[Guide] Modifying Windows Vista Visual Style - Overclock.net

**Retrospekt** · 11-17-08

The Aero theme looks nice, but after a while it starts to get a little boring. In Windows XP it was very easy to just apply a quick patch and double click on a file to apply a nice looking theme. Lately people have been more interested in patching Vista and it has been quite near perfected. Here is a step by step tutorial on how to patch vista.

Disclaimer: The chances of you messing up your Windows file system is small, but just in case, I am not responsible.
Disclaimer #2: Applying the patch removes Aero as an available theme from your theme list. To get it back you must revert back to the original files using VistaGlazz(Easy process).
Disclaimer #3: I reccomend making a restore point before you apply the patcher. It is rare, but as seen in ghost's case, VistaGlazz might mess up your files.

Step 1: Download VistaGlazz located here. It is an automatic patcher. It will patch your uxtheme file and allow you to apply custom visual styles. Once downloaded start the program, click next, and accept the agreement. It will not install VistaGlazz on to your system. Don't worry, this isn't a program like WindowsBlinds. It only needs to be run once and you are done with it. It does not even have to start up with Windows. Here is what it looks like:

The first and second icons are what you need to be clicking. Click the first one, patch your files. Click the second, and patch your msstyle files. You will need to restart your computer during this process. After you have restarted your files should be fully patched and you are ready to find the visual style you like most!

What it should look like after you patch:

Step 2: Locate a visual style you like. There are many to chose from in quite a lot of places. One suggestion: Some visual styles are a lot more complex than others. Some require patching of files such as explorer.exe and shell32.exe which I do NOT reccomend. I tried one of these themes and Windows did not boot for me. The simplest of themes will mostly be around 1-4mb, with the more complicated ones being around 20-30mb.

Best places to get completed visual styles: (Still working on list)
Neowin.net Forums
DeviantArt

Once you have found a visual style you like, download it. It will most likely come in a .zip and inside containt a folder. The folder will have multiple files in it. One file that will stand out is a .msstyle file, it is launchable.

What it looks like:

DO NOT launch it yet. The theme will not work correctly. You need to navigate to C:/Windows/Resources/Themes and copy the whole folder into there. Once you have copied the folder in there, open it and double click on the .msstyle file. The Windows theme utility should pop up and the style should already be chosen. Just click apply and watch your desktop change!

If the Theme utility that came up does not have the style chosen already, this is normal. Most of the time the style will not appear in the Theme Changer under it's correct name. It will usually be a duplicate of "Windows Aero" or "Windows Basic". You need to scroll through and look at the preview of which one is correct. As seen in this screenshot, I am applying a them named "Chocolate", but it is name "Windows Aero" in the Theme selector.

Now some before and after pictures. This is me modifying my desktop using the "Chocolate" theme from a DeviantArt member. Theme can be found here.

Wallpapers of all sizes can be found here.

Enjoy!

OverclockTheStock · 11-17-08

nice guide

purdueman · 11-17-08

Very nice I was just looking at Vista Glazz the other day now I will give it a try.

**BiG O** · 11-17-08

Good guide.

default501x · 11-17-08

awesome guide!

pioneerisloud · 11-17-08

I will be trying this myself, if I can ever find the theme that I want!

Looking for a theme that'll basically make my taskbar, startmenu...all that stuff 100% transparent...EXCEPT, the stuff that I actually need to see. Like when I open a Firefox window...I want to see that in my taskbar (but not the taskbar itself). When I close it...I want there to be NOTHING visible there.

If that make sense. Anybody have an idea what theme could accomplish this?

**Retrospekt** · 11-17-08

Quote:

Originally Posted by pioneerisloud

I will be trying this myself, if I can ever find the theme that I want!

Looking for a theme that'll basically make my taskbar, startmenu...all that stuff 100% transparent...EXCEPT, the stuff that I actually need to see. Like when I open a Firefox window...I want to see that in my taskbar (but not the taskbar itself). When I close it...I want there to be NOTHING visible there.

If that make sense. Anybody have an idea what theme could accomplish this?

Try this one.

http://www.vistaknowledge.com/vista-...r-vista-theme/

ProjecT TimeZ · 11-17-08

Didn't seem to work?

JoeUbi · 11-17-08

Very nicely put together, I can't wait till I get to try this out on Vista. Links are given where you can get all the required stuff, makes my life a lot easier :P