There is no real need to use a third-party app like WindowBlinds or StyleXP to make XP look pretty. Microsoft did it right when they set up the process for applying Themes... unfortunately, they also added a requirement that any theme has to be "approved" by Microsoft... StyleXP was smart in that they simply bypass that requirement. Any theme from themexp.org or wincustomize.org that is intended for StyleXP can run WITHOUT StyleXP sitting in the background hogging resources. Get a little program called Patch XP and you'll be free to use any theme just like switching from Windows XP to Windows Classic themes...

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

I suppose I didn't explain that very well-- the program only is run once to patch the DLL that limits what theme files can be used. Once it's been patched, you can delete PatchXP-- it doesn't even need to be installed, it's a stand-alone app.

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

And this was prompted by what question?

At this point it is looking like a plug for a third party app (even if it only needs 
to be run once it is still third party)

and advertisements are prohibited here 

regards, Adam Bradley 






On Monday, May 24, 2004 at 10:30 am, Quiller wrote:

>There is no real need to use a third-party app like WindowBlinds or StyleXP to make 

>XP look pretty. Microsoft did it right when they set up the process for applying 

>Themes... unfortunately, they also added a requirement that any theme has to be 
"approved" 

>by Microsoft... StyleXP was smart in that they simply bypass that requirement. Any 

>theme from themexp.org or wincustomize.org that is intended for StyleXP can run 
WITHOUT 

>StyleXP sitting in the background hogging resources. Get a little program called 

>Patch XP and you'll be free to use any theme just like switching from Windows XP 

>to Windows Classic themes... 

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

I read the article on Customizing Windows and from my experience, patching the uixtheme.dll is much easier and more efficient than using a shareware app like WindowBlinds or StyleXP... Just trying to provide an alternate way to buying some software that truly is unnecessary. If you want to ban this comment or whatever, that's fine, I was just trying to add my knowledge to the article...

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

If you meant to add information to an article that respond to the article 

This is a standalone thread and serves no point other than an ad 

If linked to the article than it does serve a purpose 

Regards, Adam Bradley 






On Monday, May 24, 2004 at 2:11 pm, Quiller wrote:

>I read the article on Customizing Windows and from my experience, patching the uixtheme.dll 

>is much easier and more efficient than using a shareware app like WindowBlinds or 

>StyleXP... Just trying to provide an alternate way to buying some software that 
truly 

>is unnecessary.

>

>If you want to ban this comment or whatever, that's fine, I was just trying to add 

>my knowledge to the article... 

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

I did respond to the article-- There was a link to post a question or comment in reply, and I did so... Perhaps it is the fault of an interface that makes little sense to the first-time visitor. Well, I'm off to give my advice somewhere it is appreciated :(


On Monday, May 24, 2004 at 3:39 pm, Adam Bradley wrote:
>If you meant to add information to an article that respond to the article

>This is a standalone thread and serves no point other than an ad

>If linked to the article than it does serve a purpose

>Regards, Adam Bradley
>
>

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

Very good suggestion!


On Monday, May 24, 2004 at 10:30 am, Quiller wrote:
>There is no real need to use a third-party app like WindowBlinds or StyleXP to make
>XP look pretty. Microsoft did it right when they set up the process for applying
>Themes... unfortunately, they also added a requirement that any theme has to be "approved"
>by Microsoft... StyleXP was smart in that they simply bypass that requirement. Any
>theme from themexp.org or wincustomize.org that is intended for StyleXP can run WITHOUT
>StyleXP sitting in the background hogging resources. Get a little program called
>Patch XP and you'll be free to use any theme just like switching from Windows XP
>to Windows Classic themes...

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

Am I missing something here? 
If people say that someone is "plugging" a third party app. like Window Blinds OR 
StyleXp, than what about Adaware, Spybot and the like. 

WiW







On Sunday, August 29, 2004 at 12:55 am, Doug Sheffer wrote:

>Very good suggestion!

>

> 

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

hello all. im new to this but i know one or two things about themes. you dont need patches or apps to change the theme of ure pc all you need is a readable theme file that is written in a way that makes it compatable to the various shellstyle.dll

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

And where might one obtain such XP compatible theme files? I would like to try some custom themes without using (buggy) third party apps. B.


On Tuesday, August 31, 2004 at 8:52 am, i am not a nerd wrote:
>hello all. im new to this but i know one or two things about themes. you dont need
>patches or apps to change the theme of ure pc all you need is a readable theme file
>that is written in a way that makes it compatable to the various shellstyle.dll

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

On Monday, May 24, 2004 at 3:48 pm, Quiller wrote:

>I did respond to the article-- There was a link to post a question or comment in 

>reply, and I did so... Perhaps it is the fault of an interface that makes little 

>sense to the first-time visitor.

>

>Well, I'm off to give my advice somewhere it is appreciated :(


It is appreciated!  It helped me... more than the information in the original article. 
 That was pretty lame of someone to flame you for "advertising" a program when "...3rd 
party programs?" is the title of this thread and the only solution to this issue. 
 Thanks for your input.
 

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

Sorry for the double post but I wanted to clarify something. All the original article is is an advertisement for Style XP, Theme XP and Windowblinds (which cost money and Style XP even requires hardware-ID product activation which is why I refuse to buy or use it), and given that, banning discussion of alternatives to those programs just seems silly. I mean, allowing discussion of some programs and not others is even worse than sponsored links. It's unfortunate, but a lot of the annoyances in XP can't be solved without 3rd-party software.

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

You don't even need that stand-alone program. Just download a patched copy of uxtheme.dll, 
toggle windows file protection off, replace the dll, and start loading your custom 
styles.

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

Exactly what i do... Besides, uxtheme.dll isn't a 3rd party app but simply a file existing in WinXP. The only difference is that the original is "locked" in order to force users to buy XP Plus!... I find this outrageous as personalising your OS has always been a free option. And neither can this be called "advertising" as uxtheme is a free DL, and should belong in WinXP in this form. Just my personal opinion...

cheerz, franco


On Thursday, January 13, 2005 at 10:59 am, 666 wrote:
>

>You don't even need that stand-alone program. Just download a patched copy of uxtheme.dll,
>toggle windows file protection off, replace the dll, and start loading your custom
>styles.
>

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

So how exacltly will this work ok i can see how installing the actual theme will work but what about the desktop widget's (date, weather, etc.) that are in the themeXP files how will they work?


On Thursday, January 13, 2005 at 10:59 am, 666 wrote:
>

>You don't even need that stand-alone program. Just download a patched copy of uxtheme.dll,
>toggle windows file protection off, replace the dll, and start loading your custom
>styles.
>

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

You are exactly right. And these people that are mentioning the fact that it sounds like a third party program have no idea. The patch merely changes code to the original .dll file that allows you to bypass the microsoft guard against anything but their themes. It is just a hack. And a needed one at that. Windows blinds is not only an intelligent con but a hog on resources and even if you run a high end machine, you should try to run your computer at it's best if you ask me, or don't bother moaning about it when things start going wrong or crashing because of all the junk added to the registry and system directories by windows blinds and the like. I ran the patch and the themes are then run native to winxp rather than using lazy and sloppy coded third party programs like windows blinds... Dessnr.


On Monday, May 24, 2004 at 10:30 am, Quiller wrote:
>There is no real need to use a third-party app like WindowBlinds or StyleXP to make
>XP look pretty. Microsoft did it right when they set up the process for applying
>Themes... unfortunately, they also added a requirement that any theme has to be "approved"
>by Microsoft... StyleXP was smart in that they simply bypass that requirement. Any
>theme from themexp.org or wincustomize.org that is intended for StyleXP can run WITHOUT
>StyleXP sitting in the background hogging resources. Get a little program called
>Patch XP and you'll be free to use any theme just like switching from Windows XP
>to Windows Classic themes...

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

Man, you people are kind of neurotic asses. Quiller was just trying to be helpful.


On Monday, May 24, 2004 at 3:39 pm, Adam Bradley wrote:
>If you meant to add information to an article that respond to the article

>This is a standalone thread and serves no point other than an ad

>If linked to the article than it does serve a purpose

>Regards, Adam Bradley
>
>

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

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