Many Windows XP users ask me when will I release a Windows 8 look-like theme for Windows XP? Now the wait is over and I think I'll not need to create such a theme for Windows XP. Why?
Our friend "PeterRollar" has created a Windows 8 RTM theme for Windows XP which transforms your Windows XP into Windows 8 RTM. This theme is based on my SevenVG theme so you can trust on the theme and can apply it without any worries. It'll not slow down your system.
Following is a preview of this theme in action:
As you can see in the above screenshot, Windows XP looks very close to Windows 8 RTM. Same square borders on windows, same borderless titlebar buttons and same clean UI.
If you also want to make your Windows XP to look-like Windows 8, you should definitely use this theme.
To enjoy the theme, just follow these simple steps:
1. First of all download the theme using following link:
Download Windows 8 RTM Theme for Windows XP
2. After downloading, extract the RAR file using 7-Zip or WinRAR and you'll get a folder "DA". This folder contains 2 editions of this theme:
Advanced Version
Standard Version
Both these editions come in 2 versions:
Theme with Start button
Theme without Start button
3. Copy the desired version folder to "%windir%\Resources\Themes\" folder and apply the theme using Desktop Properties. Here, %windir% means C:\Windows\ folder. We assume that Windows is installed in C: drive in your system. If you installed Windows in some other drive, replace C: with the appropriate drive letter.
You can also double-click on the .msstyles file to directly apply it.
NOTE. Make sure your system is patched to allow custom 3rd party themes. If its not, check out following tutorial to learn how to use custom themes in Windows:
Many reasons attributed for Windows 7 passwords being forgotten or lost. Before we find a certain solution to unlock the forgotten Windows 7 administrator password, we need to know the reasons why they were forgotten or lost. Thus in the future or after we successfully unlock the password, we then can avoid similar problem as possible as we can.
1. The Windows 7 password is difficult to remember, long, arbitrary and complex. 2. Frequently changing the password. 3. Having long time away from the computer. 4. Got computer hacked by others etc.
After we get to know how we forgot or lost our Windows 7 password, we now can start to unlock password Windows 7 with purpose. Step-by-step tutorials on how to unlock Windows 7 admin password: Solution 1: Use Windows 7 built-in Administrator Account. You may not know the Windows 7 built-in Administrator account which has full privilege over the computer is without password protected by default. This is because it is hidden so that you cannot notice of it. Therefore, we can unlock password Windows 7 with it if no change to its default settings.
1. Start computer and then press “Ctrl+Alt+Delete” twice at Windows Login Screen. 2. Type “Administrator” without quotations in the username box and leave password box blank. Then hit “Enter” to log onto Windows system. 3. Go to “Start->Control Panel->User Accounts” to unlock the forgotten Windows 7 password.
Solution 2: Use a third-party application—Windows Password Recovery Professional. If you are asking for an easy and more credible solution on windows 7 password unlock, I would recommend you to use this Windows Password Recovery Professional since pretty a lot of computer users have changed the default settings of the Windows 7 built-in Admin account in their computers for safety consideration.
However, if you cannot gain access to or unlock your computer with the built-in admin, your only solution goes to use a third-party application. Below are the step-by-step tutorials on how to use Windows Password Recovery Enhance.
How to unlock Windows 7 password with Windows Password Recovery Professional? Step1: Download and install Windows Password Recovery Professional on any accessible computer. Step2: Run this program correctly, and next insert a blank and writable CD/DVD/USB Flash Drive to this PC. Step3: Using the program to burn a bootable CD/DVD/USB (Windows 7 password reset disk). Step4: Put the newly created CD/DVD/USB to the target computer and performunlock Windows 7 password with it.
With only 4 steps, you then can regain access to your locked computer within 2 minutes. Isn’t it cool?
Do you remember the good old Windows 98? In Windows 98, we could change the background color, image, fonts, etc in any folder but this facility was removed from Windows XP. It was a good feature and many people still miss that feature in Windows XP.
So here we are posting 3 methods to set any desired wallpaper as background image in any folder inWindows XP:
A. Using Desktop.ini Trick to Set a Wallpaper as Folder Background Image:
1. Open Command Prompt and set folder attribute to "system". Suppose there is a folder "Setup" in "D:\" drive, in which you want to set a wallpaper as background image. So give following command in Command Prompt:
Now change "path_of_the_wallpaper" to the exact path of the wallpaper which you want to set as background. Suppose the wallpaper is stored in "D:\Wallpaper\Image1.jpg", then the code will be as following:
NOTE: If you copy the wallpaper in the same folder which you are editing, then you can simply put the wallpaper name in the file. e.g. if you copy the "Image1.jpg" file in "Setup" folder, then the code will be as following:
"IconArea_Text" stands for the text color, you can change it to white, yellow, blue, black or any other color. You just need to know the hexa-decimal number of the color and then replace the code in "IconArea_Text" section. A few most used color codes are as follows:
Black - 0x00000000 White - 0x00FFFFFF Green - 0x0000FF00 Blue - 0x00FF0000 Purple - 0x00C000C0 Red - 0x000000FF Yellow - 0x0000FFFF Indigo - 0x00FFFF00
3. Now save the file with name "Desktop.ini" (including quotes) and copy the file in the desired folder which is "Setup" in our example.
4. That's it. Close the folder and re-open it. Now it should show the wallpaper as background.
B. Using the Same Method of "IEShwiz.exe" file used in Windows 9x/NT/2000:
1. Copy "IEShwiz.exe" file from Windows 98/Me/NT/2000 and paste in "%windir%" directory (C:\Windows, if your Windows is installed in C:\ drive).
2. Now Type regedit in RUN dialog box and press Enter. Now go to:
Now under this key, create a new key "Customize This Folder". Now select this newly created key and create another key under it with the name "Command". Select this new key "Command" and change the value of "Default" in right side pane to IESHWIZ.EXE %1
3. That's it. Now open any folder and right-click, you'll get an option "Customize This Folder". Click on it and follow the wizard and you'll be able to set a wallpaper as the background and to change font color.
C. Using 3rd party software "Windowpaper XP" to do the task easily:
Related storiesWindows 7 lets you search online repositories as well as your PC
Whether you've just bought a new PC running Windows 7or you've been using it for a while, there are bound to be things you didn't know you could do.
Whether it's tweaks to get the desktop the way you want it, tips for troubleshooting or ways to squeeze more performance from Windows 7, we've got it covered.
We've updated our popular Windows 7 tips article with a load of new ones, including how to recover locked-up apps, how to extend your jumplists, leave a Windows 7 Homegroup, and more. Read on for 85 tips to help you get the best from Windows 7.
As the local PC guru you're probably very used to friends and family asking for help with their computer problems, yet having no idea how to clearly describe what's going on. It's frustrating, but Microsoft feels your pain, and Windows 7 will include an excellent new solution in the Problem Steps Recorder.
When any app starts misbehaving under Windows 7 then all your friends need do is click Start, type PSR and press Enter, then click Start Record. If they then work through whatever they're doing then the Problem Steps Recorder will record every click and keypress, take screen grabs, and package everything up into a single zipped MHTML file when they're finished, ready for emailing to you. It's quick, easy and effective, and will save you hours of troubleshooting time.
2. Burn images
Windows 7 finally introduces a feature that other operating systems have had for years - the ability to burn ISO images to CDs or DVDs. And it couldn't be much easier to use. Just double-click the ISO image, choose the drive with the blank disc, click Burn and watch as your disc is created.
3. Create and mount VHD files
Microsoft's Virtual PC creates its virtual machine hard drives in VHD files, and Windows 7 can now mount these directly so you can access them in the host system. Click Start, type diskmgmt.msc and press Enter, then click Action > Attach VHD and choose the file you'd like to mount. It will then appear as a virtual drive in Explorer and can be accessed, copied or written just like any other drive.
Click Action > Create VHD and you can now create a new virtual drive of your own (right-click it, select Initialise Disk, and after it's set up right-click the unallocated space and select New Simple Volume to set this up). Again, you'll be left with a virtual drive that behaves just like any other, where you can drag and drop files, install programs, test partitioning software or do whatever you like. But it's actually just this VHD file on your real hard drive which you can easily back up or share with others. Right-click the disk (that's the left-hand label that says "Disk 2" or whatever) and select Detach VHD to remove it.
The command line DISKPART utility has also been upgraded with tools to detach a VHD file, and an EXPAND command to increase a virtual disk's maximum size. Don't play around with this unless you know what you're doing, though - it's all too easy to trash your system.
4. Troubleshoot problems
If some part of Windows 7 is behaving strangely, and you don't know why, then click Control Panel > Find and fix problems (or 'Troubleshooting') to access the new troubleshooting packs. These are simple wizards that will resolve common problems, check your settings, clean up your system and more.
5. Startup repair
If you've downloaded Windows 7 (and even if you haven't) it's a good idea to create a system repair disc straight away in case you run into problems booting the OS later on. Click Start > Maintenance > Create a System Repair Disc, and let Windows 7 build a bootable emergency disc. If the worst does happen then it could be the only way to get your PC running again.
6. Take control
Tired of the kids installing dubious software or running applications you'd rather they left alone? AppLocker is a new Windows 7 feature that ensures users can only run the programs you specify. Don't worry, that's easier to set up than it sounds: you can create a rule to allow everything signed by a particular publisher, so choose Microsoft, say, and that one rule will let you run all signed Microsoft applications. Launch GPEDIT.MSC and go to Computer Configuration > Windows Settings > Security Settings > Application Control Policies > AppLocker to get a feel for how this works.
7. Calculate more
At first glance the Windows 7 calculator looks just like Vista's version, but explore the Mode menu and you'll see powerful new Statistics and Programmer views. And if you're clueless about bitwise manipulation, then try the Options menu instead. This offers many different unit conversions (length, weight, volume and more), date calculations (how many days between two dates?), and spreadsheet-type templates to help you calculate vehicle mileage, mortgage rates and more.
Don't take any Windows 7 applet at face value, then - there are some very powerful new features hidden in the background. Be sure to explore every option in all Windows applets to ensure you don't miss anything important.
CALCULATE MORE:The new Calculator is packed with useful features and functionality
8. Switch to a projector
Windows 7 now provides a standard way to switch your display from one monitor to another, or a projector - just press Win+P or run DisplaySwitch.exe and choose your preferred display. (This will have no effect if you've only one display connected.)
9. Get a power efficiency report
If you have a laptop, you can use the efficiency calculator to get Windows 7 to generate loads of useful information about its power consumption. Used in the right way, this can help you make huge gains in terms of battery life and performance. To do this you must open a command prompt as an administrator by typing 'cmd' in Start Search, and when the cmd icon appears, right-click it and choose Run as administrator.
Then at the command line, just type in 'powercfg -energy' (without quotes) and hit Return, and Windows 7 will scan your system looking for ways to improve power efficiency. It will then publish the results in an HTML file, usually in the System32 folder. Just follow the path it gives you to find your report.
10. Understanding System Restore
Using System Restore in previous versions of Windows has been something of a gamble. There's no way of telling which applications or drivers it might affect - you just have to try it and see.
Windows 7 is different. Right-click Computer, select Properties > System Protection > System Restore > Next, and choose the restore point you'd like to use. Click the new button to 'Scan for affected programs' and Windows will tell you which (if any) programs and drivers will be deleted or recovered by selecting this restore point. (Read our full Windows 7 System Restore tutorial.)
11. Set the time zone
System administrators will appreciate the new command line tzutil.exe utility, which lets you set a PC's time zone from scripts. If you wanted to set a PC to Greenwich Mean Time, for instance, you'd use the command
tzutil /s "gmt standard time"
The command "tzutil /g" displays the current time zone, "tzutil /l" lists all possible time zones, and "tzutil /?" displays details on how the command works.
12. Calibrate your screen
The colours you see on your screen will vary depending on your monitor, graphics cards settings, lighting and more, yet most people use the same default Windows colour profile. And that means a digital photo you think looks perfect might appear very poor to everybody else. Fortunately Windows 7 now provides a Display Colour Calibration Wizard that helps you properly set up your brightness, contrast and colour settings, and a ClearType tuner to ensure text is crisp and sharp. Click Start, type DCCW and press Enter to give it a try.
13. Clean up Live Essentials
Installing Windows Live Essentials will get you the new versions of Mail, Movie Maker, Photo Gallery and others - great. Unfortunately it also includes other components that may be unnecessary, but if you like to keep a clean system then these can be quickly removed.
If you left the default "Set your search provider" option selected during installation, for instance, Windows Live will install Choice Guard, a tool to set your browser home page and search engine, and prevent other programs from changing them. If this causes problems later, or you just decide you don't need it, then Choice Guard may be removed by clicking Start, typing msiexec /x {F0E12BBA-AD66-4022-A453-A1C8A0C4D570} and pressing [Enter].
Windows Live Essentials also adds an ActiveX Control to help upload your files to Windows Live SkyDrive, as well as the Windows Live Sign-in Assistant, which makes it easier to manage and switch between multiple Windows Live accounts. If you're sure you'll never need either then remove them with the Control Panel "Uninstall a Program" applet.
14. Add network support
By default Windows Live MovieMaker won't let you import files over a network, but a quick Registry tweak will change this. Run REGEDIT, browse to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows Live\Movie Maker, add a DWORD value called AllowNetworkFiles and set it to 1 to add network support.
15. Activate XP mode
If you've old but important software that no longer runs under Windows 7, then you could try using XP Mode, a virtual copy of XP that runs in a window on your Windows 7 desktop. But there's a big potential problem, as XP Mode only works with systems that have hardware virtualisation (AMD-V or Intel VT) built-in and turned on. If you've a compatible CPU then this may just be a matter of enabling the option in your BIOS set-up program, however some high profile brands, including Sony Vaio, disable the setting for "security reasons". And that blocks XP Mode from working, too.
One solution has emerged, but it's a little risky, as essentially you'll have to alter a byte in your laptop firmware and hope this doesn't have any unexpected side-effects. Gulp. If you're feeling brave then take a look at theFeature Enable Blog for the details, but don't blame us if it goes wrong.
A safer approach might be to use VirtualBox, a virtualisation tool that doesn't insist on hardware support, but then you will need to find a licensed copy of XP (or whatever other Windows version your software requires) for its virtual machine.
16. Enable virtual Wi-Fi
Windows 7 includes a little-known new feature called Virtual Wi-Fi, which effectively turns your PC or laptop into a software-based router. Any other Wi-Fi-enabled devices within range - a desktop, laptop, an iPod perhaps - will "see" you as a new network and, once logged on, immediately be able to share your internet connection.
This will only work if your wireless adapter driver supports it, though, and not all do. Check with your adapter manufacturer and make sure you've installed the very latest drivers to give you the best chance.
Once you have driver support then the easiest approach is to get a network tool that can set up virtual Wi-Fi for you. Virtual Router (below) is free, easy to use and should have you sharing your internet connection very quickly.
If you don't mind working with the command line, though, maybe setting up some batch files or scripts, then it's not that difficult to set this up manually. See Turn your Windows 7 laptop into a wireless hotspot for more.
17. Recover locked-up apps
If an application locks up under a previous version of Windows then there was nothing you could do about it. A new Windows 7 option, however, can not only explain the problem, but may get your program working again without any loss of data.
When the lockup occurs, click Start, type RESMON and click the RESMON.EXE link to launch the Resource Monitor.
Find your frozen process in the CPU pane (it should be highlighted in red), right-click it and select Analyze Wait Chain.
If you see at least two processes in the list, then the lowest, at the end of the tree, is the one holding up your program. If it's not a vital Windows component, or anything else critical, then save any work in other open applications, check the box next to this process, click End Process, and your locked-up program will often spring back to life.
18. Fault-Tolerant Help
Windows 7 includes a new feature called the Fault Tolerant Help (FTH), a clever technology that looks out for unstable processes, detects those that may be crashing due to memory issues, and applies several real-time fixes to try and help. If these work, that's fine - if not, the fixes will be undone and they won't be applied to that process again.
While this is very good in theory, it can leave you confused as some applications crash, then start working (sometimes) for no apparent reason. So if you'd like to check if the FTH is running on your PC, launch REGEDIT, and go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\FTH - any program currently being protected by the FTH will be listed in the State key.
Experienced users may also try tweaking the FTH settings to catch more problems, and perhaps improve system stability. A post on Microsoft's Ask The Performance Team blog (bit.ly/d1JStu) explains what the various FTH Registry keys mean.
19. Automatically switch your default printer
Windows 7's location-aware printing allows the operating system to automatically switch your default printer as you move from one network to another.
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