With all the Hype about the Booting of Windows 95/98/ME Support, many people are racing to make
Unofficial updates and Packs.But Why won't anyone care enough to update Windows Skins and Shell.
and NO REVOLUTIONS PACK IS BAD.It realy messed up my sytem.
Isn't there any way to make Windows 98 Look like Windows XP,you know that pretty blue taskbar and such
not Just Icon Changes? The Closest I got to making a Windows XP Looking Skin is Revolutions Pack but that made all my icons 256 color and when I tried to change Windows Theme It Crashed.

P.S. That Cosmic..Cosmetic Toolbox Thing Didn't Work On my Windows 98 SE,
That Extreme Xp ting Only Slowed My System to a Grinding Halt.I don't mean Look Alikes of Windows XP But the Exact Skin of the Windows XP OS system

REVOLUTIONS PACK 4 IS BAD, you're right.
REVOLUTIONS PACK LITE IS ONLY THING for such purpose for expirienced people. Next version will include powerful and reliable skin engine.

Iwish for the same thing.
So i started resource hacking my own icons.I got as many as i can
changed to XP.
I figure like this
some people have a updated system some don't.
I think some of these packs might require updates that one may not
have on his/her computer
I think some one should just resource hack the shell32.dll and all the cpl/icons files
nothing more nothing less.
and maybe it would work on everybody computer.I sure we all have these default and basic files.
.

Yeah this use to happen to me but then I figured it out. since your using the old Revolutions pack You MUST have your latest video card drivers installed and it MUST support 32-bit color. If you install 32-bit support without the proper video card drivers it will mess up your system- all your icons will be 16 or 256 color. that's what the hardware test button in the bottom corner is for. to make sure that your card supports it. But the better option is to download RP lite 5 with the new lame skin preview so You can have an xp like skin but it might not work as it's not final but keep watching as the project is going pretty fast.

Instead of trying to make 98 look like XP why dont you just go n buy XP. 98 is stoneage now and doesnt even have support from MS. Stop living in the past n update to a newer OS.

ScubaSteve, how about you withdraw that XP comment, do you know how many people will argue about the whole XP and 98 thing... With that post you look like a troll.. you really do

NEVER say that type of thing in this area again, just like if people go into the XP forum and say "ERRR>> XP IS GAYZ0RD>> UNIX:_IS BESTOR!!!"

please

How DARE You Badmouth my OS...For your info I do Have an Xp but I don't like to use it because its a little too much for my Video Cards.If you don't ahve anything good to say or a solution to this topic then don't say anything again!!!!

the major problem ( that i think anyway) is that win98 is just too old to be fully ported to look like XP. (not that im saying 98 is a bad os) it would need severe modding just to get it too look like XP. right now im running XP and 98 SE as a dual boot on my ancient laptop (dell inspiron 7000) and it runs fine under both operating systems. especially since im using the unofficial service pack and the 98 revolutions pack 4. i dont really like RPlite, it works good, but i prefer 98RP4.

anyway, i dont like when people say "just upgrade to XP". people have an os they like to use and they want to modify it to look newer, but prefer to have an older operating system, perhaps for compatibility with older hardware/software. or they just like the older ones, ever think of that? its personal preference.

anyway, regards.

I have tuned my Windows98se with every kind of modding tool.i have all the updates and unofficial SP's and some patches i found on google.After finishing I made it to be as close as to XP as possible.The Only ting left was to Make It Look modern.I Like my 98 Like it is but I'm tired of my pals laughing at my systems nasty look.(Too bad they don't know its faster than thier windows XP)heh...

1. i use Windows98 cause my ol' good computer doesnt support XP, and is *NOT* upgradeable hardware (cause its an ATX-Mini mobo)

2. windows 98 rocks, it runs at the same speed than my xp, but on a 10yo computer (no kidding)

3. if you dont like the w9x look, use WindowBlinds. Simple. (i have the Systemdo skin w/WindowBlinds, and it looks way better than my xp)

Where can I get Windows Blinds that Supports Windows 98 SE and does it Just mask the Original Shell or It actually Alters the shell to make a diffrent Skin.

Tell me the Link so I can get it...Thanx

www.windowblinds.net go to downloads, scroll down to the "For Registered Users of Enhanced version" section

FYI, that's a little messed up, i dont understand exactly if that means that latest enhanced version supports w98 or registered users get access to a w98 compatible version or what (they also menction something about a "WindowBlinds Classic"), so i recommend you to search for windowblinds 4 on a p2p program *cough*

PS. it just masks the original windows 98 shell, as far as i understand, theres *NO* way to replace the original shell, cause its based on just colors, not on images like the xp shell... unless someone make an explorer.exe from scratch of course *coughagain*

yeah the thing is softwares that Mask the shell uses a lot of Memory and I only have 385MB Ram so I'm running low as it is!!!
.I wish there was someone who could Hack teh shell .dll and make a totlay new system of Skin.I guess i can only dream :'(

you are waaaaaaaaaaay wrong

im running it on a 180mhz machine with 47mb of ram and no video card (just an adapter), adn it runs at about the same speed

and also, 385mb is a f*ckin' lot of ram, in this machine im running xp pro on 256mb ram with 1.7ghz processor

unless you use it for hard work such as programming or 3d rendering, but if thats the case, you should not have even modified 3d-bit icons, you need to have an installation as light as its possible

Many of the users here, including me, do not want any fancy graphical effects. The UI works fine as-is, it doesn't need any "skinning". I prefer the plain look anyway - it seems more professional.

With all the new power toys I installed for my OS I think its appropriate to update the skin as well.besides As long as there is a way to do it,why not try it?

All i need is control panel icons/toolbar icons/winxp blue taskbar
and i will be very happy.

Try Using Extreme Xp Skin Pack for WIn98se

any one here use Stardock's products, like WindowBlinds? I think it is a skinning tools.

It changes the GUI without hacking.

if you would only have read my previous posts. *cough*

I used windows blinds I got object desktop 2002 as a gift back around when XP came out but then I stopped using it when My machine crashed (should have never installed windows ME )

I don't see why you would have a problem using it with 385 MB ram Being as I only had 48 MB back then on a 500 mhz celeron

you have t use an old version because the latest and greatest just dosen't support windows 98

lol its funny how pessimist your post looks with these smilies

1. you should never have installed windows ME

2. the latest ENHANCED (not the standard) version supports windows 98

try to be more possitive in your next post windows 98 still rockin'

What about WinStep? It loads as a shell, so no masking, etc. I've used it for a while on my old P@90MHz/32MB system and it worked great.

hey guys, you might want to take a look at this, its a guide with windowblinds and objectbar to make your 98/ME/2000 box look like XP. i would take a look at it, its worth it.

edit: i thought i put the link in, but it didnt go in i guess. i cant seem to find it again now, if i do, ill let you guys know when i do.

WinStep huh....Great if only you'd tell me the link

www.winstep.net
P.S. don't be that lazy, Google shows it on top
LOL

what about the litestep
litestep is free
see @ litestep.net

That's a good one too. But it usually goes too far from familiar Win interface. Needs some practice to get used to it.

btw. is there any resource-light self-contained (no cygwin, etc.) Enlightenment Win9x port ?

Check my open source shells list too !

Sorry HTS-500,

Didn't see your post at the end of the first page. I just skip reading so I can post quicker.

I run 98SE and I don't know why anyone would wanna slow it down with wanna-B XP skins.

All the skins and scroll bar tweaks just corrupt the cache in no time flat, next thing you know the fonts start distorting and getting bigger and then it's pooched.

Windows 98se was too good thats the whole problem.

It's just like the "fish carburetor"

Except they could'nt make 9x mysteriously disappear



http://www.newmediaexplorer.org/sepp/2003/..._in_england.htm

Kartel I agree these Programs that Mask the Task Bar Suck...I want someone(I wish it was me) to Hack the shell32.dll and change the explorer.exe Skin itself..Not Mask it..So I tried Winstep..and it SUCKED...

i believe someone already said it, windows 98 was based on colors, there isnt really a theme inside anything in it. the actual GUI is all based on colors. im not 100% sure on it, but its the only thing i can really think of. windows 98 came out before themes were really in use like the XP one because computers fast enough to handle it were very expensive back then.

your best bet (to retain system stability) is just to use the old GUI, ill admit, its boring, but very functional.

newer isnt always better.

...ok

i know it sucks, but its kinda the price we have to pay to run the older stuff, not that its a bad thing, its just how it goes for us right now. thats all.

just rise above it and just be happy your computer is stable, because most likely you introduce a skin of some kind, you can say goodbye to that.

The Win9x series and Win2000 all base on the same GUI, which uses GDI calls to draw the elements such as buttons windows etc. (vector-based). The "themed" GUIs paint bitmaps instead, so there is much more flexibility in appearance but it's much less efficient - the bitmaps take up significantly more memory and are slower to redraw.

Hey people, the fact is 98se can be soooo much faster, no matter WHAT, the secret is a 80 IDE cable and a ATA 100-133 harddrive.

I can put a mode 1 Drive in here and it's slow as crap.

So I think it's a good gamble that the IDE is the biggest bottleneck Vs. ram and cpu.

Unless you going to 3D games then your pooched no matter what.



Ps...did I mention the CF-105 ?
http://www.faqs.org/docs/air/avarrow.html

well, right now im running 98 on a measly little PII 233 with 64 mb of ram and a PII 366 with 383mb of ram and its running great on both computers, so im just going to stick to that. i use XP on the latter as well, and both OS's run fine imo. both very usable.

anyway, im going to listen to pearl jam for now. good night all.

I suppose you could always mod it to look like Windows 3.0, i guess.

XP theme's are ugly and slow, it's real shell looks like windows2k(both Nt5 probably the same shell). that's better.

But for a fast and pretty Win98 SHELL try BBlean
No desktop, maybe the is a desktop pluggin. but it has lots of workspaces.

Litestep comes with desktop, but is slower that bblean, but way faster than explorer

But you gotta admit it looks modern and cool...spekaing of which..have you seen the new Vista(Longhorn) screenshots..my goodness it is a very cool lookin' shell.Windows XP has a memeory consuming shell yes but windows XP is designed for newer faster PC's.I have a pretty good PC a able to run Windows XP,all i need is a better Video Card.

Personally, I need a computer that works. So, a bunch of unnecessary graphics slowing its performance, is something I can do without. Read how many users of Vista are complaining how much RAM this new operating system is devouring.

I think it’s safe to say, the guys tweaking Windows 98 are not doing because they cannot afford Windows XP. They’ve grown out of the eye candy that Windows XP offers, and just needs something basic that will work for their needs.

I'm thinking 98 is too "just plain"... it needs a few pep ups, by adding to its files features, litle cosmetic customizations.. like a software add on that allows the user to modify the border around file windows.. to make it look like a soft aura, or hard thick border outline...
For certain kinds of creative writing, I'd like a deep cyan desktop splash, with a soft pastel cyan file aura border, and a slight hint of red background in the text file...
For writing an angry response to an AH troll's post, I'd like a fire red composer background with deep purple splash...
Take it up to the Max, I'd like the text page to flow like I saw IR and UV blending and flowing in a four inch diameter aura around a tiny flower, after a weird "accident" left me seeing like the bees see, for a day...

98 needs the ability to close parts of the tool bars...

WinWall and SubDesktop give 98 a pleasant fix... It can change the desktop colors and pix to anything you desire...

I wish we could trust those animated wallpaper downloads, but everyone I've tried forced me format C to repair the serious damages they did to the OS...

Office assistant was fun for a week or two.. but after that I just wanted to pull einstein's head off, kick the dogy in the azz, and stomp on the dam cat, after pulling off its hundred tails...

I want an icon factory, that enables me to create my own icons and cursors... I want a cursor that I can backclick to detonate into a huge explosion...

I'd like to see a random file selector, that even digs into freespace... Click the icon, and you never know what yer gonna git...

I'd like to have the options to add a symbol between words, that links to an internal header of links, sounds, pix, and data... Would make writing wicked posts more fun and more depth...

The only thangs whatz stopping W98 from being modernized, is laziness, lack of money and greed for more, and lack of expertise...

Has anyone started an "Evolve Windows 98" forum?.. It's hard to just let W98 go.. It's the very backbone of the Personal Computer... It's what got the ball rolling.. and the newer OS's seem to be full of all sorts of unsolved troubles, and expense...
Many of us are still not ready for XP.. or maybe it's that XP isn't ready for us...

Could windows start music be like Angel's trumpets?..
Maybe some would prefer death marches..? and others would prefer "taps"... and maybe something along the lines of "bat out of hell".. or the sounds of machine gun chatter, or a tank rolling by, or a wicked fighter jet flyby.. or an audience applauding..? or the sounds of Woman's purest free laughter...

Thing is, if you want W98 fancied-up and evolved.. it happens by adding one little modification after another... The writers need to hear the ideas of what you want and expect... Fire up some of your super Creativity, and tell them what you need...
I'm bettin' the exploding cursor will be a download within two months.. written by a couple of the world's best computer wizard geniuses.. most likely college kids... There's a whole subculture that loves explosions more than you loves sex, drugs, and rock'n roll...

When I get into tinkering with the GUI I install my Object Desktop to 98SE and it works okay. But as others have mentioned it takes a toll on those limited resources. Usually I just needed to go back into the WindowBlinds control panel and reapply the skin when it started losing parts (the classic mode it's on top of appears like it's winning), but sometimes a reboot is needed to recover full resources.

Besides the Stardock way there are many choices of normal themes that can really enhance things without straining resources that much. You can get pretty close to an XP Luna look with or without WindowBlinds, but of course the combination of WindowBlinds, Object Bar, and Icon Packager really give you the whole thing.

The last old version or the enhanced newer version of Object Desktop stuff is really pretty bugless. It was all the beta versions that happened before the released versions came out that sometimes messed up Windows. I would usually turn off checking for beta versions and wait for releases to remain reletively bug free.

But even without that, if someone wants Windows to look prettier without using up a lot of resources there are plenty of harmless themes to download.