Skins for Windows XP

Pawnless Endgame · 23 May 2006 at 11:59

Back in 1999, we used WindowBlinds to customise our Windows 95/98 systems with a skinned interface.

Windows XP in 2001 was the first version of Windows to use skins by default. The three built-in skins are the famous (or infamous) Telli-Tubbies blue scheme, the silver scheme and the olive-green scheme.

I was once told that if we wanted to use skins outside of those three built in WXP, we have to download a hacked DLL. Is this still the case, or do we use a 3rd party program like WindowBlinds?

I can simply google keywords such as “windows xp skin” and get the following web page - http://winxp.rb-338.com. Here, the site is offering the downloads as zip files. Do I still need the hacked DLL to get these in, or have Microsoft allowed 3rd party skins now?

Thanks.

grahamjenks · 23 May 2006 at 13:26

Windowblinds is still around - complete with lots of fancy alpha blending and other visual treats.

There's also a UXtheme hack that allows 3rd party skins - do a bit of googling for more info.

Also see the Desktop Thread in this forum for lots of helpful info and ideas.

Messiah Khan · 23 May 2006 at 13:41

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17403319

There you go. Nearly 2500 posts of relevant information

Yeah you can use windowsblinds, or the UXtheme hack(My personal favourite) or StyleXP. Have a look on www.Deviantart.com for skins

kbc · 23 May 2006 at 13:41

grahamjenks said:
There's also a UXtheme hack that allows 3rd party skins - do a bit of googling for more info.

Here's a guide without have to use stuff like WindowsBlinds or StyleXP etc...

Pawnless Endgame · 23 May 2006 at 17:31

Thanks for the replies. I think that it was the UXtheme DLL hack that I was referring to. It was the name that I have forgotten.

I'm thinking of going XP when I get my next PC from OcUK this summer :-)