XP Taskbar in Win98

[PROBLEMCHYLD]

?

Edited September 25, 2011 by PROBLEMCHYLD

[jimmsta]

not possible by using XP's explorer exe - it references too many ntdll functions that aren't implemented in W9x kernels, as well as a heavily modified theme/scheme engine. If you're desparate, use Tihy's Revolutions Pack v5/6, which is currently available as a Preview. You can also create your own skins. (See sticky at top of this forum).

[MDGx]

There are 3rd party free(ware) tools that can do this [more or less ]:

* TClock v2.3.0.1 32-bit for Windows 9x/NT4/2000/ME displays the date and

time in the Taskbar Tray, changes Start button/icon, Start Menu color/bitmap,

highly customizable (freeware):

http://homepage1.nifty.com/kazubon/tclock/

Direct download [170 KB, English]:

http://kazuto.lolipop.jp/tclock/010223en.zip

TClock Lite for Windows XP/2003:

http://homepage1.nifty.com/kazubon/tclocklight/

LClock for Windows XP/2003 (free GPL):

http://www.neowin.net/forum/?showtopic=157465

* Eppie Desktop v2.1 32-bit [discontinued ] for Windows 9x/ME changes Start

button bitmap, window frame controls: minimize, maximize + close buttons,

scrollbar arrows etc, highly customizable:

http://www.virtualplastic.org/html/eppie.html

Direct download [68 KB, freeware]:

http://www.virtualplastic.net/download/eppie/epsh21.zip

* SmartBarXP v1.0.201 32-bit for Windows 98/2000/ME/XP/2003 side bar provides

instant access to: Media Players, Slide Show, Image Viewers, Virtual Desktop

Manager, Live News, Weather, Stock Feeds, Recycle Bin, Explorer, Taskbar etc,

supports add-on themes, highly customizable:

http://www.smartbarxp.com/

Direct download [4.66 MB, freeware]:

http://www.smartbarxp.com/SmartBarXP_1.0.201.exe

* eXPerience Pack v2.5 32-bit for Windows 9x/NT4/2000/ME/XP replaces themes,

logos, icons + sounds to mimic Windows XP appearance [673 KB, freeware]:

http://public.planetmirror.com/pub/majorge...rance/xpack.zip

* PowerPro v4.5 32-bit for Windows 9x/NT4/2000/ME/XP/2003 adds: tool bars,

tray icons, hot keys, mouse actions, menus, timer/scheduler, close, minimize,

maximize, roll-up to caption, minimize to tray, position, send keystrokes, run

commands when Windows loads, virtual desktops, clipboard extender, keyboard

macros, shut down, show all folders/files menu, sounds, wallpaper + screen

saver activation/randomization, highly customizable:

http://powerpro.webeddie.com/

Direct download [2.8 MB, freeware]:

http://powerpro.webeddie.com/download/pwrpro45.zip

* H-Menu v6.0 32-bit for Windows 9x/NT4/2000/ME/XP/2003

program/function/process launcher: mouse activated Startup menu replacement,

animated Toolbars, supports Cascading Menus + Multimedia capabilities,

configurable screen settings, Tray icon, Menu Bars, Buttonbar groups, Dial-Up

Connections, Sound controls, End Windows Session, Change Screen, animation

effects, custom background bitmaps, multilingual support, highly customizable

[164 KB, freeware]:

http://tucows.whc.net/files4/H-Menu60.zip

* ShellEnhancer v2.0 Beta 32-bit for Windows 9x/NT4/2000/ME/XP/2003 includes:

always on top, Windows XP/2003 transparency, X-Windows features, keep focus,

Enhanced TaskSwitcher, Mosaic TaskSwitcher, Auto Manage, complex tasks

creation, Shell Enhanced Applications etc, highly customizable:

http://www.nuonsoft.net/shellenhancer/

Direct download [1.76 MB, freeware]:

http://www.nuonsoft.net/downloads/ShellEnh..._Beta_Setup.exe

Windows 95/OSR1/OSR2/98/98 SP1/NT4 WITHOUT MS IE 5/6 installed require:

- Microsoft HTML Help Update:

http://www.mdgx.com/add.htm#HHU

- Microsoft Common Control DLL 5.80 Patch [499 KB, free]:

http://download.microsoft.com/download/pla...US/50comupd.exe

All these tools are found here:

http://www.mdgx.com/toy.htm#ENH

HTH

[PROBLEMCHYLD]

?

Edited September 25, 2011 by PROBLEMCHYLD

[erpdude8]

is this a possible method

Just change the images in the reg

Get the images from xp taskbar, rename them to correspond to the 98se file names

Delete the 98se taskbar images, put in the xp ones, making sure to keep the files names the same
but you just need to change the taskbar images, 
you will find a file with all the pic needed to make up the taskbar
find it, then copy all the images, goto the 98e, then swap
the picks, trying to keep them in the right place, 
the images should look kinda the same, 
once you have the xp images in the 98se file
(making sure to keep the old 98 files names, 
so the os recognises the images), you should be away laughing

that might work. though you will not have the Lock Taskbar option that is included in XP. Tihiy's RPLite5 pack not only changes the Win98se Taskbar to the XP version but also adds the Lock Taskbar option which can either be enabled or disabled. I prefer not only the XP Taskbar but also the XP Taskbar's functions that were not included in older versions.

Edited August 14, 2006 by erpdude8

[Eck]

Stardock WindowBlinds Enhanced and ObjectBar handle this very well, and you're able to apply many other looks as well.

Yeah, it uses GDI resources and Themes need to be reapplied to refresh it if resources get too low (the images start to be replaced by the regular 98 stuff).

But it works. Looks just like XP if you get the right themes. Icon Packager really gets it to be XP. Heh, now there are themes for Vista too! Run Vista on 98!

So it would make sense to buy Object Desktop to get all the stuff. You really only need those 3 programs from it. Initially expensive, but renewal is only $34.95 for access to newer versions if you want to stay updated. But you wouldn't need to do that if you only want what you need for 98. You're always entitled to download and use whatever versions they were up to when your subscription expired.

[LLXX]

Why would you want to do that anyway

[randiroo76073]

Some people like "Eye candy" ??? I don't know.

[Eck]

Yes, I mostly agree. I haven't installed Stardock on a 9x system in years as the looks aren't especially important to me. When I did use it, it worked but I got tired of needing to refresh the skin when resources got spent.

I keep renewing only because I want it if the GUI fit takes me and I want to play.

I just posted that because it's probably the best implementation of skinning available. With all the possibilities you can make the desktop and programs looks like nearly anything you want. And the fellow asked how to get it looking like XP. This does it nearly completely without changing important operating system files too much. It's like a native skinning method (moreso on XP, though).