[Update] How to Enable / Activate Aero Theme in Windows Vista Home Basic Edition?

UPDATE: An already patched Aero.msstyles file is available to download here. So you no longer need to manually patch the file.

Also manually patching can be done using any free Hex Editor like XVI32. Open the .msstyles file, find DF DF DF FF and change it with 00 00 00 00. Save the file and re-apply the theme.

Windows Vista Home Basic edition doesn't come with Aero interface, so you don't get the transparency and glass effects at all. Once we posted a small tutorial for enabling Aero theme in Home Basic edition which you can read here. It works but some people reported that it didn't work for them.

Today we are going to share another method to enable Aero theme in Windows Vista Home Basic edition. Actually Basic edition can provide the Aero interface but its disabled by default. So if your system hardware meets the minimum requirements to run Aero theme, you can give following method a try. We would like to clear, we have not tested this method yet. So we request you to try the method and post your comments about it:

1. First you'll need "Ave's Vista Style Builder" program which you can get from following link:

Get Vista Style Builder

Its not a free program. You'll need to purchase it for $22.5 but its worth to buy.

2. Now open your theme's .msstyles file in this program. If you are using Windows default theme, open "%windir%\Resources\Themes\Aero\Aero.msstyles" file in this program. (Here %windir% means "Windows" directory present in the system drive where Windows Vista is installed.)

3. Now navigate to "Fonts, Colors & System Metrics -> Colors (Globals)" section.

4. In right-side pane, you'll see a property with the name "COLORIZATIONCOLOR:INT".

5. You'll need to change its value to 0 (Yup, Zero).

6. Now save the file and re-apply the theme and you'll get Aero theme enabled in your system.

All credit goes to "killermole23" @ DeviantART for finding this cool trick and thanks to "fediaFedia" for sharing it...

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This article was posted in Troubleshooting, Windows Vista.

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19 Comments

Lewis

Hi Vishal! This is Killermole23 (I ain't trolling...)

Thankyou for posting this. Video proof is here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BI2szPQ-V70

(Note, at time of writing it is still pending, etc...)
fediaFedia

Soon there will be a patch that doesnt require vista style builder, Killermole23 is almost finished with it, you can update your article then
Carlo

Awesome news!
Arthur

Man, this is awesome! But it would be a lot easier if there was a free program to do the same thing Vista Style Builder does! Please, if you find out any free program, post it here!
MasterDelta

Works! From that youtube I found a link to a pre-ready aero.msstyles file from killermole
http://killermole23.deviantart.com/art/Transparent-Aero-on-Home-Basic-130211498
here it is
The hack works great too! =D WinFlip is still missing though Otherwise 5/5 nice hack *thumbs up*
MasterDelta

Note that you have to use "Take Control" to take administrative control of the original aero.msstyles in order to replace it, and you may also have to patch your uxtheme.dll for this to work.
Sami

Solving what was solved... again?

Read on that very long ago - as far as I know it's not new idea or solution. (it was even same program I guess, but any resource editing will do - still can be googled if one knows how to search) I ain't expert when it comes to native system themes creation - though I know there are only few people on this world who really are, and not talking on copy cats.

Changing color to black (0), which is apparently one for the mask still doesn't seem to solve DWM restrictions on non-fully capable system versions. (not talking on hardware requirements, those actually can be forced to bypass) But that's my main concern.

Elsewhere all themes designed to use AG technology, would work anyway with patched ux theme library - overall they use same setting.

In the end most of those alike sounding hoax solutions - came back from early beta OS versions, where apparently those seemed to work. Guess that each generation has to rediscover everything themselves.

Anyway, is it me or less software is released during summer time?

P.s.: Credits? Seriously:
http://www.aeroxp.org/board/lofiversion/index.php?t8861.html
and this is only one example - as one can track this to even 2007 (didn't have time to dig earlier)
Lewis

Sami, people found that transparency was possible on home basic, but they did not find out how to enable it FULLY, not just in maximized windows. This makes it so windows that aren't maximized are transparent too. It's like ticking the "Enable transparency" box on home premium+. Did they find out how to enable transparency over-all? Nope.
Sami

Lewis, what I said is that I still have some concern on this method, whole goal - as developer I accept software how it is and try to work with it, not against.

Secondly, what I suggested was that - in my personal view - it isn't as new as suggested - as You agreed in last sentence I suppose - those mysteries were solved before as far as I know, and lastly I weren't thinking on mentioned "maximize" method. Moreover, if one would read documentation on MSDN there was enough information to came with some conclusions.

I also have some worries whether Mr Gupta should post such notes - I don't know if it doesn't go against Microsoft policy. I mean it's kind of reverse engineering? Using copyrighted resources etc. Such legal world we live now within.

Anyway, I still claim to find current desktop workspace not the best concept out there - to much attention is drawn to smaller details instead optimizing, work ergonomics.

P.s.: happy V HB user

Best regards,
Sami
fediaFedia

Hey Vishal, its been updated, there is no need for VSB now.
I'm sure this new patch will be extremely popular, coz there are a lot of notebooks sold with home basic