I found two awesome looking themes for Windows XP, and they're signed by Microsoft, so you don't need your Uxtheme.dll file patched. The themes I found are called Royale and Royale Noir. I'm using the Royale theme right now, and I have to say, it looks GREAT on my computer. Much, much better than any of the themes that come default with XP.
I've been solely using the XP Royale theme for years, it definitely has better colors and an overall look versus that of the default Mickey Mouse XP blue theme.
Wow Fireyone! That theme looks awesome! Even better than Royale it looks like! Downloading it right now!
EDIT: Downloaded it and tried it. I don't know what to say about it except that it... IS TOTALLY AWESOME! Thanks Fieryone for this theme! It's perfect for me! Now Royale, and Embedded are my favs!
I found two awesome looking themes for Windows XP, and they're signed by Microsoft, so you don't need your Uxtheme.dll file patched. The themes I found are called Royale and Royale Noir. I'm using the Royale theme right now, and I have to say, it looks GREAT on my computer. Much, much better than any of the themes that come default with XP.
I want to use the Luna Element theme. Looks great! Too bad I can't use it since I don't feel safe with any program modifying a system file. I've heard some people have had major system screw-ups with using some of the uxtheme.dll file patching programs.
That element theme doesn't modify anything, it creates its own unique theme folder and doesn't patch anything. Although it helps to track the installation should you decide to uninstall it, which I did because it's just too dark for me.
Well I'm back to Royale from the Embedded theme. Embedded is a really nice theme, but I noticed that it's not quite finished yet. For example, the start button changes shape when you click on it, and the little menu areas like in My Computer, where it has like System Tasks, Other Places and Details, that area doesn't look quite finished yet because there isn't a border around the boxes. Another glitch with it I could find was that the buttons in XP now had that orange outline around them all the time that usually only come on when you move your mouse over the button. Well I'm back to Royale, which is so far the only perfect alternative to the default Windows themes.
I did love the color style of the Embedded theme. Too bad it had all those imperfections, I would've used that theme. Royale is still a great theme though, which is why I'm back to using it.
Btw, Embedded is still an awesome theme, and still one of my favs. Royale is still the best though. I wish there were more themes that we could use without having to patch the uxtheme.dll file.
Well, you could always buy WindowBlinds. I used them for a few years till I realized that a theme called Dew (a simple gray theme) was the best for me. I got tired of flashy Vista-ish stuff fast. But in order for me to re-activate WB after my recent reformat is just too much email contact work for me. I got my $20 worth out of it, I'm done. I'll stick with Royale Noir and Classic Win98 as my choices.
Of course my WinME partition will still always be in Classic Win98 mode.
True, I could do that. But I'm not really that crazy about themes and stuff; I'm fine with Royale right now. The Vista-ish Windows was exciting around when Vista came out, but after, it just got boring.
Deviant Art has thousands of themes for XP. I have looked at most of them but this guy has by far the best looking themes. They are clean and not flashy and he has a lot of them to choose from. Here is his gallery from Deviant Art http://lassekongo83.deviantart.com/gallery/#Visual-Styles
Do you guys think I should do the uxtheme.dll patch?
Make your own known good backup copy of the original such as zipping it, then make a system restore point, and track the installation of any new theme and you should be able to undo any changes.
It's just a personal choice of mine but I don't use any third-party non-Microsoft themes since they patch a system file, although I realize many people use them with no issues.
I have zero issue with patching the UXtheme dll. No only that but the themes you use after patching use zero resources unlike Windows Blinds which does use resources because you have to run a program to use them. Once patched you do not "install" the themes from Deviant Art. You drop them into your themes folder and than select them like you do with the built in themes that come with XP. Getting rid of the theme is simply a matter of deleting the file from the folder.
