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All this stuff should be safe if you do it correctly (this is the exact method I used, and I haven't had any problems since I installed it about 3 months ago)

a tip - You should probably make a download folder on your desktop and save all the files there, to keep everything nice and organized

Steps:

1.) First you are going to need to DOWNLOAD WinRAR. (This extracts the files you will be downloading).

2.) If you have tried to download themes before, you may have noticed they might not have worked. Now you need to download the uxtheme.DLL patch. MAKE SURE YOU FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS. (they are included when you download it) If you mess up (*cough* like I did...) you are going to have to do a system restore. What happened to me was, I didnt copy the file correctly and when I restarted my computer and logged onto my user, there were no icons, taskbar, only the desktop background. If this happens to you, you can use the keyboard command "Control+Alt+Delete", click file, New task (run...), Browse..., and then open up firefox/ie/opera whatever. Or you could press F12 at the boot menu, and follow the instructions from there.



3.) Now that the uxtheme.dll is patched, you are going to be able to download themes. Except if you want (most) vista themes, you will need to download the Logoff/Shutdown Patch (LSPatch). All this does is removes the text from the Start menu, so the vista logoff/shutdown buttons can fit there. (you should probably wait until you install a theme first (step 4) to see if you will actually need it.)

4.) Now its time to choose a theme.
Here is a selection to choose from:

Stolen 6 VS (vista theme, and the current one im using)
XP Spiderman theme
Another vista theme
White Vista theme

If none of those interest you, just google or search http://www.deviantart.com for windows xp themes/vista themes or whatever floats your boat.

5.) Desktop backgrounds
http://neosmart.net/gallery/v/wallpapers.../official/
That site has alot of vista wallpapers. Of course you don't have to change your wallpaper if you dont want to.

6) Firefox themes
These themes are probably the best ones for Firefox out there. To install them, you need to extract them, then open up firefox, open up the Addon's box and drag the .jar files into there, and it will automatically install from there.

There are also ways to change your "Welcome/select a username" screen, change your desktop icons (I didnt feel like messing with them though). Just use google if you want to change those as well.

So yeah, if you follow all of those instructions you shouldn't have a problem. ill just say if you happen to screw up big time, dont come sueing me or anything...

and if you don't trust the files you are downloading, scan them with an antivrius program or just don't download them at all

That screenshot really does look like Vista, except that you don't get Aero or any of the neat features (like flipping through programs and ReadyBoost)

http://www.funwithvista.com/downloads.htm

That has transparency, but it really sucks compared to any other browser. And if your computer has a bad graphics card like mine, it is really laggy when you move it around and stuff. So i dont bother with that

Um guys, not to burst anyones bubble but I've been using this for quite a while now. They have many variations of it with the glass effect (Aero) and other features that make it "almost" identical lookswise to the Vista.

Here's my desktop,

'cept I use windowblinds as it's much quicker than visual styles

Wow do you have enough freakin tabs open lol

and OMGz could that be a sneak peak at the new theme

I almost posted a screenshot last night, but hen I realized I had a window of the new theme open so I changed my mind :p

Okay here is mine (Vista Premium, and yes, there are two desktops in the capture due to dual monitors (one over the other at the moment).  There are black bars over my name (computers name) on the start menu and the location in the sidebar.

Wow Joker, yours looks really nice. Which one are you using? Oh, one thing I noticed is that no one seems to be using the Vista time bar. Is it because you guys don't like it or have never seen it.

I told you, Vista Premium (the real one). I posted it so people could compare actual Vista to the XP Lookalikes (which look very, very close).

Ohhhhhhh, I see. You're using the real one. I thought that was the name of the one you were using but I hadn't heard of it... Yes, I'm retarded. No wonder it looked so purdy.

Yeah, Joker cheated. Hey D4rk how do you make it so WindowsBlinds doesn't lag down your computer? I had it once and it made my computer lag so bad I had to uninstall it.

Get a better computer?

Well, my laptop has 512MB of RAM and I run XP on it with tons of games like Call of Duty, Halo, etc, etc. Why does WB lag it?