ScottCooperDotNet

I've been working on an OEM version of XP that installs some extra files (in this case, Windows Themes) but have run into conflicting information regarding the location of the $OEM$ folder. Since I am installing off CD, it only works when $OEM$ is at the same level (root) of the CD. Yet some places, including Microsoft's KB say it should be inside i386 for certain installation methods. Can you explain the details?

There are only a few signed XP themes that will work without a patched uxtheme.dll: Luna - This is the default theme that is included with all Windows XP versions. It contains 3 color schemes, Default (blue), Olive Green, and Silver. Royale / Elec Blue - New theme included with XP MCE, and maybe Tablet PC. I recall reading the themes differ slightly between MCE and Tablet PC, but not sure how. One version was also released by Microsoft New Zealand but Microsoft.com no longer hosts it. Royale Noir - New theme that was leaked initially at Istartedsomething.com, it is not packaged nicely for installation, but can be mixed with the Royale theme to make a single Royale theme with 2 color schemes. Zune - Looks very much like the Royale Noir theme, but has an included background and some of the buttons (Start for example) are different colors (a bit more orange). There are other themes from Microsoft, but these are usually remixes of Luna with new backgrounds, screen savers, icons, sounds, etc. I've figured out how to add them to my XP CD using $OEM$, but not how to set them by default.

Microsoft.com does not seem to have them, nor anywhere else legitimate that I've checked.

Microsoft seems to require phone activation for most OEM XP keys now, even if your XP key is correctly setup in WinNT.sif.

BITS works with Automatic Updates, you should get smaller downloads. Go to http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com to get it.

It is amazing how much better the Corp. Ed. version is over the horribly bloated Norton. I've not used McAfee, but from seeing it's "Scarecurity Center" I can't recommend it because the interface shows how you're not secure from spam and privacy protection and suggests you buy even more from them.

The file downloads but WinRAR can't extract it.