Filed under: OS Updates, Windows, Freeware
Windows 7 themes for Windows XP
by Brad Linder Jun 18th 2008 at 3:00PM
Sure, we don't actually have any real idea what Windows 7 will look like. But if you believe the screenshots floating around the web, the next version of Windows will look an awful lot like Vista. With a few new effects. And so when the folks at DeviantART decided to put together a few Windows 7 themes for Windows XP, it shouldn't come as a surprise that the themes look and feel a lot like Windows Vista.
That said, they're much prettier than the default themes available for Windows XP. Unfortunately, Microsoft doesn't make it easy to install third party themes for Windows XP. Officially you're pretty much stuck with Windows XP, Windows Classic, and a Microsoft Zune theme. So the first thing you need to do to install a third party theme is to install a program called UxTheme Patcher.
If you're running Windows XP SP2 or earlier, you can download a Windows 7 theme and UxTheme Patcher in one fell swoop at MegaLeecher. Just unzip the file and click the multi-patcher file in the UX Theme Patcher Folder and then click the Windows 7 M1 VS.msstyles file in the Windows 7 M1 VS subfolder in the Themes folder.
But the included UxTheme Patcher isn't compatible with Windows XP SP3. So if you have SP3 installed, you'll need to download and install a patcher from another location. Once you've done that and rebooted your system, you should be able to install third party themes like the Windows 7 theme. Just don't expect it to look like much other than a Windows Vista theme.
What are some of your favorite third party themes for Windows XP? Let us know in the comments.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Rawker said 3:13PM on 6-18-2008
are the people that are into themes and such still using xp..
i thought they would all have upgraded by now.
i figured the only people still using xp are all the low end PCs
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Josh said 5:00PM on 6-18-2008
Um... yeah. That's exactly why Microsoft kept extending support for XP. My old PC just died on me (surge destroyed the power supply) so my family bought a new one. Vista. I absolutely hated setting it up for them. Thankfully, I stay away from it by using my MacBook.
Inutriv said 2:38PM on 7-07-2008
Some still use XP because they don't want the various problems and issues associated with Vista. They want an OS that actually works properly - they stick with XP.
Jash Sayani said 3:16PM on 6-18-2008
I prefer Leopard themes....
Windows interface is far behind compared to Mac OS X's.
Reply
DiRT said 9:39AM on 6-19-2008
Ugh. I can't stand the look of OSX. The first thing I did was install ShapeShifter and download an XP theme.
Eggbrook said 3:27PM on 6-18-2008
First i use xp and my machine is not low end Rawker I have an Core 2 duo E6850 with 2 gigs of ram and an 8800GT. And my favorite xp theme is royal which is a media center theme which only needs to be unzipped and dragged into the resources folder in Windows
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Brad Linder said 3:28PM on 6-18-2008
My understanding is that the Royal theme was abandoned by Microsoft before it was ever officially released. I would have mentioned it in the post, but Microsoft sort of pretends it doesn't exist.
hazard said 6:34AM on 6-19-2008
Royale Noir is the best Theme for WinXP. Got it from DLS article a few years back. Sure there are smicker Themes out there but can't beat Royale Noir for simplicity and no fuss config.
hazard said 6:34AM on 6-19-2008
http://www.downloadsquad.com/2006/10/30/royale-noir-lost-xp-theme-discovered/
Dagwood said 3:37PM on 6-18-2008
I use a modified version of the Zune theme. I comes with 5 or 6 extra colors, including a complete Royale Noir. I like to blue or Smokey purple.
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westudi said 3:43PM on 6-18-2008
Interesting. I like the Zune theme, but wouldn't mind changing it a tad. Is there a link available for that modified Zune theme?
Dagwood said 4:06PM on 6-18-2008
I think this is where I got it. The best skin for XP I have ever seen.
Zune Final - 8 colors.
http://www.skinbase.org/rate.php?skins=38166
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westudi said 6:34PM on 6-18-2008
Awesome, thanks.
Zach G said 4:20PM on 6-18-2008
Thanks for the links. I'm liking the Zune theme as well. Thanks
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Quikboy said 4:21PM on 6-18-2008
Lots of those look like a mix of Vista and Windows Live. And then maybe some Aurora.
I'm not sure if they go well together, but themes are cool.
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scotty said 4:59PM on 6-18-2008
"Classic" theme FTW!
I've tinkered with using various themes (both the official Microsoft and user-made ones) and in the end have come to sticking with the boring looking Classic. It's the fastest, cleanest, most subdued, stays out of your way and allows you to get your work done.
When you get right down to it, the OS itself should not be what takes center stage -- the OS should be there to effectively and efficiently put the applications front and center. Glossy themes for the OS, especially ones with 3D effects and other eye candy, detract from this goal, and take up system resources from the applications.
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kingkool68 said 8:56PM on 6-18-2008
My favorite theme is Crystal DLB - http://dlb-.deviantart.com/art/Crystal-dlb-2-1-11969354
Clean, slick blue theme and it is actually more compact than the standard bar.
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ep3dan said 6:36AM on 6-19-2008
how do i get the theme to stay after i restart the computer? it goes back to windows classic. thanks
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Francis said 7:42AM on 6-24-2008
It never happen to me before but after SP3 it started reverting to classic theme if I use WinXP Manager to do some tweaking. This happens even when happens on a new OS installation so I am sure its something to do with SP3.
Just go to Admininstrative Tools>Services
Scroll down to Themes, right click, choose properties and change startup type to automatic
Naseer said 6:37AM on 6-19-2008
I love the Xbox Xtreme theme -
http://gametorrent.blogspot.com/2007/11/xbox-theme-xtreme-xp-20.html
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