Microsoft Offers Media Center's Energy Blue Theme to Tablet PC Users

A Web Exclusive from WinInfo
Paul Thurrott
WinInfo
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WinInfo

One of the most obvious changes in Windows XP Media Center Edition (XP MCE) 2005, which launches today in California, is the inclusion of a new desktop theme called Energy Blue. Originally, Microsoft intended to include the new theme only with XP MCE 2005; however, the theme is now available for download for Tablet PC users from the Microsoft Web site (see the URL below). I'm also told that if you use a tool such as WinRAR or WinZip, you can extract the downloadable .exe file and use the theme on any XP version. To do so, copy the extracted files to the C:\WINDOWS\Resources\Themes folder. Note that I haven't tried this.

Energy Blue Theme download

End of Article

Tried it on XP Pro by:
1: run the EXE, screenshotted the 'extracting files' box
2: when the error message appears saying it won't install - grab the files from the temporary path revealed by the screenshot.

Looks great!

MLomasIcomm October 12, 2004 (Article Rating:

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Really insulting to us regular XP users that they try to block us out of this for absolutely no reason at all.

Anonymous User October 12, 2004

I've tried both ways and they both work, so you can either use WinZip to extract the files or just grab them from the temporary path revealed by the screenshot. Then rename the temp folder to Royale and copy it to the themes folder in C:\windows\resources. Also, create a new folder named Wallpaper in the Royale folder and drag the energybliss.jpg file inside it. That's it. Enjoy!

Anonymous User October 12, 2004

Does anybody know of any other microsoft downloads similar to this one?

Anonymous User October 12, 2004

Paul, thank you VERY much for letting us know about this! Very cool :)

Brian

Anonymous User October 13, 2004

It Works

Anonymous User October 13, 2004

For full shell integration though, the installer must be run. You're able to pull the exclusions for TabletPC (as well as adjust the hotfix level of the machine) in the inf, but MS decided to secure the file with a sum checker, and thus install still fails. Blah.

Too bad. Basic "Homestead" look is nice, but options are options.. And as always..

We want them all.

-Matic

Anonymous User October 22, 2004 (Article Rating:

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You can also use winrar to extract the files from the .exe file and not bother with the temp directory

Anonymous User November 13, 2004 (Article Rating:

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Thank you very much for this. I just installed MCE2K5 and saw this beautiful theme. It's a shame MS doesn't want XP users to have this. Upgrade Upgrade Upgrade!!

Anonymous User November 15, 2004 (Article Rating:

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This theme has been available from "underground" sites since development on MCE 2005 was undergoing its nothing new.

Anonymous User November 16, 2004

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