Windows 7 - Best/Savest way to install a Custom Windows 7 Theme ?

Hello everybody,

First a very nice Win 7 forum y'all got going on in here my compliments for that and keep up the hard and dedicated work.

As the subject title says, want to become more familiar on what is the best way to install a custom windows 7 theme.

For example I want to use this theme a very nice theme if I may say so dESATURATED for Windows Seven by Redmile



once unrarred, the folder contained the following sub-folders


-Cursors
-System Files
-Themes
-uxtheme patch


Okay the Themes and the included sub folders goes to in C:/Windows/Resources/Themes << This I did !

okay I got a Win 7 Ultimate x64 (RTM) !
The System Files contains the following files Explorer, ExplorerFrame.dll & Shell32.dll

so the explorer to goe into >> C:/Windows by copy and replacing it ! (This I didn't try, so the question is, is it save to do so without messing up my system !)

so the ExplorerFrame.dll & Shell32.dll goes into C:/Windows/System32 by copy and replacing the original after making a backup of the original files !
(This I didn't try also, so the question is, is it save to do so without messing up my system !)

So this leave me with the UniversalThemePatcher-x64 as I got a x64 OS !
do I must use the UniversalThemePatcher in order to get the custom win 7 theme by Redmile, or by replacing the files is good enuff ?

and does VistaGlazz do the same thing that UniversalThemepatcher does ! which one is better or saver for the system. ?

Hope that someone is willing or has the time to help me out !

read something in the tutorial section : Enable Custom themes without modifying system files << Is this the savest way to go ?

reason for my question is , my system is running perfect at the moment, just curious on how things works with the custom theme designs and how to install it in a proper way without messing things up.

Best Regards,

First, make a system image of your drive and save it to a seperate drive/partition!! Now go ahead and install the theme as you normally would.... it should not effect the way your system runs, but just in case it does, you have an image to restore from...

Okay tnx for your quick reply Tews,
but which method to use, the Enable Custom themes without modifying system files ! or do you suggest something else !

Personally I use the Universal Uxtheme.dll patcher...

I am using this & just installed the theme you want just follow the guide & then put the 2 files (1st screenshot) open the folder you downloaded then open Themes folder (2nd screenshot) you will see the 2 folders (1st screenshot) to put in C:/Windows/Resources/Themes that's it. Right click desktop click on personalize.

But this I assume the Enable Custom themes without modifying system files option.

Yes

Tried it Bongo, but it didn't change, the most of the theme did, except for the Start button, which is still blue >> original win 7 ??

The start button cannot be changed by themes, the explorer.exe file must be edited to change the start button.

Tnx for your reply Uber Philf,
The explorer.exe was included in the dESATURATED Visual Style as for the
ExplorerFrame.dll & Shell32.dll, is it save to replace the original and if so, what is the worst that could happen, kept the original dll and .exe in a seperate folder !

hope to hear from you.