Windows 7 color schemes

colorsdownloadwindows 7windows-vista

I'd like to get a pack of color schemes for Windows 7. I've been always using "Rainy day" on Windows XP, which is just 'easier' for the eyes. Since Windows Vista, they stopped shipping the default color schemes. I'd like to use them (again?). Is there a pack? Or a link where to get some? (I really tried to google around, but i failed.)

I use Windows Classic. Why? Because Aero is:

  • Resource hungry (no comment)
  • Ugly (one look? Which is just.. eek. Why couldn't they just make some other themes? :/), takes a lot of space (seriously, just look at the title bar how much does it eats.)
  • Slow (again, try some GPU hungry stuff and then switch it off (Aero), try it again.). (And it's just sucking all the power out from the battery when I'm without a charger.))

Best Answer

I don't know of any source for color packs, but the colors for window borders are just saved as registry values, which you can edit yourself. Export HKCU\Control Panel\Colors from an account on an XP machine with the colors you want, then import that registry file on your windows 7 box. Log out then back in, and it should be set to those colors.

Regarding your defense of Windows Classic though, I must disagree. I used the classic themes on XP almost always, because Luna was, well, hideous. But I'm curious - what kind of graphics card do you have? My computer here has Intel integrated graphics 945GM, the oldest, crappiest integrated graphics chip which runs aero. Everything is completely smooth. Also, they do include some themes, quite a few of them in fact. You can change the colors, backgrounds, etc. as you wish. As for battery, that's true, but you can set it to disable transparency when running on battery, which gives much better battery life. I've found that the benefits aero brings far outweigh its supposed ugliness... being able to preview which window I'm switching to, the images on the taskbar, the see-through Alt-Tab, etc. are all quite helpful features, in my opinion.

But anyhow, each to his own. Hopefully that'll help with getting your theme set up the way you'd like... after all, we should each use what we like best, not what some random guy on the internet says he likes ;)

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