GNOME is a popular *NIX desktop environment, which has a very soft, simple, and user-friendly interface many have tried to emulate.  It is possible to get GNOME themes for Windows XP by using a hacked uxtheme.dll file.

Let’s install our hacked DLL file:

1. Download a small tool called Replacer. Let’s extract Replacer to the desktop.
2. Run the file replacer.cmd
3. Open up C:\Windows\system32 and find uxtheme.dll. Drag the file into the command prompt window. Hit enter.
4. Drag that unlocked uxtheme.dll file you found earlier into the command prompt window.  Hit enter.
5. Agree to replace the file, and when the tool finishes, restart your computer.

Done!  Now lets get some awesome GNOME visual styles.

To install these styles, extract them to (C:\WINDOWS\Resources\Themes).  The name of the msstyles file should match the name of the folder it’s in.

Enjoy your newly skinned Windows XP!

Tags: gnome, linux, look, theme, xp