»Installing Cursors

After downloading your favorite cursor and unzipping it (please read STEP 2 above for detailed instructions on how to unzip a file), save the cursor in the C:\Windows\Cursors directory. Begin the installation by opening the START menu and selecting SETTINGS, then CONTROL PANEL and then MOUSE. In the MOUSE directory, click on the POINTERS tab. Once in the POINTERS settings, click on the type of cursor you want to change. For example, Normal Select, the cursor we most commonly see. After selecting the cursor you want to change, click BROWSE to find your new cursor in the C:\Windows\Cursors directory. Then click APPLY. Simple as that!

»Installing Icons

After downloading the icon pack you want to use and unzipping it (please read STEP 2 above in Installing Themes for detailed instructions on how to unzip a file), extract the files to the default windows directory (usually C:\Windows). In Windows Explorer go to the VIEW menu, then select Folder Options and click the FILE TYPES tab. Find the file type you want to change and click EDIT. Then select CHANGE ICON and go to the C:\Windows folder and select the appropriate icon.

»Installing Fonts

Nothing could be simpler than installing a font! After downloading the font of your choice and unzipping it (please read STEP 2 above in Installing Themes for detailed instructions on how to unzip a file), save your font in the C:\Windows\Fonts directory. That's it! (You may need to restart certain applications, or possibly your computer, to use your new font.) Please note: These instructions are for the English version of Windows 95/98 only. Other systems may vary.

»Installing Hotbars

Use these free skins to decorate your browser to suit your mood or pick your favorite skin as a reminder to visit us again soon. Personalize your browser and make surfing fun! Check back for additions to our collection. This feature will only work for Internet Explorer 4 and 5 browsers. Just choose the browser skin you want to display on your browser or add to your collection by clicking on the image. You will be prompted to download the plug-in if you do not already have it. Choose yes and your skin will display on your browser. Unlike other browser skin plug-ins, this one won't 'take over' your settings or slow your surfing down.

»Installing Screensavers

Most of the screensavers that you download seperately from the desktop themes are packaged in a zip file. Read STEP 2 to find out how to use the zip file. Most screensavers are more than the simple .scr file that windows requires to run the screensaver, so you will usually install the screensaver like any other program you download, that is, that you extract all the files from the .zip file and run the setup.exe included. However, many are just the .scr file, and the .scr files need to be extracted to the Windows directory on your hard drive. Once they are there, you can enable them by double clicking on MY COMPUTER, then double click on CONTROL PANEL, then on DISPLAY, then click the tab that says SCREEN SAVERS and select the new screensaver from the drop down list box that you find there. You can then click on SETTING to configure the screensaver (if applicable) and on PREVIEW to test it. That's all there is to installing screensavers!

»Installing Windows Logos

This can be tricky at first, but simple once you've done it. Here are the file names and their proper places: Startup Screen: C:\logo.sys Wait Screen: C:\Windows\logow.sys Shutdown Screen: C:\Windows\logos.sys
It helps if your folder options are set to view file extensions and to view all files. Go to My Computer > View > Folder Options. Then click the View tab. Under "Files and Folders", uncheck "Hide file extensions for known file types", an d under "Hidden files", select "Show all files". Then click Apply. This way these files will become visible. The first thing to do now is to back up your original screens, copying them into a new folder where they can be stored in case you need to reinsta ll them. (Windows 98 will hide a copy of the original startup screen; deleting C:\logo.sys brings back the default screen.)
Now, going back to your startup files, go ahead and extract them from the Zip file into any folder you wish, temporarily. Check the file names and make sure they are correctly named. If they are not, rename them. If they are, copy logo.sys and past e it into your root directory, usually C:\ Then copy logow.sys and logos.sys and paste them into C:\Windows. Restart your computer and the logos should work.

»Installing ICQ Skins

ICQ Skins are a fun way to further customize your computing experience. What you will need is, of course, ICQ, and also the plug-in ICQ Plus. Installing ICQ skins is much like WinAmp skins except for one important difference. The zip file containing the skin files must be unzipped into its own folder within the C:\Program Files\ICQ Plus\Skins directory. Fortunately, ICQ Plus makes this very easy for you. Just download the Zip file containing your new skin into any folder you wish. Then, open ICQ Plus and select Import, which lets you browse for the newly downloaded Zip file. When you find it click open. You should then see a preview of the new skin. Click Apply and all the files for the new skin will be copied into a new folder within the C:\Program Files\ICQ Plus\Skins directory and your ICQ display will change to show the new skin! Is this cool or what?

»Installing WinAmp Skins

Enjoying WinAmp skins is actually very easy. First, you must have WinAmp, otherwise this isn't much use at all. If you have WinAmp, then you are familiar with the face, or skin, that is the default standard provided with WinAmp. The idea with downloadable skins is that you can customize the look of WinAmp just like elements of desktop themes. Custom skins are made with a series of bitmaps as well as programmed data relating to colors, transparencies, and playlist fonts. These files are compressed into a zip file. The zip files remain zipped in C:\Program Files\Winamp\Skins (or a directory of your choice). Right-clicking on your WinAmp will reveal a menu from which, if you choose "Options", another menu appears where you can select "Skin Browser". You can choose a directory from which to browse your skins. This is easier if you keep all your skin zip files in one folder. Your skin browser will list all the skins in that folder. (Remember not to unzip these files, WinAmp automatically extracts each file from the compressed zip file.) Just click on the skin name, and, voila! your skin changes just like that! Now go get some skins!