Guide to changing your Vista theme and more...

Could you use other theme? Are you using Vista 64-bit?

 

i tired multiple themes and they all run in vista basic. Also i'm running vista 32 bit.

 

Repeat the whole process again to try your luck. Remember to take ownership of these three files, shsvcs.dll and themeui.dll and uxtheme.dll and rename them to .old, before you copy those downloaded from Uxtheme Vista_ SP1 (32-bit) to C:\Windows\System32. And reboot to take effect. Good luck

 

i repeated the steps again and it still didn't work.

 

Well, it was a few packages combined in one. Head over to vistaosx.net. Once there download and install the package, it creates a restore point so don't worry. It will install and reboot you, after that you can tweak out each part of the theme to your liking: move the task bar, change the dock look, etc. The wallpaper I got somewhere else. AND be sure to disable UAC.

 

I don't really know what else you can do. I'm guessing that somehow the patching of those three files didn't work. I made a mistake once the first time I tried it and the outcome was like yours however since I made a backup of my hard drive before I patched those files, I just went back to then and re-patched those 3 files and it worked. Did you make a backup?

 

I've just added a different method to patching the necessary files which should make this MUCH easier. Since I've never used it though, I can't say how well it works.

Also I've added a section for wallpapers with a couple links.

 

Does anyone here use the black glass skin for rainmeter? I've been wondering if there's a way to get higher transparency without dimming the text

 

does anyone know why certain skins don't work? I used the exact method for sp1 vista and for some reason, some themes don't show up when i pase them in the themes folder. all of the themes without one windows theme file in a seperate folder and one windows theme file outside of it work, but ones with just the theme file in a folder don't work. any suggestions?

 

I'm pretty sure that "windows theme files" they don't work in vista because they were made for xp. Vista can only use "windows visual style files" (*.msstyle) Make sure to download specifically visual style files that were made for vista.

 

ok are some of the themes on deviantart in the wrong secti0on or something then?

 

Yeah, I've seen that before, xp themes in the vista section and vista themes in the xp section.

 

I'm sorry as I really can't figure out why it doesn't work for you

Add this? http://customize.org/wallpapers

 

Thanks, I have.

 

BUMP>>

Maybe this thread and show off you're desktop should be combined and stickied? Just a thought

 

I've already asked about that but apparently there's a limit of three stickies for this category so the mods just added this thread to the general index sticky.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=177399

 

better than nothing i guess.

Ok now before i restart my computer and mess it again i want to make sure i have downloaded the files right. I did use a different guide than the ones u suplied CeeNote but it seemed easer to follow for me. It was this one. Now I downloaded the Vist/SPO and the first link to my desktop then copied the or droped the folder into my system32 folder after renaming the 3 files. After copying the download into system32 is shows up as the #6.?????? is that how is suppose to show up or should it be like the files i renamed and say uxtheme.dll ect. ?? Last time i tried this i just downlaoded the files straight to system32 and that didnt work and i had to reboot with safe mode and comm. prompt and type in some command to change the .old back to .dll so my computer would load. back up.

 

OK it didnt work agian. I'm not sure what i'm doing wrong but could use some help. I followed the guid in my above pos and installed the same file as the above post and when i tried to log in after restart i got the error unable to locate uxtheme.dll and it would only load a black screen. I had to use the same comm. prompt as above. Am i dowloading the wrong file or something? I checked my system and it didnt say anything about having SP1 but maybe i was looking at the wrong thing. So where should i check to see if i have SP1? And if its not that then what is the problem? thanks for any help.

 

I've only used my own guide so I don't know how accurate the one is that you used. You can check whether you have sp1 installed right here:

Control Panel\System and Maintenance\System

Does it mention service pack 1 towards the top of this page?

 

NOpe thats where i checked before and i just checked again and nothing. I will try useing you're guide. Just so i dont mess up again which download should i use off the link? For vista 32 no sp1?

 

Do you mean for vista glazz? In that case, yes, the regular download for vista 32 no sp1. Keep in mind that since you have already made changes to that folder, I don't know how well glazz will work now.

 

well i wasnt going to use glazz but i did change the file names back to .dll I had to so i could even log on. I meant the file that will replace the .dll that i renamed to .old or is glazz the only way to do it with you're guide? on the other guide it had u download some files and copy them to the system32 folder. I will try glazz and see if i works. Will i have to redo everything when i get home and decide to download SP1? or will everything still work?

 

No, glazz isn't the only way to do it but it should be the easiest way. Since SP1 makes some major changes to these files you probably will have to redo everything in order for you to be able to use custom visual styles. Just make sure that if you use glazz, to install only the version that will work with your particular version of vista (glazz 1.0 for vista w/ no sp and glazz 1.1 beta3 for vista with sp1.) However keep in mind that since 1.1 is still in beta phase, i don't know how stable it'll work.

 

Well i used glazz and i looks like its working fine. I put a new background on from deviant art. just trying to check the other things now, like skins and things. thx

 

Your welcome!

 

Ok i'm downloadin my first theme now. I have rainlender and i'm trying to get a new skin to work on it but its not wanting to work. I dowloaded the skin and unziped it but accorind to these instructions there should be a skins folder in the rainlendar folder and there isnt. At least not on mine. when i click on rainlender2 in my download folder it has a folder called backups, and some other single page files with all text. Any ideas?

My first theme just finished downloading after 30min the internet here is SLOW: any ways when i copy it to the theme folder and double click it, it just opens it on a notepad for some reason. did i down load it wrong some how? or do i need to do something else to fix it? I got the theme from a link out of the show off your desktop thread. Its called satin_by_michel from deviant. Sorry i dont have the link right now and the internet is to slow to go back and look for it. Any help plz?

 

The same theme works for me. I think im using it right now. You should have got a zip file which youll need to extract. Inside that zip file there should be one folder named Satin_by_Michel8170.

 

I just hope that MS offers some themes from their side, or a better way to acquaire themes because I really don't like changing official files and directories.

 

View attachment 20509

to thread starter:

Hi im having problems installing this theme. In fact, im having problems finding this theme to DL. I have the picture already. but i want the exact same taskbar settings with that "dock" at the top.

Can someone please help.

 

That looks pretty sweet!

 

The dock is just the free version of objectdock:

http://www.stardock.com/products/ObjectDock/downloads.asp

...and this should be the theme:

http://www.deviantart.com/download/63941718/

 

Ok a couple questions. One: once you download Vista Glazz how do u know it patched the files u wanted? Second: i didnt follow the steps in the guide perfect because i downloaded a hack from a thread in show off youre desktop that when u install it, it makes it easy to take ownership of any file just by right clicking on the file and selecting take ownership. Would that effect why my themes arent working? And my Third question is that i just downloaded the lutetiumgui theme and i had to unzip it on my desktop then drop it in the theme folder becuase it wouldn't unzip in there. It shows the theme in the folder like it should but wont apply it when i doule click it. It just shows the standard themes. Any ideas?
It took me a while but i found the hack LINK i used to take ownership.

 

Okay TSGB, Im a noob but all I know is that, If you have VistaGlazz, then you wouldnt need to try to follow the steps to patch the files, because if you go into VistaGlazz, and then the first Button, it says to Patch files, and then once you press it, you should restart. Once you do that, it would be good. but you shouldnt be trying to patch files.

 

Yea i'm not trying to patch files any more i had just downloaded that hack a few weeks ago when i was trying to patch files manualy. But now i have Glazz but its still not letting me use any custom themes.

 

The only reason i can think of why vista is not letting you use any custom themes is probably because you patched those files wrong in the beginning. Even if you re-do the whole process, it can't be fixed anymore unless you've created a backup or restore point which would let you get back to before you first tried to patch those files. Other than that I really don't know what else you can do.

 

Well i didnt create a restore point but is there any way to fix it with using the vista CD to repair like some one had said before? Or will that not do anything?

 

My laptop is only a few weeks old with nothing really important on it yet so do u think if i just do a clean install that will fix everything and i can start back from scratch? If so what is the best way to complete a clean install. I've never done one and want to make sure i do it right the first time for once and not the 3rd or 4 th

 

A clean install will definitely fix everything. For that you can just use the vista dvd-rom that came with your laptop. THIS video pretty much walks you through the install process.

Once the install is done, you will need the dvd called "drivers and utilities" to install all drivers that haven't been installed during the vista installation (video card, wireless etc).

Hope this helps!

 

I use that link too. It works without any problem.
And I agree with Ceenote.

 

Ok the link with the video wouldnt work from my work PC but i tried it any way's and of course i messed something up. But i contacted Dell through support chat and they gave me this which was very simple and much faster. So for any one else who makes a mistake or always makes mistakes like my self use THIS to reset to system default.

Ok I'm going to try this all over again but first i'm going to do a system restore point (learning right LOL) I saved Vista Glazz on my external along with some themes so we will see how it goes.

 

Sorry but im still having issues with this for some reason. I just reinstalled a fresh vista Glazz and did the patches on it. Than i took a theme from my external and droped it into the resource/themes folder double clicked it and it brout up the appeareance setting window and had windowns Aero selected. Any ideas??????

I'm attaching a screen shot with all the involved folders open so that you can see the setting and everything. Hopefully this can help some one point out my mistake. I'm sure it is my mistake and not the program or PC but u never know for sure. Also if u use Glazz shouldnt it change the 3 file names? because i dont see a themui.old just themeui.dll and the same for the other 2 files.

 

Have you applied this Aero theme because every single theme in the appearance window shows up as the regular aero theme. It only changes once you apply it.

EDIT: Everything looks correct in your screen shot. I'd be surprised if it doesn't work now.

 

It automatically overwrites those old files so don't worry if they still look the same.

 

It didn't work. WHen the theme folder pops up it doesnt give the optoin to apply just ok and cancel. So i hit ok and nothing then i click on the theme it has in blue which is aero and then i get the apply but it just applies the aero? This is getting really frustrating.

 

Don't worry it's really simple. Once you get to the appearance setting window, just click on any other color scheme first. Then click on your aero theme (the new one which you just used to open this window). Then it'll let you apply the theme.

 

Still no good. I did what u said. When ever the appearance setting window opend i clicked on high contrast #2 then back on to windows aero and apply and nothing. Still the one i already had going. the only thing i can think of, if everything is set up right like u said. IS that the themes i have dont work for this OS maybe???? even thou one says milkvista. SO i will try a new theme from interfacelift.com That is the only sight i can use right now from work to download the theme. Also i down load them to my thumb drive then zip to desk top finaly drag and drop into theme. That should be ok right?

 

As far as I know LutetiumGUI is a XP theme, so it can't be used on Vista. And I have problem applying MilkVista too. So let's try to use Satin instead.

Move the Satin_by_Michel8170.rar to other location, eg: desktop. Use 7-Zip to extract it. Open the Satin_by_Michel8170 that is extracted, Copy the folder named Satin to C:\Windows\Resources\Themes. After that, click the Satin visual style file inside that folder to apply the theme. The theme will have the same name as Windows Aero, just find the one you downloaded and click Apply. Good luck

 

Unfortinately i dont have 7 zip and cant down load it right now the Gov. computer i'm using blocked it when i tried. It allows some web sites but not others. As for the Satin file that was in the screen shot is not properly downloaded any longer i just deleted it. Is there a theme on interfacelift that u know works well with vista? I will try it if u do.

 

Get Vista theme here.

 

I can't. I'm deployed so I have to either use the Goverment computer that doesnt block that site from you're link but will not show a single picture so the whole web page is unreadable. I can go to the coffie shop and use the Wi Fi but it took me 30 minutes to download that satin one. When it only took 2 seconds on interfacelift from work. Not sure why it allows me to do it on that site but it does. I will go and eat lunch in a min then head over to the coffie shop and try to download one off deviant art from there.