Use Windows 8 M3 Starter Kit to Change XP to Windows 8

Windows 8 are now under development as we know it. Lots of screenshot and details are leaked. You can find them in Windows 8 section.

Have you ever  dream of having all of that cool Windows 8 eye candy on your old reliable XP? You're in good luck because PeterRollar@DA has created a Windows 8 M3 Starter Kit just for that reason. 

Download link

 

You will also need a theme that has Windows 8 look for the kit to sync well. You can use any of the Windows 7 theme here made by Vishal Gupta(MPV)

Cool Windows 7 and Vista Themes for Windows XP

And a software called Styler which can be download here:

Download link

The pack will give us the following things:

• Windows 8 Border
• Styler skin Windows 8 Ribbon
• Windows 8 Clock
• Windows 8 Start Menu
• Right Side Common Tasks Pane shellstyle.dll

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How to Install and Use Styler Skin

Styler is an eye candy software that can add custom toolbar skin, change themes, apply drop shadows and more. But many people don't know how to install Styler skins. It's actually very easy.

Open C:/Program Files/Styler/TB/Styler/Skins. 

Copy-Paste the skin you download in it. Restart Styler if you have it on now and you should see your toolbar ready to be use.

If you installed Styler on another partition, change C: to the other drive letter. Also for optimum prettyness, disable menubar in Styler, right click on Styler icon in taskbar, click Toolbar tab and select Hide Menubar in Explorer.

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Download Windows 8 M3 Metro UI Logon Screen for XP

In the latest Windows 8 M3 build, the logon screen is different from Windows 7 only slightly. The background is changed and the button are metro style and cool ;)

PeterRollar @ DA has recreated it for Windows XP.

The only thing missing in it is the time and date feature which is impossible to recreate in XP.

Download the Windows 8 Metro UI Logon Screen

How to Use

Method 1
First extract the file you downloaded. Then, you will find 3 file, a software called Replacer, a wallpaper, and the logonui.exe file. Open Replacer. Now go to C:Windows\System32 and find a file named logonui.exe. Copy the file and place it in somewhere safe as backup. Now, drag the logonui.exe file in system32 into Replacer window. Then drag the logonui.exe file that you've extracted into Replacer window. The rest should be easily figured. Logoff and your new logon screen is there.


Method 2
You can use TuneUp Utilities

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4 RocketDock Tips and Tricks For New Users

Rocketdock is a cool docking software made by Punk Software. They claim it to be the greatest software made. Ever. I don't really agree but they do create a wonderful docking software. And with this few cool tricks, you can say Rocketdock maybe is the best software of its kind out there... P/s: The trick here is primarily for XP users only.

• Accidental Aero Effects in XP
• Hide Taskbar On the Go Permanently
• Put Shutdown and Restart Shortcut on Rocketdock
• Use Stack Docklet To Remove Taskbar Necessity Even More

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Show Your Name Beside Windows Taskbar Clock

Seeing is believing. Learn how to edit the AM/PM symbols and change it into any custom text. No registry editing, no bloat software, in fact we will be using one of Control Panel tool.

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Donwload Windows 7 Icon Tweaker Pack for Windows XP

Recently I found a Windows 7 Icon Tweaker pack from dksZone.net. After applying it, I found it to be the most original one of all. And what's more, it has all Windows 7 cursors!

Please note you need Icon Tweaker to use this icon pack which is free.

Download it from this direct link Download Windows 7 icons for XP OR
visit the original page Windows 7 Icon Pack for XP for more info.

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Collection of Possible Ways to Put Your Name in XP

I have post many tricks related to adding custom text on XP system, that is on System Properties, Taskbar, Start button, Windows XP Welcome Screen, Desktop context menu, and even creating a Message Box with editable text. Now I compiled them as a Collection of Possible Ways to Put Your Name on XP.

Show Custom Text on Desktop Context Menu

Change Windows XP Start Button Name

Customize Windows Welcome Screen Text

Show Your Name Beside Windows Taskbar Clock

Add Custom OEM Text and Image in System Properties

How to Create Your Own Windows Message Box in XP, Vista, 7

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Show Custom Text on Windows Desktop Context Menu

Do you know what context menu is? Just right click on anything on your desktop, a white box with text come out. That's context menu, and here I am going to show you how to put custom text on desktop context menu.

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Change Windows XP Start Button Text

Here I am going to show a simple way to customize Windows XP Start Button text using Resource Hacker and WFP Patcher. Now lets WOW your cousins mouth...

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Customize Windows Welcome Screen Text

Anyone who use Windows XP will definitely saw the boring Welcome Screen. For anyone who wish to customize the Welcome Screen, changing the Welcome text will  be a good start...

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Get Windows 8 Wallpaper from Build Milestone 3

The wallpaper is surprisingly looks good on screen...

The latest Windows 8 (Milestone3) come with a new minimal wallpaper. Surprisingly the wallpaper looks great and cool on screen ;-). For more explanantion: ZdNet

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Change Logon Screen Easily With Stardock LogonStudio

Are you bored with your current logon screen? You can Change Logon Screen Easily With Stardock LogonStudio easily.

 

Just download Stardock Logon Studio and go to wincustomize.com for more beautiful logon screen.

P/s: For Vista and 7, download from Download.com. XP users download from Stardock itself. The version at Download.com will not work on XP. And also after downloading custom logon screen, put them in Logon Studio program files for easy uninstall. And always set the logon screen to default before removing the program.

Download page: http://www.stardock.com/products/logonstudio/downloads.asp
Wincustomize: http://www.wincustomize.com/
VistaUltimateLogon(my favorite): http://www.wincustomize.com/explore/logonstudio_xp/9331

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Add Custom OEM Text and Image in Windows System Properties

Well what is OEM and Windows System Properties? OEM is short form for Original Equipment Manufacturer. You can see Windows System Properties by pressing Windows button+Pause/Break on your keyboard. Try it and you will see its pretty boring to look. Actually, you can add some text like your company name etc and custom image!

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Cool Windows 7 and Vista Like Themes For XP

Want to change the look of your XP desktop a little bit 7? Use themes from www.askvg.com which has one of the most near perfectly design 7 and Vista themes for XP...page links are below...

SevenVG Black RTM with Normal Thin Taskbar
SevenVG Black RTM Superbar
SevenVG RTM with Normal Thin Taskbar
SevenVG RTM Superbar
VistaVG Blue Refresh 
VistaVG Black
VistaVG Ultimate 

If you have problems using this themes, it might because you haven't apply the Universal Theme Patcher. Universal Theme Patcher enable you to use 3rd party themes(themes that Microsoft did not build). It save to run although there are some rare cases of bad luck so to be extra safe..run the program in Safe Mode and make restore point first.

Page links: http://www.askvg.com/how-to-install-use-custom-3rd-party-themes-in-windows-xp-vista-and-7/

You will see other softwares which do similar job on the page as well.

I use the SevenVG Black RTM with Normal Thin Taskbar with my own baclground.

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Transform Windows XP into Windows 7 without using Customization Pack

Credit: www.askvg.com

Windows 7 provides lots of new features along with a newly designed interface. It looks very similar to Windows Vista but there are many GUI changes like redesigned taskbar, Explorer, new boot screen and login screen, etc. To get this in XP, just follow the guide and you'll be shock how Se7en your XP is. Go to Transform Windows XP into Windows 7 without using Customization Pack article by Mr.Vista or Vishal Gupta at his sites.

The guide include on adding 7:

• Windows Theme or Visual Style
• Icons
• Boot Screen
• Login Screen or Welcome Screen
• Cursors
• Taskbar
• Wallpaper
• Sidebar
• Progress Dialog Box
• Shutdown / Log off Dialog Box
• About Windows Box
• System Properties Dialog Box
• Volume Control Window
• "Aero Shake", "Aero Snap", "Aero Peek", "Calculator" and "Paint"

TO XP!

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