Downloading themes on to XP

Hello

My names Carol and I have just joined. I have joined because I am not familar with XP windows and having a few difficulties. Would anyone be so kind as to tell me where to save themes that I would like to download from the internet. With 98 it was very simple I just use to save in Programme (Plus) and the computer did the rest. It seems this is not so with XP windows, pulling my hair out.

Regards
Carol

 

It depends on the program you are using. Here is a link to the expertzone article about theming http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/columns/moskowitz/03february17.asp
I use Style XP http://www.tgtsoft.com/ there are plenty of other "pay for" programs .
Welcome to the forum!! Hope this helps.

 

Thanks for reply

Thank you Maggie for your reply I will go and have a look at your suggestions. However, do you know why XP doesn't have a place to save desk top themes? I thought XP was an updated version of 98, so you would think it would have a facility to save themes. I also notice it has no themes already installed as with 98. I do like life easy, find new things a bit taxing.

Kind regards
Carol

 

When I download themes ( I have xp) I go to the program files folder, then click on Plus, when that opens, click on "themes ". Your theme will be downloaded to that folder. When it has downloaded, go to that folder and open the new themes exe folder. It should then load. I have had no problems doing it this way on xp. If it is a zip file your downloading; you can download it to the desktop or your downloads folder; then extract the files to your "Plus' folder in your program files.

 

In Windows XP save them in c:\documents and settings\your username\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows\Themes. Change the drive letter if your Windows is installed to a drive other than C. If you save them here, they should show up in the themes applet.

 

And just why-oh-why would you want "themes" when pretty Luna Blue is already installed with XP?

Serously, though, don't get too excited about things like "themes" if you don't have a sufficient amount of memory. XP likes memory, the more the better. The resources needed for stuff like "themes" will slow down an XP machine with only 256Mb RAM. That's the trade off- so if eye candy is important to you, make sure you have the hardware to support it.

Johanna
True Luna Blue

 

Thanks for everyones help

Thank you very much for all your help on downloading themes on XP. Well I do have quite a lot of memory on this computer so should be fine to down load some themes. I rather think they cheer your computer up especially with the sound effects etc. I have Australian Cattle Dogs and there is a brilliant Cattle Dog Theme that I downloaded on my old computer so shall now have another go to see if I can get it sorted out.

This is a very helpful and interesting site.

Regards
Carol

 

Sorry me and themes again

I actually tried out Emilyjane's suggestion on how to install themes from the internet in plus/themes and it all worked out perfectly until I tried out the theme. An error card came up saying an important component was missing and asked me to check various things, which I did to no avail. I uninstalled and reinstalled and it was still coming up with same error card. The theme I was trying to install from the internet is already installed on my old computer and works perfectly on there, so must be doing something wrong, but don't know what.

Regards
Carol

 

Do you have Plus installed? I don't so can't use those themes. In mine it does a reg hack in Windows\Resources. It
modifies your current version of uxtheme.dll

 

Can you post a link here to the cattle dog theme or maybe another one that you can't get to work? If so, I'll have a look at it and see if I can get it to work on mine and let you know what I find.

 

Link

Thank you very much Zander, here is the link to the cattle dog theme http://www.thememaker.com/themes/dogs2.html hope you can get it to work. I do have plus on my computer.

Carol

 

I tried the theme and I got the same error you did. Most likely there's something wrong with it. FWIW, the theme contains a couple of things you most likely don't want on your computer anyway. NewDotNet and KeenValue . These are spyware (the KeenValue one causes popups). I would recommend you get rid of both of them. You should be able to unistall both in add>remove programs. Before you do this I would recommend you download LSP-Fix . If things don't work right during the unistall it's possible you could lose your internet connection. If this happens run the LSP-Fix and it should correct it. After doing this I would recommend you download Adaware and Spybot Search and Destroy . Run them and let them remove what they want. You should keep them and do this periodically. Each time you use them be sure to check for updates. I really think you're better off to forget about this theme. The additioal overhead is more than likely going to cause you problems of some sort.

 

Thanks

Thank you very much indeed for doing that for me. You are very knowledgeable about these things, even what you are telling me to do I am afraid is going above my head, but I will go look and see if I can find those things to uninstall. Hope you are not going to get problems with your computer now.

Once again thanks.

Carol

 

You're welcome.

No problems here. I knew it was in there before I installed it and was able to avoid it (it's in the licensing agreement).

 

Man, that hits home.
I see it everytime someone downloads something "Free" on the internet.

Oh well if they didn't do it. I wouldn't have a job.

 

Sorry to keep picking your brains

I have located the NewDotNet and taken your advise and dowloaded LSP-Fix. Before I try and uninstall NewDotNet incase of problems, does LSP-Fix automatically help or would I need to do something to it first? Don't want to loose my internet connection. LSP-Fix installed onto my Documents file, shall I leave it there? Can't locate KeenValue though so perhaps that didn't download with a bit of luck.
Regards
Carol

 

There's nothing really special that you have to do other then click on a button or two. It's pretty much automatic as long as you don't get into the advanced part. It comes with a text file that explains things. Be sure to read it before running the file.

You can leave it there or move it wherever you choose. It shouldn't be a problem either way.

If NewDotNet uninstalls correctly you won't have to use it but I have seen a couple of times where it caused problems. I've found that the LSP-Fix is a good thing to have anytime you remove adware-spyware. It wouldn't hurt to keep it just in case you need it sometime in the future.

Once in a while Adaware or Spybot will cause trouble for some if they don't quite get it right during the removal. If this happens with them they both create backups by default and you can restore the backup to get things working again and then go after things from a different angle (so to speak).

After you uninstall NewDotNet you should run the other two programs also. You might be surprised at what they find.

Edit:
One more thing to be aware of. If you remove the spyware junk it's possible some program you've downloaded could quit working. Sometimes the programs won't run after you remove the spyware that came with them. If this happens, unless you absolutely have to have the program, I'd just uninstall it and find something else. There's always alternatives. You could always ask here for recommendations and almost certainly somebody will come up with something to replace it.

 

Need to pick brains again

Have downloaded that LSP-Fix now, still rather scared to uninstall NetDotNet incase things go wrong. The LSP-Fix downloaded into My Documents file, should I remove to my desk top or does it not matter? Also sorry for my stupidness but not sure how to run LSP-Fix in case of an emergency. Couldn't find KeenValue so hopefully that didn't download fingers crossed.

Carol

 

Repeated myself

Sorry didn't see your reply or my message when I came back onto this site, so I resent another one, please ignore it.

Carol

 

DidgeRoo,

I hope you have success getting rid of the spyware. I'm posting because there is a site called themedoctor.com that I have found to have lots of themes that have never caused any problems for me. They even have a special icon for those that are known to work on XP, though most will even without that icon. I just install them to their own folder in C:\Program Files\Plus!\Themes even though XP doesn't come with that folder by default. If you have the folder it means you upgraded from an existing 9x or one of the themes you installed created the folder path. XP has its own folder for the few themes that come with it, and for those that come with the Plus! For Windows XP software. You don't need to be concerned with that since XP's built in Theme Manager will run whatever Themes are compatible with XP from the traditional Plus! folder path.

Another poster mentioned the dll hack which uses the built in XP Styles to install its themes. The hack is free, but the interface is called StyleXP, and they charge for that. In my opinion this is a short lived method of theming, as Microsoft is not including its Visual Styles method in the next OS (Longhorn), and the dll hack is always messed up by XP Service Packs until they patch the hack.

If you want to check out the "official" Microsoft way of adding not just themes, but completely managing Explorer and your desktop your way, check out WinCustomize.com and the WindowBlinds and Object Desktop packages from stardock.com. I'm not advertising. It's a matter of choice. I happen to enjoy both the traditional theming as well as being a subscriber to Object Desktop.

Have fun!