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.

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.

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13 Comments to “A Guide to Style A Windows XP Desktop look-alike Mac OS X Leopard”

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Mikishles7 30 May 2008 at 11:08 pm #

Hy
I’ve installed the way you said and It has been great.
But now I’ve installed sp3 (which is also, by the way great – not something you can say every day about Microsoft…) and, you’ve probably guest – it’’s not working foe sp3.
Can you help me with that please?

Thanks
Kate 31 May 2008 at 10:49 pm #

For Windows XP SP3, download the patched uxtheme.dll here : http://www.winmatrix.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=18059. Follow the instruction there.
Style problem on Windows XP SP3 | Nineteen Labs

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Alex 12 August 2008 at 8:22 pm #

I found your site on technorati and read a few of your other posts. Keep up the good work. I just added your RSS feed to my Google News Reader. Looking forward to reading more from you down the road!
business » Blog Archive » Style problem on Windows XP SP3

[...] What if i have Windows XP SP3 and want to style my desktop from scratch? Download new version of UX theme from above link, then follow instruction in A Guide to Style A Windows XP Desktop look-alike Mac OS X Leopard. [...]
Josh 18 September 2008 at 11:51 pm #

if i put this on my computer, will it be easy to switch back and forth between or even change back at all?
Desmiel 29 December 2008 at 8:15 am #

Great Post. I’ve installed RK Launcher and Leopard Theme from the link you provide.

My problem is, how to move my PC taskbar from bottom screen to the top of the screen, just like the picture you display above?

Thanks in Advance
Desmiel 29 December 2008 at 8:18 am #

Great Article. I’ve installed RK Launcher and Leopard Theme from the link you provide.

My problem is, how to move my PC taskbar from bottom screen to the top of the screen, just like the picture you display above?

Thanks in Advance
Kate 30 December 2008 at 2:56 pm #

Mouse over PC Taskbar, right-click, uncheck Lock the Taskbar, move from bottom screen to the top.
Kate 30 December 2008 at 2:58 pm #

Yes, just change it from Display Properties > Appearance
reza 29 June 2009 at 11:17 pm #

hi
i have a problem
my win xp control panel>display>appearance>windows and button>choose skin
does not exist!
it has only two items :
windows classic style
win xp style
can you help me?
paul 22 December 2009 at 9:57 am #

when i am at the windows and buttons i can just choose XP style or classic style, not the lepard. But i have installed it in the same map that the other to styles is in.. what to do?