory, and have not seen a glitch whatsoever. (Make sure you get the right patch for your particular system.) Also if you use automatic updates you will have to patch it again!
It works perfect 100% if done properly! Follow the directions carefully. There are also many all in one (AIO) bloated packages .exe packs out there that add tons of vista effect tools and other stuff. I would not recommend them, as some of them, will really bog your system down with useless effects that go a little overboard. You can also use the program WindowsBlinds (not free) and uses more resources, depending on how much tweaking you do. Plus you always have to use that program. The uxtheme patch, patches your operating system uxtheme.dll so that it intergrates the styles into the os itself freeing you from loading up a program to do the job for you.
Here is how I did my system and I think it looks great. You have to investigate a little because some colors will mess up the ability to see everything correctly and clearly, with the black blood style everything is perfect. First run the correct uxtheme patcher your system then reboot. The style is black for windows and buttons, and blood for the color scheme. Get it here. Use cleartype fonts for LCD monitors and large fonts. Unrar the visual style to the windows resources folder. Then goto display properties and select the theme under appearance. Windows and buttons drop down menu select black, then color scheme select blood. Under font size select large fonts. Then hit apply! Thats it.
Now that you have your nice new black bloody style here is what I did next. Download Atomic Alarm Clock (demo available not free) use the taskbar transparency for the transparency effect! It also incudes clock skins, alarm and a calander. Great piece of software I highly recommend it!
Next download free powertoys for windows xp TweakUI and use it to get rid of the recycling bin off your desktop, in the program its under desktop, so its nice and clean!!! Then find a matching wallpaper, Next I used a skin for firefox called aerofox3.01 and vista on xp matches perfect! I also used a skin called inter-pol.info amp v.1.2 by serg to skin my Winamp.
Last but not least the free rocketdock application launcher, and free thoosje (Low resources sidebar). You do not have to run these two programs all the time, just call em up when you need or want too. Rocketdock is a program launcher good for placing all the stuff you use all the time in it, so you dont clutter your desktop with shortcuts. (I cant stand to see shortcuts on desktops wallpapers, each to there own I guess.) thoosje sidebar is nearly identical to the real vista RTM sidebar with a nice selection of gadgets like cpu meter, wireless connection status ect... You can also use the real RTM vista sidebar, but I dont recommend it, due to its unstable for most, and a system hog! Not to mention it can be a bear to install. Someone has released an updated version that is a one click install, check the forums, or search google you will find it.
The main thing to remember is visual styles and themes are two different things when everything gets matched together its a theme, like I kinda illustrated here a whole theme. A visual style is just the windows and buttons and color scheme .dll files and shell folder ect that go into your windows resources folder after you have patched your uxtheme.dll in windows.
You will find all kinds of big packs of visual Styles, cursors, bootskins, log-on skins, Icons, gadgets and many other visual enhancement tools on the net everywhere, try them all out and go with ones that suit you. Everyone will have there own preferences. Show off your themes in the comments we would like to see them here at Roaw News just upload the images to Tinypic or any other free image host, and link to them.
Related Links:
Winmatrix - A great forum on the subject of windows styles and themes.
Deviant Art - One of the best on the net for skinning , styles, themes, wallpapers and more.
Belchfire - Wallpapers, styles, themes.
RTM Vista Sidebar - Real RTM Vista sidebar for windows Xp.
Vista Styles - Vista style and theme site for Microsoft windows vista products.
Vista Rainbar - A recently new vista sidebar lookalike.
Vista cusors for Xp - Vista cursors for xp.
Customize.org - Another all things styles, themes for windows.
Vista Start Menu - The Vista start menu for Xp.
Dream Renderer - Animated desktop wallpaper for xp.
VLC Player - Make your own animated or movie set to desktop wallpaper.
Yodm3d Cube - Free 3d cube desktop for Xp.
Tune-Up Utillities - Not Free
Have fun and enjoy your new pimped out windows xp!
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