Well gang, this is the end of Desktop Tweaking Basics 101. Next time I get enough time to put together a project like this (this took awhile to put together), I'll move into some more hardcore stuff.

I'm hoping to have login and bootscreen tweaks up here soon, including links to FREE software that makes pretty easy for boot-screen/login tweaking (hopefully sometime within the next few days).

*NOTE: For hardcore desktop tweakers who alreay know this stuff, ya still might wanna page down for some good wallpaper and theme links!

NOTE 2: I'll apologize in advance if any of the links below aren't valid. I wrote this article roughly 4 months ago (long story on why it's coming up now). I fixed a couple of 'em, but if somethin' doesn't work, let me know... I'll see if I can get it fixed.






Check it out... that's standard Windows Pics. Some of 'em are okay enough to keep, but I prefer cuttin' out every kilobyte I'm not usin' when I come across it. Slice n' dice out anything you want (won't hurt anything) and then dump yer own pics in.


That's more like it! (yes, I'm still on a Hellsing kick)


No more havin' to go to havin' to go searchin' for your Wallpaper pics, or even through your entire collection of wallpaper pics you've been meanin' to organize. Just grab what ya like and dump it into "C:\WINDOWS\Web\Wallpaper"

Okay, so you can either go to your pictures every time you want to change your wallpaper, or you can just dump all your desktop pics into “C:/Windows/Web/Wallpapers” and just pick ‘em off the list!

Monitor and color-display settings!

LetÂ’s face it. By now your desktop should look PIMPÂ… a few minor problems with Windows default settings might be causinÂ’ it to not look AS cool as it should!



At 16 bit display, your cool “transparent” icon images will come up with a background color. Right click on the middle of the desktop screen (somewhere there isn’t an icon, if you’re a total n00b, this also means “minimize your freakin’ programs”). Go to the Settings tab, change the “color display” to “32 bit”. Then click “Advanced”, go to the “Monitor” tab and set your monitor to 75 Hertz or better (if your monitor will handle it). Most of the time, Windows is set up to NOT display anything your monitor can’t handle. I usually keep mine at about 75 for the fact going to your monitor’s highest setting can reduce it’s lifespan.

TWEAK UI:



A free, downloadable program available from the folks at Microsoft that helps you RULE Windows. You can remove all kind of icons you donÂ’t use from your desktop (like Network Neighborhood, My Computer, the Recycle Bin, etcÂ…), control panel and more. Also, you can tweak out IE 6 if you feel like messing around. Also, I tend to disable balloon tips in the registry, but TweakUI also has that option. Check it out: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/p.../powertoys.asp

WEBSITES:

THEMES AND STYLEBUILDERS

Style XP

WindowBlinds

Aston

Litestep


KICK ASS GALLERIES FOR BACKGROUND PICS:

Erasei.com

IÂ’ve wasted hours here. This gallery always has pretty sweet pics!

Digitalblasphemy

You wonÂ’t have full access to this site without payinÂ’ for it, but they still have some cool stuff you can download as a non-member.

Deviant art

There is some interesting digital art here as well!

ANIMATION/SOUTH PARK BACKGROUNDS

If you like South Park, check this ‘un: 180degreez

180degreez was actually a last-minute find 'cause the link I had for the South Park wallpaper had expired... that's okay though, you had to guess your way through some French if you wanted to navigate the site on the old link!

For Anime: Anime Wallpapers

There is also always Webshots, which requires a program to run it. It is free (with upgradeable service if you want unlimited downloads).

Thanks for hanginÂ’ around to check out this guide. If youÂ’ve ever worked long periods on your computer, itÂ’s cool to tweak it out to where you donÂ’t mind lookinÂ’ at it for days on end!

This isn't the last post for Desktop tweaking. I've got more on the way, and more advanced stuff after that... but for everyone who's come into the PR "Post your Desktop" thread and asked "How'd you do that?"... this should have answered most of it!

www.wincustomize.com also has a good varity of wallpapers... and tons of thems for all the programs mentioned above

Good how-to Dark

http://wp.erasei.com/ comes up with a 403 forbidden error for me... boooo!

CRAP!

If I link to it, it won't work... might just type it in... dammit...