Software to customize Windows XP

Free and non-free Stardock software to customize Windows XP

Published on March 21, 2004 By Draginol In OS Customization

So you want to customize Windows XP but you don't want to have to pay much, if any money to do it. This guide will help you figure out how to change your Windows set and how much it'll cost using Stardock's software.

Functionality	Program	Cost
Changing your Windows XP boot screen	BootSkin	Free
Changing your Windows XP logon screen	LogonStudio	Free
Changing your Windows XP mouse cursors	CursorXP	Free
Add a dock to your Windows XP desktop	ObjectDock	Free
Add shadows to your windows	WindowFX	Part of Object Desktop
Add your own transition effects to Windows XP	WindowFX	Part of Object Desktop
Allow Windows XP windows to be rescaled	WindowFX	Part of Object Desktop
Add more visual styles to Windows XP	WindowBlinds	Part of Object Desktop
Change your Internet Explorer toolbar icons	WindowBlinds	Part of Object Desktop
Change your Windows XP progress animations	WindowBlinds	Part of Object Desktop
Hardware accelerate your Windows XP visual styles	WindowBlinds	Part of Object Desktop
Change the color of your visual styles on the fly	WindowBlinds	Part of Object Desktop
Assign different visual styles to different windows	WindowBlinds	Part of Object Desktop
Change your Windows XP icons	IconPackager	Part of Object Desktop
Add special effects to your Windows XP icons	DesktopX	Part of Object Desktop
Add objects and widgets to your Windows XP desktop	DesktopX	Part of Object Desktop
Create your own custom Windows XP desktop	DesktopX	Part of Object Desktop
Create your own Windows XP icons	IconDeveloper	Part of Object Desktop
Create your own visual styles	SkinStudio	Part of Object Desktop
Create your own Windows Media Player skins	SkinStudio	Part of Object Desktop
Create your own custom Windows XP Start-bar	ObjectBar	Part of Object Desktop
Create your own desktop right-click menu	ObjectBar	Part of Object Desktop
Control Windows XP functionality via the keyboard	Keyboard LaunchPad	Part of Object Desktop

Comments

Steve

on Mar 21, 2004

Essentially, you can make it look pretty when you turn it on. Beyond that, it's either LiteStep or nothing.

qrush

on Mar 21, 2004

Are you KIDDING ME!?
Brad or KarmaGirl would have your head, Steve. (Or any other faithful WinCust users)

The "Free" proggies that Brad lists change the way your computer looks when it boots up, and CursorXP can do wonders with the pixelated cursor MS gives you. As for ObjectDock, it imitates the Mac dock, just has more features than it ever could have.

Most of the ObjectDesktop programs have trial versions. WindowBlinds, IconPackager, and DesktopX are just a few.

As for LiteStep, I haven't really tried it, so you may have the upper hand in that category. However, I don't think one program can beat out the capability of all of Stardock's.

Draginol

on Mar 21, 2004

Litestep is a good shell replacement. But it is only one piece in the puzzle. It would take the place of ObjectBar on that list.

Island Dog

on Mar 22, 2004

Stardock has great software. Pretty? Yes it does make my desktop look pretty, but it goes way beyond that.

The artists on wincustomize.com are really great. You can make your desktop look like whatever you want. Cursorxp is great and my cursors go great with any desktop.....shameless plug, I know.

Pam Johnson

on Mar 22, 2004

I have both a Mac and Win XP machine, and as to the one I consider best; the Win XP machine. The Mac world is just really starting to discover what skinning is, hence, they have not yet caught up to all the unique things that can be done to make a GUI look really good. I really like the little applications that come with Object Desktop. I my favorite is Iconpacker; really like being able to change the systems icons to fit whatever windowblinds theme I am using.

Keep up the great work. The $49.95 yearly cost is well worth what you get.

Pam

on Mar 22, 2004

Steve. That's great proof of reponse without real research. I can do more with Stardock programs than litestep.

Only Non-stardock window shell customizing programs I use is XXCalc, CLCL (Clip cache) Startup Montior (I'm a control freak and hates those useless start-up programs that put icons in system tray. )

I did use Litestep but it's not entirely done yet. It takes a lot longer time to set litestep than using desktopx, etc etc.

NOT a friend of brandon

on Mar 22, 2004

down loaded the free version of the soft ware on 3/21/04 tried it out and on 3/22/04 bought the full version am very pleased. not only is it a breeze to use but its simply beautiful

Dan Kaschel

on Mar 22, 2004

What an... instuctional... article. And what a ...tangential.. debate.

~Dan

Yoo

on Mar 24, 2004

how to unload a dll that has been injected in every open process and that every process depends on? Brandon?

Alf Melin

on Mar 26, 2004

So does it work with 64-bit Windows XP? I'm impressed by the stuff I've seen but would love to hear if anybody has tried it on the 64-bit platform before I jump in...

Stop Buying

on Mar 26, 2004

I used litestep for a week, still have it set on another XP user account. Its cool and everything but I dont think its quite right for me just yet, tried lo

Stop Buying

on Mar 26, 2004

(dah, hits the enter key by mistake)

... tried loading lots of different themes. Anyway have gone back to XP but moved the taskbar to the top, using the silver theme and have a nice wallpaper. Happy now and because theres no 3rdparty stuff on I wont be changing it every day and get on and do a few important things like this, oh yes

Stop Buying

on Mar 26, 2004

Gamefreak99

on Apr 27, 2004

ObjectBar does use alot of memory, not for the bad computers out there

Most others are quite good though. Sometimes I run into funny crashes with Logon and some funny wording in error messages and stuff but overall (from the trials and such), very good. I might buy the pack but I'm not sure how much I will use and if I really need everything in the package.

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