How To | Install Themes | in Windows 8

The post I am talking about also had some such themes users are looking for. These themes are great as you can experience Windows 8 on your older Windows systems! But unless you know how to install the themes, they are pretty much useless. Well, it’s time we looked at how to install them.

Installing Windows 8 Themes on other Windows Platforms

Before doing anything, locate this folder in your Windows Directory; C:\\Windows\Resources\Themes. You need to extract your theme files to this folder. Each theme should have its own folder within the Themes folder.
Installing on Windows 7
For installing themes on Windows 7, you first need a UX Theme Patcher. You can download one from here. Once downloaded, run it. After applying, reboot your system. This will now allow you to proceed with the next step, which is installing the theme. All you need to do is run the .theme file that you have downloaded, and it will do the job automatically.
Installing on Windows XP
This is a simpler task. Most themes for XP will contain a Patcher.exe which is the default patcher for XP themes. All you need to do is run the patcher. After that, you don’t need to restart your PC. Just run the .theme file and get id done!
One last thing!
On Windows 7, you will need to replace the explorer.exe file is some cases. For this, you ill need to change file attributes and remove some restrictions from the existing file. You can do this by going into the properties of that file, and then going into the security tab. You may play around with stuff a bit to know what happens when you change permissions. Once you have reduced the file security, such as removed its read-only status etc, you are good to go! Just replace the explorer file.
Now you are done! All you have to do is apply the theme and check it out. For XP, you will need to right-click on desktop >> Properties >> Themes tab. Select your theme from there. For Windows 7, open up Personalization Control Panel, and select your theme from there. If it doesn’t display, check again whether or not you extracted the files in the correct folder or not.
Hope you understand the procedure. It’s simple really. If you have confusions, just ask. And you might also be interested in.