Changing the taskbar appearance

[Ragen]

I've tried and tried with various programmes but with no success. What I've been trying to do is change my standard taskbar to something a bit flashier as demonstrated in this picture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

If someone could tell me how to do this, I would greatly appreciate it.

[zonda]

you can either manually play... right click your desktop >> properties >> appearance >> advanced.

 

 

 

Or, you can download the free trial of windows blinds, which is a program that takes advantage of the windows XP theme system, basically making some really wicked looking skins. If you really like it, the trial is only 30 days, so you would have to buy it after that... but its worth it if your really into the concept of a personalized & customized computer.

[Cruiser]

One common program used for this is Window Blinds from Stardock. The trial version is free forever (atleast my copy has been, that may have changed with version 5) and only has a 5 second nag screen once a day, so it's very bareble. Some people don't like Window Blinds but it has been extremely stable and has given me 0 problems.

 

 

 

You can also find lots of skins for WB here.

 

 

 

Edit: Zonda beat me to it. :lol:

[zonda]

hehe, I beat you... but I think the newer versions of windows blinds are only 30 day trials? What version do you have?

 

 

 

And yea, I ran into a few problems with the program but nothing major, overall I give it 9/10

[Cruiser]

I run 4.51, that may be why mine is still free and working, I edited my last post to reflect that. :mrgreen:

[zonda]

I run 4.51, that may be why mine is still free and working, I edited my last post to reflect that. :mrgreen:

 

 

 

hmm... I don't mean to spam the topic, but are there limitations? Like since it's a free trial, are you not alloud to use certain features? For instance, customized buttons? Otherwise what would the point in buying the full program be.

 

 

 

Hmm.... thanks for the info though, never knew that.

[Cruiser]

I remember looking into all that when I first installed it but I can't remember what was limited, it's been a while.

 

 

 

You can still find 4.51 installers on other file hosting sites (other than download.com) with a quick googling. :P

[zonda]

thats all right, I somehow managed to... find... the full version.

[Kinslayer777]

You should note overlapping skins (like alienware's free one) are [Caution: Executable File]s and for some computers really eat up resources. I never looked further then the program ones since i hated them, i suppose winblinds might be different.

[Greatsilverwyrm]

I beleive that even the old trials were only 30 days.. you're lucky, Cruiser.. :)

 

 

 

Also, the trial doesn't skin everything that the full version skins.. I beleive scrollbars are an example.

 

 

 

 

 

Kinslayer: Windowblind's skinning processes run instead-of windows xp's skinning processes, and in many instances actually uses less resources than the original XP skins.