HOW TO RUN UNSIGNED THEMES
TUTORIAL BY TERMINGAMER2-JD
FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT LAZY SODS
You'll need:
uxtheme.dll (for your Service Pack
1. Download a patched uxtheme.dll file, from http://www.belchfire.net/?showtopic=9001
2. Extract the file to the C:\ root drive so you don't lose it.
3. Reboot into Safe Mode and search for 'uxtheme.dl' in system and hidden folders. Make sure you turn on to view hidden files and system files.
4. Rename anything that has the name 'uxtheme.dll' to 'uxtheme.dl'.*
5. Navigate to each folder these files are in, and add the patched uxtheme.dll file to them.
6. Reboot to normal mode.
7. Download an unsigned theme, put it in C:\WINDOWS\Resources\Themes.
8. Click the msstyles file and you can use it. Now tweak the theme to do stuff with it.
*If you find uxtheme.dll files in the NT Service Pack Uninstall folders, I think you have to replace these with SP2 versions or just remove them altogether.
-------------
ADDING THEMES TO THE SELECTION MENU
When you add themes, sometimes you are simply given a folder with the theme name in the archive which has the colour schemes and msstyles file. Sometimes you get a .theme file with it, though.
When you get one without a theme file, extract the contents to a folder with the theme name (e.g. C:\WINDOWS\Resources\Themes\Old Cheese). There you can store the msstyles folder and that.
After you do that, go to Display in Control Panel and set up a theme for the visual style. If there's a wallpaper included with the theme file then I suggest you put it in C:\WINDOWS\Resources\Themes\Web which then puts that background in the default wallpaper folder.
Once you're done making a theme, save it to the root of the themes directory, and call it the name of the theme, so it's selectable at any time as a proper theme and not just as a visual style.
---------------
What I mean: download VistaVG Ultimate and you'll see it's selectable in the theme selector. The above explanation is how to make it do that.
-----------------
If you need XP themes go to sites like ThemeXP, Customize.org, and others - DeviantArt have a category for XP visual styles too.
(Customize.org was the first one ever made, but no one makes new themes there anymore)
------------
Hope this helps you use unsigned themes on XP now. If you are a lazy bugger, use UxStyle Patcher for XP. Any damage done to your system is your fault, not mine.
-----------------
There may be a possible workaround of this. You can probably create a fake Microsoft signature in some way (maybe by using resource hacker or something) but it hasn't been tested.
TUTORIAL BY TERMINGAMER2-JD
FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT LAZY SODS
You'll need:
uxtheme.dll (for your Service Pack
1. Download a patched uxtheme.dll file, from http://www.belchfire.net/?showtopic=9001
2. Extract the file to the C:\ root drive so you don't lose it.
3. Reboot into Safe Mode and search for 'uxtheme.dl' in system and hidden folders. Make sure you turn on to view hidden files and system files.
4. Rename anything that has the name 'uxtheme.dll' to 'uxtheme.dl'.*
5. Navigate to each folder these files are in, and add the patched uxtheme.dll file to them.
6. Reboot to normal mode.
7. Download an unsigned theme, put it in C:\WINDOWS\Resources\Themes.
8. Click the msstyles file and you can use it. Now tweak the theme to do stuff with it.
*If you find uxtheme.dll files in the NT Service Pack Uninstall folders, I think you have to replace these with SP2 versions or just remove them altogether.
-------------
ADDING THEMES TO THE SELECTION MENU
When you add themes, sometimes you are simply given a folder with the theme name in the archive which has the colour schemes and msstyles file. Sometimes you get a .theme file with it, though.
When you get one without a theme file, extract the contents to a folder with the theme name (e.g. C:\WINDOWS\Resources\Themes\Old Cheese). There you can store the msstyles folder and that.
After you do that, go to Display in Control Panel and set up a theme for the visual style. If there's a wallpaper included with the theme file then I suggest you put it in C:\WINDOWS\Resources\Themes\Web which then puts that background in the default wallpaper folder.
Once you're done making a theme, save it to the root of the themes directory, and call it the name of the theme, so it's selectable at any time as a proper theme and not just as a visual style.
---------------
What I mean: download VistaVG Ultimate and you'll see it's selectable in the theme selector. The above explanation is how to make it do that.
-----------------
If you need XP themes go to sites like ThemeXP, Customize.org, and others - DeviantArt have a category for XP visual styles too.
(Customize.org was the first one ever made, but no one makes new themes there anymore)
------------
Hope this helps you use unsigned themes on XP now. If you are a lazy bugger, use UxStyle Patcher for XP. Any damage done to your system is your fault, not mine.
-----------------
There may be a possible workaround of this. You can probably create a fake Microsoft signature in some way (maybe by using resource hacker or something) but it hasn't been tested.