Customization tools : A very rough guide

[sean6027]

I thought I'd make a thread that contains some useful info and some cool tools to use to make Win 8 all pretty and customised to your needs and geeky desires.

I will start with some basics and then list some tools you can use. Please feel free to add what you use and I will update the post with your suggestions and recommendations.

*Please note all tools and methods are used at your own risk , break your system and rant to me about it and I will laugh at you ~ Remember you are doing stuff Windows 8 is not designed to do but if you follow instructions provided by the authors you won't go wrong.*

Patching your system to allow Visual Styles​

The first thing you will need to do is patch some files to allow you to add an unsigned custom "Visual Style" (VS) they are : themeui.dll, UXInit.dll and uxtheme.dll

You can use THIS or THIS . Please follow the instructions TO THE LETTER and you are good to go. Really easy to do and it's free.

*NOTE* Not sure if these will work on 8.1 but I'm sure they will , once a final version is released.

How to add a Visual Style.​

Download a VS from your favourite source ( I will list some later on in the post) then unZip/unRar if needed. You will have to copy the unpacked files to your themes folder. This is located here :

C:\Windows\Resources\Themes

You should now have placed the "theme" and a folder containing shellstyle.dll and wallpaper ( If one is provided ) into the correct place.



As you can see I have the VS named " Base" theme file and a "Base" Folder.

You will on occasion get optional/additional files included that you will need to change, but I won't mention how to change them as they can be very tricky to do and you could mess up your system doing so. Countless times I have messed up something had had to reinstall Windows 7 , not had the pleasure of it on Win 8 ....yet !

So follow the VS authors instructions in changing .dlls and if you mess it up , blame them and not me lol.

For information on taking ownership of files see here :

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorial...le-folder-drive-registry-key-windows-8-a.html


Now go to the desktop , right click on an empty space and select "Personalise"



Now select your newly added theme.



Job done !

Good sites to download Visual Styles.​

DeviantArt is the obvious first choice and has some great user groups you can join. Please feel free to add your favourites or other sites and I will update this post. Here are a few to get you going.

#Creativ-Xtreme on deviantART

#Visual-Stylz on deviantART

#deskmodder-de on deviantART

Other Sites :

Windows 8 Themes | Winaero

Windows 8 Themes - Winempyrean

Alternate Methods :


​

7tsp is a very easy way to customise Windows 8 . It's FREE and very easy to use.Designed for Windows 7 ,works well on 8. Lots of stuff available for it.

We wanted a simple way to customize our complete Se7en OS, so we created 7tsp. The patcher will back up the original (current) system files, and patch your Windows 7 with a resource pack. There are official color packs available for download and users have created some cool custom themes. It's possible to create your own custom Theme/Icon pack's and apply them with the 7tsp GUI. Modifications can include icons, bitmaps, cursors, visual style, Start button, side panel, logon screen, sounds, fonts, task manager colors, copy animation colors, etc.

WindowsBlinds for Windows 7/8

Not a free product but offers a 30 day free trial ~ $9.99 to buy .Some of the better premium themes come at a price but software is included to make your own themes. slight learning curve but has a good forum and users willing to help.

[video=youtube;30LDLen8PUA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=30LDLen8PUA[/video]

You’re a unique individual with your own personal style - so why does your desktop look the same as everyone else’s? Choose from thousands of themes, change their colors, add textures, wallpapers, even start from the default Windows Aero theme if you wish.

Customise Windows Explorer UI

​

WinAero has made some great tools including :

Ribbon Disabler for Windows 8 :

Get rid of the new explorer ribbon by clicking a button then log off and back on again and go back to the Win7 look. Easily enabled again at a click of a button.

Ribbon Disabler for Windows 8 allows you to disable Ribbon in Windows 8 Explorer and preserve Paint and Wordpad working.

Skip Metro Suite :

Skip Metro Suite for Windows 8 allows you to boot directly to Classic Desktop in Windows 8 RTM and Release Preview. Also it allows you completely disable all edge panels, not just hide them! All of them will be disabled, including square start button at bottom-left corner.

Pin to 8

This one can pin ANYTHING to your Start Screen or Taskbar in Windows 8:
Any file - not only executables.
Any folder
Any applet/active x, for example, "Run" command or "God mode" folder
Any Library

Ultra easy to use , just locate the "thing you want to pin" and apply.


Restore the Start Menu Covered fully in the tutorial section of this forum. Nuff said

On site tutorial links

​

Lots and lots of Customisation tutorials all covered here on this forum written by members and staff.

Desktop customisation


​

Rainmeter being one of the best known applications and highly customisable with countless themes and tweaks.

Rainmeter displays customizable skins, like memory and battery power, RSS feeds and weather forecasts, right on your desktop. Many skins are even functional: they can record your notes and to-do lists, launch your favorite applications, and control your media player - all in a clean, unobtrusive interface that you can rearrange and customize to your liking. Rainmeter is at once an application and a toolkit. You are only limited by your imagination and creativity.

Thooseje has been around for a long time and has lots of stuff to offer.

Now there is a completely renewed Thoosje Windows Sidebar 8 you can download free. It has his own unique developed independent windows gadgets system and runs on Windows 8. So you can get your windows gadgets back in Windows 8 or run it in older windows versions. For developers it's also possible to develop new gadgets for the free Windows Sidebar 8.

XWidget is a cool application that lets you add various widgets directly to your desktop. Just mind the links you click as you will install all kinds of junk .

XWidget is a Free desktop customization platform. It’s light, handy with powerful visual widget editor and very smooth animations

Customise Metro

​

Obly Tile

OblyTile is an application that allows anyone with a Windows 8 computer to add, modify, and delete tiles for the not-so-new tile array in Windows 8. This will allow you to create tiles not only for programs and applications, but for files and folders as well! The app works in a simple fashion by creating the files and storing them locally in the program folder. It then links them from the Start menu, and presto—Instant tiles! As of now, the app is limited to creating 120×120 square tiles, but the dev may implement other sizes in future revisions.

Hope thats helped you out on your journey into customising Windows 8. Got any tricks , tips or tools ? Please share.

Thanks for reading it is a bit tl;dr I know.

 

[David Bailey]

Window Blinds for Win 8 is nice.
Stardock.

 

[sean6027]

Window Blinds for Win 8 is nice.
Stardock.

WindowsBlinds is pretty cool . I didn't realise it was an open beta .Thought it was just for subscribers. I will add it now. Thanks for the heads up. +REp for you

 

[David Bailey]

Window Blinds for Win 8 is nice.
Stardock.

WindowsBlinds is pretty cool . I didn't realise it was an open beta .Thought it was just for subscribers. I will add it now. Thanks for the heads up. +REp for you

I'm using the free trial & it makes changing colors easy.
See what it it did for cmd prompt:



I'll buy the paid version soon. $9.99 US

 

[sean6027]

I used to use it myself back on Windows 7 but didn't renew my subscription to Object desktop. I'm liking your frames by the way !

 

[David Bailey]

You might want to check this out. :

DriveImage XML Backup Software - Data Recovery Product

I just installed & used the Free version.
It has good help files.
Even I could understand them.

It took about 5 hours to back up my entire C: drive.
65 GBs.
I can put the backup on a USB drive too.

A very nice program.

A picture:

 

[sean6027]

I will be updating this post and working out how I can link Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 with each tool used and if they work on both variants. I do have some new stuff to add , but obviously I need to test on both versions .....

Maybe a mod could give me advice on what's best for the forum ?

 

[JohnBurns]

Windows 8 With Rainmeter

Rainmeter is a nice customization which uses very minimal resources, but significantly lets you customize your desktop. It's free. My desktop using Rainmeter:

 

[sean6027]

Rainmeter is a nice customization which uses very minimal resources, but significantly lets you customize your desktop. It's free. My desktop using Rainmeter:

That looks really nice , would you mind telling everyone what you are using please or any mods you did to it ? Maybe a link as well.

Thanks

 

[JohnBurns]

Thanks, Sean....

Weather and Recycle Bin are at: Rainmeter - Encoded v1.2.3 by ~lilshizzy on deviantART


Day, Date, and Clock are at: TiMe by ~VClouds on deviantART


"Windows 8" made from: Create your own Signature by ~Sufyaan7 on deviantART


Applied color 30,87,255 for blue and color 255,255,255,255 for white.


Font used is Neuropol

Wallpaper-svetmicrosoft by pavelstrobi-dnwhzy - sorry but can't seem to find link. Attaching copy.


Hope this helps....

 

[sean6027]

Thanks , you know the saying "sharing is caring "

Font : Neuropol Font | dafont.com I have used that one in so many themes , its just awesomesauce !

+Rep

 

[JohnBurns]

You are welcome - appreciate your comments.

 

[sean6027]

Thank you for the links , Hopefully people will see them and think ....Wow thats cool ....then get interested and involved.

 

[David Bailey]

Here :

WinAero: Boot UI Tuner

is a way to customize your boot options.

With it installed, every time you restart your computer, a blue screen appears with the options to boot into safe mode or recovery. (restore point or refresh or factory default)

#4 is safe mode.
#F-10 is recovery (press #4 for safe mode & the recovery options appear)

You must press ENTER to continue regular booting if you do not want to choose one of the options.

A picture :




This program is worth its weight in gold, in my opinion.

 

[sean6027]

Thanks David bailey, your name seems familiar ( How'd you change the name mate ? )

Working on a new updated post ! 8.1 compatible ? Looks really good.

 

[David Bailey]

Thanks David bailey, your name seems familiar ( How'd you change the name mate ? )

working on a new updated post ! 8.1 compatible ? Looks really good.

It was medab1.

I posted in the Chillout Room for an administrator to change it for me & he did.

As for my name being familiar, were you ever in Virginia with a white pickup truck ?

 

[Hopachi]

Some customization tools:

Check out the WinAero programs, very good stuff:
WinAero: Downloads / Software

Something else,
I've made some custom cursors here. Older thread... Make sure to see different posts for different designs.
Out of ideas for now, I might still release something one day.
The tools used (since sharing is caring) are:
Axialis Cursor Workshop and AniTuner2

Backup of Apps data:
(not really customization but worth the mention)
This is a tool for saving for example the current level in a game APP in Win8. Restore when you like...
Very good to save all the important apps' state and restore after a Windows reinstall without starting all over:

Apps Data Backup:
How to Backup App Data in Windows 8

 

[Hopachi]

It was medab1.

Wondered where that one went...

Nice change David.

 

[sean6027]

As for my name being familiar, were you ever in Virginia with a white pickup truck ?

No was a black jeep , with heavy bass

Kinda like this > [video=youtube;4hpEnLtqUDg]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hpEnLtqUDg[/video]

 

[sean6027]

Some customization tools:

Check out the WinAero programs, very good stuff:
WinAero: Downloads / Software

Something else,
I've made some custom cursors here. Older thread... Make sure to see different posts for different designs.
Out of ideas for now, I might still release something one day.
The tools used (since sharing is caring) are:
Axialis Cursor Workshop and AniTuner2

Backup of Apps data:
(not really customization but worth the mention)
This is a tool for saving for example the current level in a game APP in Win8. Restore when you like...
Very good to save all the important apps' state and restore after a Windows reinstall without starting all over:

Apps Data Backup:
How to Backup App Data in Windows 8

WinAero is mentioned already ( they do so many apps /mods didn't want to list them all or I'd be classed as a spammer )

Thanks for the other links I will try them out and post some screens . Really appreciate them ! Do they all work on 8.1 ?

When I'm semi-sober I will edit the OP

Thanks.