Just added this to my work machine now. I loves it!

PsychoticLad

@Yeraze: I take that back. I unzipped it to my Desktop, and use the "Browse" option in the Theme manager (I'm on XP64, display Panel->Themes).

I also had to edit the Embedded.theme file (line 99) to point to the new location.

Yeraze

It kind of reminds me of Luna Element in a way. I like it.

sw4383

While it doesn't require Hacking, it does seem to require write access do your Windows installation directory, which pretty much means Admin Priv's.

Oh well...

Yeraze

Woohoo! Another theme for my XP system. ^__^

Thanks Kevin! ^__^

Asian Angel

nice, pretty slick looking... i switched to it just now from the royale noir theme. i think i'll keep it (at least on my work machine).

raintheory

There's also the Zune theme, which is free and "official" and no hacking required, it can be found here:
[go.microsoft.com]
It's black with orange highlights. It's quite cool.

albertojb

Does it take admin rights?

.....

Oh yeah. First. Never done that before.

paqman

I talked (read: tricked) my IT guys into admin rights...but can't get through the firewall. I'll wait till I get home unless more mirrors come up.

Josh

WOW that is a really nice clean theme. I had the Windows XP Media Center theme which looks better than the original theme that ships with XP but I like this new and improved darker blue theme. Thanks for the find Lifehacker!

ma5t3rw1tt

Wow very nice. I generally leave Classic on just due to pure hate of Luna but I think I'll go with this for a while for a change of pace.

jimforcy

It looks really nice. I'll use it for a bit, see whether it holds up to Luna Element Black. Let the games begin!

Happy_Man

Oh, nice timing lifehacker. I was thinking of a new theme (I use Alduin, but it recently decided that my taskbar font was going to be black, which renders it more difficult to use. Maybe I'll try this one instead.)! ESP?

lacrimaeveneris

@mayuresh: @pezdaddy:

No worries, thanks for trying. When I didn't see it in my email I realised that the file contained a .dll, which gmail will probably block.

(Incidentally, if you renamed the extension from .zip to .bak or some such, gmail will then send the file.)

I managed to use google to get an alternative link that worked. Thanks again.

r2mahara

Can you send over the desktop wallpaper from the screenshot ?

mayuresh

@r2mahara: I'm sorry, I have to take back my offer. I am unable to send it through either gmail or my work email. Both block the attachment since it contains an executable. Sorry.

pezdaddy

@r2mahara: Check your email...

pezdaddy

can someone email this theme to me at shellshocked at gmail.com ?

both download links are blocked from work here.

thanks, and please make a comment here saying that you've sent it so I don't get 50 copies ;)

r2mahara

Hooray! Something else other than switching between "Silver" or "Olive Green" as I've been doing for the past 8 years. This is a Change I Can Believe In.

LastVigilante

@mayuresh: isn't the wallpaper in the zip file?

r2mahara

@pezdaddy: No worries, thanks for trying. When I didn't see it in my email I realised that the file contained a .dll, which gmail will probably block.

(Incidentally, if you renamed the extension from .zip to .bak or some such, gmail will then send the file.)

I managed to use google to get an alternative link that worked. Thanks again.

r2mahara

C'mon people! This is Lifehacker!!! There are ways around those admin lockouts! UBCD4WIN, anyone?

jswilson64

@r2mahara:
I un-exe'd the file and sent.
Just drop the contents in C:\windows\resources\themes
Then go into the Embedded folder, and double-click Embedded.msstyles

pete

Microsoft really failed at themes. They had a great opportunity to make it either:

1) A community based program where developers release themes that Microsoft "signs" and allows Windows users to customize their computers with;

2) A paid service, such as $0.99 per theme, and maybe have more than just Microsoft Zune and Xbox themes, but actually themes that others might like without the constant commercial for those products on your desktop;

3) A free service that is only available to "authorized" xp users who validate on windows update. This would follow the directx method.

4) A free service that might tempt someone to stay with Windows by making it look better

Either way, the fact that uxtheme.dll hacks even have to exist is sad.

UnStatusTheQuo

Are there any other official XP styles besides this, Zune, and Royale Noir?

wags029

@pete: got it - thanks!

r2mahara

Very nice theme! thank you for sharing.

Brad Isaac

@Yeraze: As far as I know, the only difference between unzipping the theme in the theme directory and unzipping the theme anywhere else is that when themes are located in the theme directory they show up in the "Windows and Buttons:" drop down menu in the appearance tab of the desktop properties (where as themes located elsewhere, do not).

Kid-A

Does it bother anyone else that the theme still doesn't match the gray fill inside the window? It matches better than Aero, but still...

sample032

@LastVigilante:

There's also been royale (media center 2005), Royale noir (black version of the previous) and Zune (royale noir that's "finshed"). All of which have the digital signatures to use them without hacking windows

LordDaMan

@Josh:

Hopefully your IT guy is not a LHer because I'm betting he'd be able to ID you from your avatar. :)

jupiterthunder

doesn't do anything to the Office 2007 apps though :-(

fhall1

It looks pretty yuck after getting used to the classic theme for so long, but thanks all the same.

aidan.cage

@jswilson64:

I'm sure a great number of us has usage policies that pretty much state that even if you just try and get around your restrictions it's grounds for dismissal. Lockdowns are annoying, but I don't think having admin rights is worth risking your job for most of us.

jupiterthunder

I really like this!
I've already installed it at home and at work. Now my XP boxes no longer look like they're "The Funputer Operating System" with the bright green start menu.

tandonmiir

I still can't figure out why no one has been able to duplicate the "signed code" on themes. Microsoft should just use that instead of Authentication for Genuine windows.

Confuzius

@Kid-A: Thanks for the tip on unzipping the theme! I now have this at work and it looks great.

LesPaulLvr5

@albertojb: Like the zune theme. Thanks.
Hate its wallpaper though so I canned that and kept the rest.

rockhopper

I'll have to test this when I get to the office (Linux at home). Looks nice though. We just changed our Public PCs at work to a black and white style it it looks really classy and crisp (but the 'black' on the floating logo doesn't quite match the 'black' background... oh well).

hnkelley

This is awesome. A comprehensive list of themes that don't require hacking would be EVEN MORE AWESOME.

Keep it up, Lifehacker!

falsefridays

@albertojb: Thanks for the tip. I love these colors.

4ster

I am still pissed off that all these years Microsoft has held so tight a grip on Themes and has only released a small handful of signed ones. I know about hacking Windows to allow unsigned themes, but it kind of intimidates me. All I want is a darker version of the gray theme.

pschroeter

@albertojb: Neat.
/useless

(I'm only commenting here so I don't have to go through the hassle of emailing this to myself (not at home))

rabiddachshund

@falsefridays: It's on the first page in the comments as a reply...

Royale (for Windows Media Center 2005)
Royale Noir (unfinished black version of Royale)
Zune (Orange button, with black titlebars)
and this one...

But this doesn't make me (or the guy who originally posted it) any awesomer than LH... :D

whiskey

@pschroeter: Don't feel intimidated, there's a uxtheme patcher from Neowin that works wonders and will restore you to normality by runing it again...

As for themes, just don't trust on those that come in the form of an EXE file and doesn't come from Microsoft. There are some pretty cool themes actually and the only thing you need to check is that they come in the form of a ZIP, RAR or any other compressed file.

whiskey

I wonder what happened to the ones developed for the Whistler, Blackcomb and Longhorn betas...

I really liked the light blue one and Slate.

whiskey

@wags029: The plain Royale that came with an upgrade of some sort in Windows Media Center Edition.

whiskey

I don't see how this theme is any different than Microsoft's "Royale" theme with the exception of the blue start button, also signed by Microsoft and can be downloaded here.

[skattertech.com]

Vision1994

vision1994

There is also a theme for Tablet PC edition, if anyone else here has a tablet with XP. It's very similar to this theme but a lighter blue. Comes in the "Experience Pack" containing other little programs, but you can select which of these you want to install, so you can just have the theme if that's all you want.

[www.microsoft.com]

Theme looks like this: [www.kawatan.net]

(Not my picture, just got that from google)

Wolfess

@Wolfess: @Wolfess: That looks like regular Royale to me.

cbosdell

@jupiterthunder: That's pretty much the case. I work in a corporate environment, however I have full local access to my machine. With that access however, doesn't mean I want to start changing stuff around. We do SMS reports every day for people that have local admin access to see what people have installed.

It's one of those things of just because you can, doesn't mean you should.

itloser

@aidan.cage: I think so too. But it seems you and I are the only ones!

anthonylitz

i'm wondering what this theme and the zune theme came out from. i mean these ARE created and signed by microsoft after all.

Royale was from XP MCE 2005
Zune is from??? (a zune tie in promotion i guess?)
Embedded is from???

i like this theme, clean and love the Trebuchet font. (i know i know i could've changed it myself for other themes)

diablofreak

@cbosdell: Maybe it is, I don't know. I've never had Royale before, I think that's only for Media Center?

Wolfess

I would like to have the wallpaper, it isnt in the downloaded file ..

rpjansen