(36 votes, average: 3.69 out of 5)
Loading ...Maybe some of you tried to customize your Windows Vista desktop and had no success.In this tutorial you will learn how to use a Windows Vista Theme and customize your desktop the way you want to by following some simple steps.
In order to change your Windows Vista Theme you must first download the Windows Vista UxTheme patch, something that will help you in this tutorial. You can download the UxTheme patch here .
First step is to click the Start button. Then click All Programs > Accessories > Command Prompt.
In your operating system directory go to System32 folder and locate the 3 files you will need for this tutorial: uxtheme.dll , themeui.dll and shsvcs.dll . In the Comand Prompt write the following: takeown /f filepath ( in our computer for example we had to use takeown /f c:\windows\system32\uxtheme.dll ). After you written the path press enter. Windows will announce you that the operation was completed successfully. To maximize the picture simply click on it.
Now repeat the same steps for themeui.dll and shsvcs.dll files.
The next step is to rename the three folders you located earlier like this: uxtheme.dll will became uxtheme.old, themeui.dll will became themeui.old and shsvcs.dll will became shsvcs.old.
Now copy the three .dll files found in the Windows Vista UxTheme patch to the System32 folder, in our example found at this path: c:\windows\system32\ .
After you copied the files you must right-click them and select Security then Advanced.
Then click edit and make sure you select your administrator account or to make it simple select Full Control for all the accounts.
Here select Full control like we did in the picture below.
And you’re done. Now you can use the Vista themes found on our website here .
We will show you now how to install the Maxvlear V3 Theme.First download the file by clicking here . After you downloaded the archive extract the files by right-clicking it like we did in the picture below.
Then copy the files found in the theme folder and copy them.
Then paste them in the Resources folder found in c:\windows\resources\themes .
After you did this right-click your desktop and select Personalize.
Then select Theme like in the picture below.
Now select the theme you copied earlier in the Resources folder, in our case the Maxclear V3 Theme.
Now click Apply and you’re done!
November 28th, 2007 at 1:30 pm
when i download a theme why it doesnt come with a theme file how o where i can find the theme file help me please
November 30th, 2007 at 2:21 am
The ux patcher says that it is not compatable with my os. Im running vista what is wrong???
December 3rd, 2007 at 10:54 pm
The ux patcher says that it is not compatable with my OS. However, I am using Windows Vista Premium.
December 5th, 2007 at 6:09 pm
Someone can response these questions??? I have the same issue, I am using windows vista ultimate
December 6th, 2007 at 12:23 am
i recommend you to use this tool: VistaGlazz 1.0
it works great on Windows Vista. A new guide will be made soon using this tool.
please let me know if everything is fine now
December 13th, 2007 at 5:48 am
Thanks folks! Its really beutifull…….
December 16th, 2007 at 8:03 am
The ux patcher says that it is not compatable with my OS,too
I’m using, unfortunately; vista starter….:(
December 26th, 2007 at 10:10 am
the patch says it is not recognising my o.s. though i have a vista premium
December 29th, 2007 at 1:14 pm
i did not find 3 dll files from patch folder..and how can i change the name dll to old?? it wont let me
January 4th, 2008 at 2:57 am
Vista is the worst!Never again will i buy dell or windows! It tells ME the logged on user does not have ownership priveledges for the file–I’m the only freakin’ user a-hole!It doesnt matter noones listening thi damn things going in the dumpster NEVER AGAIN I HATE YOU SO MUCH VISTA SUCKS
January 4th, 2008 at 3:02 am
AS usual with this system,tons of work and no result.My old commodore 64 was more useful.That was a looong time ago kids.They are not trying to make things easier or better.
January 5th, 2008 at 10:03 am
for some reason the above steps did not work on mine, is there anyway that I can do it?
January 6th, 2008 at 2:31 am
The ux patcher says that it is not compatable with my os. I am using windows vista home basic what’s wrong???
plz help me out…its a request
January 9th, 2008 at 2:58 am
try changing the compatibility of the ux patcher to Windows XP (Service Pack 2) then it should be able to run.
January 9th, 2008 at 3:34 am
The ux patcher says that it is not compatable with my os. I am using windows vista home basic what’s wrong???
January 9th, 2008 at 8:28 pm
It dont works!!!!
Vista Sucks and the file uxpatcher.zip dont contains any dll or some like this only the instaler and it is for XP OS
this tutorial suks!!!!!!
January 11th, 2008 at 7:40 pm
First Off, this tutorial is missing some steps
Second, Blame the Users not the OS. Its HOW u use it make it suck. Im sorry but, I guess some people do not know how to imprevise some of stuff thats going on vista or other versions of windows . Maybe they just too damn lazy to do a little more work.
January 17th, 2008 at 5:55 am
is this only for xp. if it is that sucks. dont work for mind. window home premium
January 18th, 2008 at 10:08 pm
Please answer everyone’s problems…I have the exact same errors, too. And if someone does know, don’t sit there and read this, tell us how to download it.
January 21st, 2008 at 9:25 pm
The ux patcher says that it is not compatable with my os. I am using windows vista home basic what’s wrong???
January 22nd, 2008 at 7:15 pm
why not have it automatically set it as your theme!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
January 28th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
suggestion:
steps 1: take full ownership of the 3 mentioned file.
steps 2: apply full control (read + write) to the three file.
steps 3: Extract the 3 file mentioned from (windows xp)
steps 4: replace the three file mentioned from files just extracted.
steps 5: now compy the theme file downloaded and put them to c:\windows\resources\themes
good luck,
Ichoose
January 29th, 2008 at 5:09 am
ok nice
January 30th, 2008 at 9:25 pm
How do you get the Aero Diamond theme working on Vista home premium and why doesnt the uxtheme patcher work on any cpu’s?
February 2nd, 2008 at 1:38 pm
i got to the last step
but my computer says
windows theme service is not running
what can i do ?
February 4th, 2008 at 12:53 am
DOESENT WORK ON OS HELP PLEASE
February 4th, 2008 at 12:55 am
CAN WORK ON MY VISTA OS
February 6th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
ohhh atlast am done changing my theme , hey guys dis uxpatcher file suxxx , i have downloaded it from dis link
http://www.winmatrix.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=11742
i have pasted da files from da zip n den da new themes start working !!!
PEACE
February 6th, 2008 at 1:27 pm
da only question now is dere are some themes i got but dey dey are in .dll format so is there anywaz way to apply those themes ?
February 13th, 2008 at 6:06 am
If you really want your themes to work and you dont want to change your dll’s manually. or if uxTheme Patcher does’nt work and you have (VISTA) here are some easy steps to get you downloading themes.AND IT WORKS FOR SURE
1.Go to this web site (www.codegazer.com)
2.Up in the top right corner there should be a list under (NAVIGATION) Click on (DOWNLOADS)
3.It will have a (DOWNLOAD NOW)Click on it.
4.It should take you to Download.com (NOW)Download it click run when it is finished.
5.When it opens Click on Agree, Then click on the second icon (FIRST) Click on (Patch Style). Then click on the first icon and click (patch DLL’S)
6.Then it will ask you to Reboot your PC. IF both icons have a Green check then it worked. (So Then Reboot Your PC.)
NOW THAT THAT’S DONE: you can download your Themes and go back to the Tutorial
(((Up Top AT THIS POINT)))
And you’re done. Now you can use the Vista themes found on our website
February 16th, 2008 at 6:09 am
can i install the themes if i have not the vista in opertaion system and how can i intall them it does work.
where can i download vista or aero themes for windows xp sp2
February 20th, 2008 at 7:38 pm
Yeah got the same os thing.Im running Windows Vista Ultimate.
March 1st, 2008 at 9:56 am
so the themes only can work with window vista..?
xp cannot?
March 3rd, 2008 at 1:50 am
can i install vista theme in window xp?
, c,c++ can run in vista?
March 5th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
do i have to replace those .dll files in system32 everytime i installed a new theme? and one thing, i did everything mentioned in the tutorial, but still i can’t use my theme. why?
March 7th, 2008 at 3:08 am
hey are you ble to do the same as this in xp pro sp2?
please email me this answer on possessed_cannibal_butcher@hotmail.com
March 8th, 2008 at 10:57 am
[…] How To: Unlock Windows Vista for Custom Themes • How To: Install Windows Vista Themes • How To: Change icons in Windows Vista • How To: Disable Aero Transparency in Windows Vista […]
March 10th, 2008 at 8:16 am
How can I set this neon theme… there’s no a theme file…, I mean *.theme. Windows can’t see it and can’t use the theme.
March 15th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
Can some one please tell me how to install new icons to customize my desktop….. I have windows vista ultimate ..I have tried this program…icon packager, but maybe i am doing it wrong …When i download the icons from a website they are all in zip files …Do I unzip…I tried unzipping but then when i go to the program it is telling me that nothing is there …lol..Can some one Please help Thanks
March 20th, 2008 at 10:37 pm
I wonder how you can make the style work without the *.theme file. Most of the styles here don’t have one.
March 23rd, 2008 at 1:50 pm
@Machinista
you dont need the files to be in .theme format for them to work because most of these so called “Themes” are actually visual styles. Once you installed it in the right place you go to the classic appearance settings and simply choose it.
March 25th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
i have patched the necessary files with VistaGlass and copied the folder with the visual style to “windows/resources/themes/. but the new visual style does not appear in the themes menu! i think the x.theme file is missing?
any ideas? many thanx!
March 28th, 2008 at 7:03 pm
[…] How To: Unlock Windows Vista for Custom Themes • How To: Install Windows Vista Themes • How To: Change icons in Windows Vista • How To: Disable Aero Transparency in Windows Vista […]
March 30th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
hay i have done every step i have got part of it on and part not can someone plz help me, i think it has something to do with my video card.
April 8th, 2008 at 9:23 am
Not Recognising My O.s Vista Ultimate =(
April 15th, 2008 at 5:36 pm
Will this work on windows vista ultimate x64?