Changing Classic Windows TaskBar Color in SP3?

Hi all,

Just got a new computer, and my old computer had a desktop with the XP color scheme I designed but with the Classic Windows Theme.
I saved this theme on my old computer, and now after installing Windows XP SP3 on my new computer, the theme still works on
applications such as Opera, and not on the taskbar which is still that ugly gray. :-(

The old trick of choosing Display Properties\Appearance\Advanced\3d Objects and changing the color of 3d objects no longer seems to
work since SP3. I tried replacing uxtheme.dll but that didn't work. I can get different colored taskbars in XP style, but no color
with the Classic Windows style but that boring gray now after SP3.

Yeah, I know... I can hide it, have it any color XP style, and I even found a program to make it transparent. But not the color of
XP in a Classic Windows Taskbar. One would think it wouldn't be that difficult, but I've wasted all day now searching without an
answer. I'd prefer a simple hack or registry fix over having to install some third-party program. But I don't even know if the
third-party programs allow the Classic Windows Taskbar themselves.

Any suggestions anyone?


Thanks,

Larry

Larry Webb wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> Just got a new computer, and my old computer had a desktop with the XP color scheme I designed but with the Classic Windows Theme.
> I saved this theme on my old computer, and now after installing Windows XP SP3 on my new computer, the theme still works on
> applications such as Opera, and not on the taskbar which is still that ugly gray. :-(
>
> The old trick of choosing Display Properties\Appearance\Advanced\3d Objects and changing the color of 3d objects no longer seems to
> work since SP3. I tried replacing uxtheme.dll but that didn't work. I can get different colored taskbars in XP style, but no color
> with the Classic Windows style but that boring gray now after SP3.
>
> Yeah, I know... I can hide it, have it any color XP style, and I even found a program to make it transparent. But not the color of
> XP in a Classic Windows Taskbar. One would think it wouldn't be that difficult, but I've wasted all day now searching without an
> answer. I'd prefer a simple hack or registry fix over having to install some third-party program. But I don't even know if the
> third-party programs allow the Classic Windows Taskbar themselves.
>
> Any suggestions anyone?
>
>
> Thanks,
>
> Larry
I just tried what you did and it worked for me. same set up as you

On May 31, 8:20 pm, Josh <J...@juno.net> wrote:
> Larry Webb wrote:
> > Hi all,
>
> > Just got a new computer, and my old computer had a desktop with the XP color scheme I designed but with the Classic Windows Theme.
> > I saved this theme on my old computer, and now after installing Windows XP SP3 on my new computer, the theme still works on
> > applications such as Opera, and not on the taskbar which is still that ugly gray. :-(
>
> > The old trick of choosing Display Properties\Appearance\Advanced\3d Objects and changing the color of 3d objects no longer seems to
> > work since SP3. I tried replacing uxtheme.dll but that didn't work. I can get different colored taskbars in XP style, but no color
> > with the Classic Windows style but that boring gray now after SP3.
>
> > Yeah, I know... I can hide it, have it any color XP style, and I even found a program to make it transparent. But not the color of
> > XP in a Classic Windows Taskbar. One would think it wouldn't be that difficult, but I've wasted all day now searching without an
> > answer. I'd prefer a simple hack or registry fix over having to install some third-party program. But I don't even know if the
> > third-party programs allow the Classic Windows Taskbar themselves.
>
> > Any suggestions anyone?
>
> > Thanks,
>
> > Larry
>
> I just tried what you did and it worked for me. same set up as you

Lol. Whoa. Boy, do I feel stupid. My apologies.

Yeah, I just tried to change it to some ugly green via 3d objects and
you're right! It works on the taskbar as well! But I was
changing it to the tan XP color I was using by loading my old favorite
theme on the new computer and I wasn't noticing a difference
in the taskbar. I also just got a new lcd monitor so apparently it is
displaying much brighter at the bottom of the screen than it
is the top because I am definitely looking at two different colors
looking at the top of my application vs the bottom. But you're
right. I made sure this time that I was changing it back to the
default gray and I could tell a difference, but not by a lot.

Now I know it's my new Dell LCD monitor that need tweaking and not XP.


Thanks,

Larry