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A Guide to Style A Windows XP Desktop look-alike Mac OS X Leopard

I have fun today, styling my desktop to a leopard-like desktop.
I change my desktop from tiger-like because one of my friends said my desktop looks old when I posted my tiger-like desktop on Pownce.

These are steps to upgrade my tiger-like to a leopard-like desktop theme.

1. I use Visual Styles to style desktop theme and appearance, same with previous tiger theme, i search the internet for a leopard theme designed for Visual Styles.
2. My tiger dock is an old dock, not suitable for leopard. Remove the dock, Y’z dock and change it to a new program, RK Launcher.
3. Add a search utility. If you see a zoom icon on top corner of screen, that is a search utility. This feature is ‘dead’ on tiger-like desktop, i decide to bring it on.
4. Change all windows icons to leopard icons. I recommend to use IconPackager, the best software for manage and change Windows XP icons. The software isn’t free, i use the trial version.
5. Change Windows XP logon screen. I find a cool and simple way to change Windows XP logon screen without help any software thanks to a Malaysian Designer, Syahmi. Most forums suggested Logon Studio from Stardock as a logon screen changer.

Now, a complete guide to style a Windows XP desktop look-alike Mac OSX Leopard.
1. Download Leopard 3.0 Theme and Appearance file. It’s the best leopard skin for Visual Styles. If you have an alternative skin, please leave a comment below.
2. Extract and copy skin files to c:/windows/resources/theme. open control panel>display>appearance>windows and button>choose skin. Yeah, these instructions same with tiger
3. You have leopard appearances now.

The Dock
4. If you have a Y’z dock, remove it first. How? exit from Y’z dock, delete a Y’z dock icon from Startup folder inside Start Menu, delete a Y’z dock installation folder. Reboot the computer.
5. If you don’t have a Y’z dock or another dock, e.g Rocket Dock, jump right away to install RK Launcher. Download RK Launcher, extract a RK Laucher file to a hard drive where you want to save the Launcher files. Put or drag and drop RK Launcher.exe to startup folder inside Start Menu, RK launcher will be shown on your desktop everytime you reboot or start your Windows.
6. Download a Leopard Theme for RK Launcher. Extract to a RK Launcher themes subdirectory (inside a RK Launcher installation directory)
7. Run RK Launcher by clicked RK Laucher.exe twice. Put your mouse on top of the Launcher, and push mouse right hand button to show a tooltip menu. Open Settings, choose Theme : Leopard.
8. Tips for RK Launcher’s programs customization, open an itemlist.conf file on your text editor and modify the content.

There is a RK Launcher Leopard inspired. This Launcher is more complex than the original version, with awesome effects-you can see in an above link. I don’t use Leopard Inspired edition because i need a program that easy to install and remove. RK Launcher removal process same with Y’z dock.

Search Utility
1. Download MacSearch. It’s a great program from a man who delivers Finderbar. This program allows you to search in Spotlight Style. The program makes a zoom icons alive, not just an accesories.
2. From How-To :No installation is needed. Simply extract all files to the folder “up to you, e.g:Program Files” / MacSearch and make the shortcut to the file MacSearch.exe in the folder StartUp.
3. Reboot and feel it. But this program need adjustment. Right-Click above Zoom icon on the taskbar, choose MacSearch preferences, go to preferences tabs. Start searching option : manually, to show search bar click : Tray Hot Area.

Change Windows Icons
1. Download and InstallIconPackager 30 days-Trial Version.
2. Download Mr.EyePatch’s Leopard XP IconPackager. Extract the files and click one of the files (Revised Blue or Revised Brown) twice, then Apply.

Windows XP Logon
1. Download iLeopard Logon. Extract an iLeopard Logon zip file.
2. Copy logonui.exe from an extracted iLeopard directory to your windows\system32 directory.
3. Reboot your computer, push F8 button before your screen shows Windows’ Flag. Choose Safe Mode with Command Prompt. Login to an Administrator account.
4. Copy iLogon’s logonui.exe to your windows\system32 directory (again) using DOS command. Press Y when you asked to rewrite the file.
5. Reboot the computer by typing shutdown -r.

Apple Gold Wallpaper

This is my experiment.
I’m using this wallpaper as a desktop wallpaper on My Windows XP’s Tiger Themes:

Download Apple Gold Wallpaper

Safari for Windows Beta 3.1

You only find this version inside Apple Developer Connection. ADC Online Membership is free, sign up to download new Safari for Windows.

If you are open Apple’s Download Page, you only find Safari for Windows Beta 3.0.4. I don’t like Safari for Windows beta 3.0.4, because it crashed my computer a lot. The version has a problem with webkit.dll from the installation. Many users compained about 3.0.4, not just me. You also won’t find newer Safari for Windows Beta from Apple Software Update Application.
A better way to fix the problem, download new version from ADC.