Mr.Bob's Guide To Customizing Your Vista Visual Style

Customizing Your Windows Vista Themes and Visual Styles.

Step 1 - Visit http://www.withinwindows.com/uxthemes to download the patch for your OS version. There are links to every version of Windows, however the folowing instructions will be specifically geared to Vista users. XP users see the very bottom of this post.
Step 2 - Navigate to c:\windows\system32, locate the following files: uxtheme.dll, themeui.dll, shsvcs.dll.
Step 3 - Take ownership of each one by right-clicking and selecting "Take Ownership" from the menu.
Step 3 - Rename uxtheme.dll to uxtheme.old, themeui.dll to themeui.old, shsvcs.dll to shsvcs.old.
Step 4 - Copy the downloaded, patched files to c:\windows\system32
Step 5 - Restart you PC

Now that you're all patched and ready to go, you're gonna need a new theme or visual style. I personally use deviantART.com as its a great place to get free customizations of all kinds from some extremely talented artists and coders. Registration is optional, but I urge downloaders to register and show the artists some love, their work is top-notch.

A theme (*.theme) is a visual style with saved settings, wallpapers, icons, and so on. To install:
Step 1 - Copy downloaded .theme file and any accompanying folders to C:Windows\Resources\Themes
Step 2 - Double-click the .theme file. The Theme Settings window will appear with the title of your theme selected.
Step 3 - Click Apply, your screen will look weird while its changing.
Step 4 - To change between themes, right click the desktop, selct Personalize->Themes, select a theme from the list and apply.

A visual style (*.msstyles) is the file that skins the windows, taskbar, start menu, and other elements of the Windows appearance. To install:
Step 1 - Navigate to C:Windows\Resources\Themes.
Step 2 - Create a folder with the name of the .msstyle file you have downloaded.
Step 3 - Copy the .msstyle file and all accompanying files you downloaded to the folder you just created.
Step 4 - Double-click the .msstyle, this will bring up the Appearance Settings window. The name of the new visual style will not appear in this window, it will appear as another set of selections titled Windows Aero and Windows Vista Basic. Choose the one that looks like the Visual Style you just installed (sometimes its difficult to tell), and click Apply.
Step 5 - To change between visual styles, right click the desktop, selct Personalize->Window Color and Appearance. Now switch to Classic Appearance Properties, this will bring up the Appearance Settings window.

Users who have not yet upgraded to Vista SP1 can simplify the process by using an application called Vista Glazz. Vista Glazz automatically patches the files from above, as well as allowing users to make the top bar of a maximized window clear instead of black, without having to install a custom visual style. For more info and to download, visit: http://www.codegazer.com/vistaglazz/

To XP users, if you dl a patch from the link above, you'll notice its only 1 .dll file. My instructions still apply, but its just for the one file...vista uses 3 for some reason.

 

Great guide, thanks a lot!

 

I had that hacked yesterday,
took me the whole night to figure out how to do that

WHY DON'T YOU POST THIS ONE DAY EARLIER??
just kidding~
anyways, good guide ! thanks!

 

thanks alot

 

If you had searched you would of found this topic already posted some 2-3 days ago. But he has taken time to make a new topic on the matter..
@mr.bobharris, located here (this thread) many will find it more useful now nice work once again.

 

xp users, if you dl a patch from the link above, you'll notice its only 1 .dll file. my instructions still apply, but its just for the one file...vista uses 3 for some reason.

 

awesome guide! helps so much. Will this be a sticky? or added to another guide?
i kindly propose so(if i may)

 

Why does NOONE ever mention ... Does it work with Vista Basic?

 

im glad i snatched the C700. The F500 is a better performer. but off the bat, the c700 comes with premium

i think the download sites normally specifies the versions supported.

 

at withinwindows.com, when i choose my operating system, i dont know which to choose... i dont think i have SP1 yet. so do i select sp0?

EDIT: ouch. simply right clicking doesn't option me to take ownership... do i have to navigate through properties? then select SECURITY tab? then ADVANCED
then ADVANCED SECURITY SETTINGS for uxtheme.dll
then click EDIT.
UAC requests...
then arrive at OWNER.


then select ADMIN as the owner? and NOT XXX(XXX-PC\Administrators)

 

I will remind people that if you do this patching, you do it at your own risk. I tried it on my Vista systems. One has SP1 and one does not. The patch worked, but then certain programs kept crashing. So, make sure you make a system restore point or image before you do this.

 

I have a problem.

Is it just me or do some .msstyles NOT work? Or am I doing something wrong...

I download a theme like this one and put it in Resource/themes. It does not show up in the Appearance.

However, if I download this one, then it does indeed show up in Appearance and settings.

Whats wrong?

 

if you're seeing changes, atleast ur doing something right. i'm so confused haha. but i know i didnt kill anything.

EDIT the furthest i got was applying a leopard theme and it turned into windows classic!

 

Yeah, I'm testing out a variety of different themes but some are working, others are not. The majority of Leopard themes I've tried have not worked.

My guess is some are Vista compatible and others are not. =/

 

now im confoozlehoozled!

i suppose it wouldnt make sense to but do i still have to rename and replace the 3 files in System 32 even if im using VistaGlazz? I dont think i have SP1, so i'm doing it the simplified way right?

 

You have to remember most of the themes on DeviantArt were made for XP...keep that in mind since Vista uses Aero (At least every version except basic) so that already might screw with any existing XP themes out there. REMEMBER TO download the ones that say they are compatible with Vista. I manually patched my Vista msstyles and I've been using custom themes ever since I got it a long time ago.

 

yes....but the visual style you apply must be made for vista basic, i see them all over deviantART.

yes to all of the above.

manual replacement is unnecessary if using vista glazz.



and like Theros123 mentions above, make sure you're not downloading XP visual styles.