WTF is this really Windows 8 "Windows 8 Made More Beautiful Than Default Windows 7"

[dcs18]

"Windows 8 Made More Beautiful Than The Default Windows 7"

(monitor post # 2 for all updates)

 

 

 

Notice:–

• This guide can be re-distributed anywhere without having to consult with me
• My name does not need to be credited – in fact, I do not want my name to be reflected
• Credits will need to be given, though to nSane Forums – a link to the forums would be appreciated

 

Salient Features:–

• This is not just about Windows 8 – in fact, Windows 7, Vista & XP shall be accommodated to my level best
• Please let's not start a Windows 8 V/s Windows 7 debate, here – it's pathetic (no Windows Blue, either – it's just a sperm in the test tube.)

 

The Background:–

 

Spoiler

Windows 8 comes with an enhanced security and is extremely unforgiving. Until recently, it was almost impossible to beautify this most ugly mother of an OS. One would have to modify 66 system files (one at a time using an unique procedure that was quite laborious – clearly beyond the competency of most Users.)

However, there's been a great breakthrough for Windows 8 Users – proud to announce the availability of an installer that now patches those system files efficiently, neatly and in quick time.

The Objective:–

 

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The Resources: (Windows 8)

 

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01.) Ux Style Core Beta (http://uxstyle.com/)
02.) Icon Installer (http://virtualcustoms.net/showthread.php/53960-HUD-Icons-and-Extras-Complete-Installer-BETA)
03.) MsStyle files-cum-Theme files (http://virtualcustoms.net/forumdisplay.php/1114-The-Best-Windows-8-Themes?s=9a3c66b28e75778a35fc8625d2bdddcd)
04.) Ribbon Disabler (http://winaero.com/comment.php?comment.news.20)
05.) Black Glass Enhanced (http://curiouso9.deviantart.com/art/Black-Glass-Enhanced-v0-5-156752713)

06.) Refresh Icon (http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?0qpdzbufdfngdgt)
07.) A Resource Editor – personally prefer Restorator 2007 (beware of the ghost; Restorator 2009 – it does not exist) (http://www.bome.com/products/restorator/downloads)
08.) Take Ownership (http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?4z90aeecc09m2cs)

Good News:–
One is no longer obliged to hack each of the following 66 system files – have listed them here for the Professionals who might prefer a manual job rather than the installer:
accessibilitycpl.dll
ActionCenter.dll
ActionCenterCPL.dll
authui.dll
autoplay.dll
biocpl.dll
cmd.exe
colorcpl.exe
comdlg32.dll
CompMgmtLauncher.exe
DDORes.dll
desk.cpl
DeviceCenter.dll
devmgr.dll
DiagCpl.dll
Display.dll
explorer.exe
ExplorerFrame.dll
firefox.exe
FirewallControlPanel.dll
fontext.dll
fvecpl.dll
gameux.dll
ieakui.dll
imageres.dll
imagesp1.dll
inetcpl.cpl
intl.cpl
LangSelectorRes.dll
main.cpl
mmres.dll
mmsys.cpl
MsMpRes.dll
mydocs.dll
netcenter.dll
ntshrui.dll
occache.dll
Oobefldr.dll
PerfCenterCPL.dll
powercpl.dll
regedit.exe
sdcpl.dll
shell32.dll
shellbrd.dll
SndVol.exe
SndVolSSO.dll
srchadmin.dll
systemcpl.dll
TabletPC.cpl
taskbarcpl.dll
taskmgr.exe
telephon.cpl
themecpl.dll
themeui.dll
timedate.cpl
TSWorkspace.dll
usercpl.dll
Vault.dll
WinSATAPI.dll
wmplayer.exe
wmploc.DLL
wpccpl.dll
wucltux.dll
zipfldr.dll

The Resources: (Windows 7)

 

Spoiler

01.) Theme Resource Changer (http://windows7customs.blogspot.in/2011/12/theme-resource-changer-x32-x64.html)
02.) Theme and /or Icon Installer (http://virtualcustoms.net/forumdisplay.php/864-Windows-7-Premium-Themes
03.) Refresh Icon (http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?0qpdzbufdfngdgt)
04.) A Resource Editor – personally prefer Restorator 2007 (beware of the ghost; Restorator 2009 – it does not exist) (http://www.bome.com/products/restorator/downloads)
05.) Take Ownership (http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?4z90aeecc09m2cs)

The Procedure: (Windows 8)

 

Spoiler

01.) Restart the system (to release all locked processes)
02.) Disable your AntiVirus and / or other security system
03.) Disable your UAC

04.) Reboot
05.) Install Ux Style Core Beta (kindly do not use any other program) as an Administrator
06.) Reboot – even if you’re not prompted to
07.) Install the icons (as an Administrator)
08.) When prompted to reboot once – please reboot twice without any delay (yeah, for insurance)
09.) Run the Ribbon Disabler (as an Administrator) – it's just a portable

10.) Those who want translucency and blur can use Black Glass Enhanced

11.) Enable your AntiVirus and / or other security system

The Procedure: (Windows 7)

 

Spoiler

01.) Restart the system (to release all locked processes)
02.) Disable your AntiVirus and / or other security system
03.) Disable your UAC

04.) Reboot
05.) Install Theme Resource Changer (as an Administrator)
06.) When prompted to reboot – please do reboot without any delay
07.) Install the theme you like (as an Administrator)
08.) If the installer is used, you'll be prompted to reboot, twice – do that without fail
09.) Enable your AntiVirus and / or other security system

Tips:–

• Whenever some icons seem corrupted, one can use the Refresh Icon resource.
• If Windows Updates leave behind corrupted icons – the Icon Installer resource can be run again.
• StartIsBack is the only Start Menu utility that's able to match the Start Menu skinning with rest of the OS.
• I'd personally suggest against using Black Glass Enhanced – a darker Windows 8 looks better without Aero effects.

 

Caution:–

• The Skin Packs, created by hamed need to be avoided – they are extremely buggy.
• ATM, the above guide works on only x64-bit architecture for Windows 8
• UnLocker should not be used to rename / delete system files.

 

Known Issues:–

• The Microsoft Office GUI cannot be skinned, as yet
• The Explorer ribbon cannot be skinned, as yet

 

Credits:–
Respects fly out to:

• Mr GRiM The original Innovator of all these gorgeous skins for Windows 8 and
• Toadyshadow101 (Developer of Cyberfox) for his brainwave – the recent breakthrough that made it possible to overcome the system-files-patching issue in Windows 8.

 

An Appeal:–

Without Tihiy's StartIsBack and Mr GRiM's Visual Styles & Themes, it would not have been viable for most of us to use Windows 8.

StartIsBack & Visual Styles are 2 very basic tools that make Windows 8 such a pleasure to use – you're requested to patronize their sites and purchase their products.

[dcs18]

[rach]

dear configurator,

I want to try it too, but...

if I want to switch back to the default style, is there any procedure for it?

if just want to change for white text on title bar, which software for it?

how about system performance after the surgery, any impact? (I know your computer have a high spec, may not make any impact but not for me) :)

thanks :D

[dcs18]

dear configurator,

I want to try it too, but...

if I want to switch back to the default style, is there any procedure for it?

There's no special procedure, as such - if you want to make a switch (just navigate to your Personalization Page and then change the theme back to the default or any other one of your choice.) ;)

if just want to change for white text on title bar, which software for it?

The white text on the Title Bar is part of the theme - no separate software is required. :wub:

how about system performance after the surgery, any impact? (I know your computer have a high spec, may not make any impact but not for me) :)

thanks :D

There's no hit on performance.

I've been installing these same themes on every Customer's system - some of those systems are as old as 7 years.

I've been using these themes, myself - right from Windows 7 days on a very old laptop. :showoff:

[rudrax]

@dcs18, Ah man! You were carrying the link for the first topic you have created about windows 8 and I was thinking that you have renamed the title. Assuming that, I was visiting the first thread again and again waiting for the banner to be removed. Now I get it.

[rudrax]

@rachmawawan (regarding system performance)

Take a screenshot of the desktop with windows default theme enabled then notice its size. Now enable the modified theme that you have got from this tutorial, take a screenshot of the same desktop and notice its size. The size of the 2nd screenshot will be considerably less than the first one. So it concludes that the theme will show less footprint on the memory then windows default one.

This is my personal experience.

[rudrax]

@dcs18, Please find a way to fix my strips problem.

[dcs18]

@dcs18, Please find a way to fix my strips problem.

Which strips problem?

[rudrax]

@dcs18, Please find a way to fix my strips problem.

Which strips problem?

The thing that we are discussing in PM on shell32.dll title.

[dcs18]

Was it the one concerning your Detail Pane? :unsure:

[rudrax]

Was it the one concerning your Detail Pane? :unsure:

Yep :D

[dcs18]

I was trying to help you - but, you started an argument over the PM so I thought, screw it. :dunno:

01.) BTW, which theme do you want to install?

02.) Is it with or without TopShell?

Edit:

Check out the Peeps at the following thread - if they had only asked how I managed to to do it:-

//www.nsaneforums.com/topic/160103-startisback-201-unofficial-version-with-patch/page-2?do=findComment&comment=542172

[rudrax]

I want HUD Apocalypse topshell x86 visuals but without installing it. I'd like to mod the resources for this purpose. And I've done it modding 60 system files with HUD Apocalypse's .res files and you being kind on me I got HUD Apocalypse's .theme and .msstyle file. Applied them and all changed except those panes.

Now what to do?

[dcs18]

Are you willing to follow exactly what I say without any arguments for a thorough solution or are you gonna be content with workarounds?

[Paft]

It's funny how peoples taste can completely differ The theme is rather ugly to me, however I like the darkness. It annoys me how most interfaces and websites use white backgrounds. Not a problem during the day, but at night I need.... B)

I lower my monitor brightness though the software and use:

http://userstyles.org/styles/31267/global-dark-style-changes-everything-to-dark

http://stereopsis.com/flux/

[dcs18]

Yeah, it's funny - one man wife can be another man's whore. :dunno:

[rach]

yeah, I like darkness too :rolleyes: :yes:

save more energy

but now I still use gray theme since I got a good and simple wallpaper

hard for me to get a dark wallpaper that's really my taste B)

hope I'll find it soon.

and yeah, mr. dcs18, why only two topics from you? do you really abandoned the rest of your tutorial?

[dcs18]

and yeah, mr. dcs18, why only two topics from you? do you really abandoned the rest of your tutorial?

Yeah, after meeting with a lot of indifference and total lack of response, I requested the Mods. to delete the rest of the 3 tutorials - also destroyed all my compilation made over the last 12 days for those guides. :(

nSane members seem to be preoccupied with non-existent matter like Windows Blue & Windows 9 - they no longer have sufficient time for real things like Windows 8, the nightly, etc., etc. - maybe nSane folks know everything (there's nothing more left for them to learn.) :idea:

Check the updates.

[rach]

bad news:( actually there still some topic that I really want to know

sorry I didn't follow your status for it

well, thanks for your effort to make this happen :) :thumbsup:

if I get some problem, I'll give the feedback here

prepare anything here as you mentioned before do cosmetic surgery B)

[rudrax]

Are you willing to follow exactly what I say without any arguments for a thorough solution or are you gonna be content with workarounds?

Alright, let's get started.

[dcs18]

OK, let's get the basics right - just to confirm (did you try the following setting for the Detail Pane?):-

[nIGHT]

@dcs18 man I like what you did here! But please bring the rest of it here! I'm shiting to wind0ws 8 and I'm counting on all that you did there.

This is only a part of it. I want it all or I will declare war on all universe! Bring all of it back! :protest:

[dcs18]

Shall help you man, in every possible way - even if it means taking a day off and TeamViewing your setup (no worries.) :thumbsup:

[rudrax]

OK, let's get the basics right - just to confirm (did you try the following setting for the Detail Pane?):-

Hell yes man. The bottom one too, BTW :naughty:

[nIGHT]

@dcs18 Thanks! But bring it back! Don't listen to those who didn't know what you did there rather listen to us who followed your tutorial.

I was only busy backing my data and I told you that ahead that I am expecting that tutorial.

Maybe it wasn't deleted, maybe its just hidden! So request the mod to unhide it! Please friend! I was f#$cking excited about you work till I heard this news!