[Tut] Customizing your Computers Look [Tut]

[mmki]

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Customizing your Computers Look - Tutorial
By MMKI - Hack forums & Support Forums

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Hey Hack Forums,
So guys this is my first Tut i've made so wish me luck. It is on customizing your computer visually. Mind any bad spelling, it's my biggest flaw. Im going to show you how to change desktop appearance, logon screen, folder displays and some other tips to making your PC look cooler Now, i'm using Windows Vista, most of the things i'll be showing you will would for any windows OS but just try to keep that in mind. I added as many images as i thought necessary, just click the spoilers to see them. I dont consider this a 'noob friendly' tutorial. You gotta use a bit of brains. First up i'm going show you what ill attempt to teach you :tongue:
Just open these spoilers. First is my desktop, second is my Logon screen, Third is a random folder on my computer

Spoiler (Click to View)

^^ Desktop **Don't mind the crappy wallpaper **

Spoiler (Click to View)

^^ Login screen

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^^ My 'programs' folder

Yeah, so im going to explain one at a time, as in desktop, then login screen then blah blah.. you get the point.

~~ Customizing your Desktop ~~

Sooo, i decided to start with the hardest . Im going to try and teach 3 things with Customizing the desktop. And some tips at the end to sum up this first section. Looking back at the image above of my desktop you see a menu along the top with different programs and folders. This is called Rocket Dock.

Setting up Rocket Dock -
Hmm well all this is easy. Should be able to do it all your self. http://rocketdock.com/ << that is rocket dock's offical website. Direct download can be found at http://rocketdock.com/download. Install and you are done. Right click on it once it is installed to change it's theme and other settings. Add programs by dragging them on to it. Delete them by dragging them out. Right-click and press add item>path to add a folder. Rocket Dock is the program i am using, there is another called 'object-dock' which is slightly better than rocket. It costs to download but there are many cracks out there, not hard to get for free.
http://www.stardock.com/products/ObjectDock/ << There is Objectdocks offical website.
http://thepiratebay.org/torrent/5052841/...__w_Crack_[by_FoC__amp__EMBRACE] << There is a cracked version of it **I have not tested that torret, use at own risk**
I suggest using Rocket Dock.. but meh. Try both if you want. Ive never used object dock and rocket dock is good for me.

Next on the same picture from above you prob notice all the clocks, lyrics, system info, wifi info, notes and stuff like that all over my desktop. This is done with a program called 'Rainmeter'

Setting up Rainmeter -
This is bit harder. There is heaps and heaps of themes out there for rainmeter. You can choose to add themes, or just add add-ons like i have around the screen. http://rainmeter.net/RainCMS/ << This is where you can download Rainmeter. Download link is also on that same page. Again, on that same page, it has a little slideshow of themes, take the time to look at them. Once downloaded, a new folder should be made in your 'documents' folder. The new folder is called 'rainmeter'.. obviously, and in that folder is a folder called 'Skins'. Its this folder you put in all your downloaded themes and add-ons. http://customize.org/rainmeter/skins/58074 << thats prob one best places to get the themes. Also deviant art has some good themes as well. Just use google .
Once installed. You should see a black tear drop icon in your taskbar. Right click>configs>Manage Skins. This is where you added and remove the themes. Their set out how the folders are set out in the 'skins' folder from earlyer. Most of the add-ons you see on my desktop are from one of the default themes called 'Enigma'. This has a lot of good stuff Once the add-on is on your desktop, just click-drag to move em around and right click to see more options. Youtube has many great tutorials for rainmeter, so do some searching on there.
Here is some examples of Rainmeter themes you can get, most from custimize.org:

Spoiler (Click to View)

http://files.customize.org/thumbnails/larger/60861.jpg

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http://files.customize.org/download/scre...n_v2.2.jpg

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http://files.customize.org/download/scre...n_v2.2.jpg

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http://files.customize.org/download/scre...Sounds.jpg

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http://customize.org/download/screenshot...mplity.jpg

Make Rainmeter start on loadup

Ok now the final part for the desktop is putting some text down near the clock.

Setting up that little bit of text -
This is only a small thing, i thought i would chuck it in this tut anyway, most of you prob know it anyway. umm so just follow steps i guess
1.) Go to start > Control panel
2.) In the classic view, click on 'Regional and Language Option'
**Im using Vista remember, i believe it is very simalar with windows xp. I don't know about windows 7 though**
3.) In 'Formats' tab click 'Customize this format..."
4.) Go to 'Time' tab
5.) Change 'AM symbol' and 'PM symbol' to your wanted text.
6.) Change 'Time format' to 'h:mms - tt'

Spoiler (Click to View)

7.) Should look like above, Just change what my text is 'IT'S MY LIFE' to what ever you want. Click 'ok' and you should see the effect change instantly.

Some Tips for you desktop -
- Have a wallpaper that suits the add-ons you are using
- Don't have the wallpaper that makes it hard to read any writing you may have
- I used to have a 'Quote of the day' RSS feed as an add-on once, i like it. Give it a try sometime, Just google it
- All add-ons can be edited and tampered with when you right click on them, and click 'Skin Menu>edit skin'. This is hard to do if you have never done HTML or any programming before. But sometimes is necessary.

Ok thats it for the Desktop there alot more you can do. Thats all im going to cover.

~~ Customizing your Login Screen ~~

Yeah well all that is different with my login screen is the background image... but yeah. Ill also show you how to change the boot screen and start up logo and stuff. Its easy.. Its all done from one program. The program is called TuneUp. http://www.tune-up.com/products/tuneup-utilities/. Download and get the serial. No rush for the serial cause you get 30 day trial anyway. Pm me if your really finding it hard to get serial but you should be able to manage.
Download...
Install...
Blah blah..
Ok once you got it open Click on 'Login Screen'

Spoiler (Click to View)

Click 'Create new'
Fill in the options and select a photo.
Click ok
Double click the picture to change the log in screen, The green tick should move to your new one.

Spoiler (Click to View)

Easy as pie. To change the boot screen and all just click on the left. As show in that pic ^
Tuneup can also be used to put your computer in to turbo mode. That is for when you want to play a fullscreen game or a movie. It disables all un-needed background programs and makes the computer run faster.

~~ Customizing a folder ~~

Im going to cover 2 things in this. First up.. very very easy. Changing Icon of folder. For me, this is a big thing. I give alot of my folders an icon resembling there purpose or whatever.. I usally just get the Icon i want from the program Inside the folder.. If not download some .ico file. Not hard to find. To change the icon of a folder: go in to the folder, Right click, click 'Customize this Folder...". Then click 'Change Icon'. 90% of you would know all that.. just thought i would mention it. now.. to changing the font and background
Now i think this but only works for Vista, Just google or youtube search for info on how to do it on windows 7.
Download http://hotfile.com/dl/35596053/3ab0b99/A...g.zip.html
Its safe. Credits for this Program goes to Andreas Verhoeven, 2008. For this to work you need Visual Studio 2005 SP1 Runtime Files. Most people have them, but if you don't you can get them from here http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/detai...laylang=en
You should have those files anyway.. Now you have to find out if you have a 32 bit or a 64 bit computer. Most people have 32 i think. To find out, go to your start menu, in the search box type 'system'. Then click system. Look at System Type. There is will say 32 bit or 64. Ok, so find the downloaded file. Go in to the file. Click 64 bit or 32 bit. Right click on 'Install.bat' and run as admin. Then double click on 'folderbg.reg'. Restart your computer... From now on, when you go right click on in a folder, then go properties. Now there should be a new tab called 'folder background' Its there you can Change background image and text colour.

Well all of that should help you guys to an extent.. will get you started at least. Thanks for reading guys :biggrin:

[mmki]

No replys? :\

[SouR'D]

Yo I just finished reading whole thing and this is a Very Ncie tutorial Good JOB Bro !!!!

[Nemmyy]

Not a bad tutorial, pretty simple stuff. In my opinion those programs like Rocket Dock and Rainmeter aren't necessary and are just a waste of resources.

[Eve]

Deserves more views. As an original first tutorial, it covers some styling tips that I wasn't aware of. Thanks.

[TheOverAnalyzer_808]

Great first tutorial you were very thorough and informative. Thank you!

[mmki]

Thanks guys glad you liked it

[iHood]

Very nice tutorial . Using this now, wondering how to do this for a while. Thanks.

[Crysis.]

Nice tutorial, should help me a lot!

[mmki]

Very nice tutorial . Using this now, wondering how to do this for a while. Thanks.

Very glad you liked it