Windows Theme Software

Infopackets Reader Colette C. writes:

" Dear Dennis,

I'm running Windows XP Professional and would like to know where I can find some easy-to-understand information about how to install and uninstall Windows XP themes. I'm having trouble try to disable the sounds which play when Maximizing and Minimizing a window. What can you suggest? "

Side note: A theme for Windows consists of sounds and pictures which encapsulate a subject (for example: sports, art, computers, etc). Events on the PC coincide with particular sound files, such as opening or closing a window, or perhaps shutting down the PC. In short, themes can easily and quickly make a dramatic difference to a PC's look and feel!

My response:

Personally, I don't have much experience with theme software, because there hasn't been a need for me to install such a program. In the past, I've always created my own "themes" by assigning sound files to Windows Events and image files to the desktop background. This is all done by accessing the "Sounds" icon in Control Panel and by changing the backdrop image (under "Display" in Control Panel).

In fact, I've put together a dynamite Star Trek desktop theme which includes 82 sound events and 8 Star Trek backdrop images. The theme is completely free and is used to entice users to subscribe to the newsletter (subscribed users may "subscribe again" to obtain it):

http://www.infopackets.com/desktop+theme.htm

Getting back to Colette's problem:

Colette didn't mention which theme management software she uses, but I happen to know for a fact that a sound event can be changed via the Windows Control Panel.

To specify or remove a sound event using Windows XP:

• Click Start -> Settings -> Control Panel -> Sounds  
• Click the Sounds tab  
• To change the Minimize and Maximize events (In Colette's case): look under the first heading called "Windows" and click on Minimize or Maximize  
• Disable the sound by choosing None from the drop list (or change it to another sound)

Side Note: Some theme management programs may reject changes made to sound events via the Control Panel. If this is the case, the sound event must be changed using the theme software.