UxStyle

About

UxStyle is a bit of software that relaxes Windows theme signature requirements to enable third-party customization. Specifically, UxStyle consists of a tiny system service and a kernel driver that are loaded into memory where they hang out until reboot. No file system changes are made.

(First introduced on March 19, 2009.)

Operating System Support

• Windows codenamed "Whistler" (escrow builds)
• Windows XP
• Windows Vista
• Windows 7
• Windows 8
• Windows 8.1
• Windows Server 2003
• Windows Server 2008
• Windows Server 2008 R2
• Windows Server 2012
• Windows Server 2012 R2
• Windows codenamed "Threshold"
• Windows 10 Technical Preview

Building

Required software

• Visual Studio 2013
• Windows Driver Kit (WDK) for Windows 8.1
• Windows Software Development Kit for Windows 8.1
• WiX Toolset v3.8 (untested with newer)

Note about code signing

Starting with Windows Vista, the kernel-mode code signing policy controls whether a kernel-mode driver will be loaded. The signing requirements depend on the version of the Windows operating system and on whether the driver is being signed for public release or by a development team during the development and test of a driver.

More information can be found via the resources below:

• Kernel-Mode Code Signing Requirements
• Cross-Certificates for Kernel Mode Code Signing
• Driver Signing Policy

Legacy Windows users: Pay particular attention to the hashing algorithm used in your code signing certificate. Windows 7 and below do not support the loading of kernel drivers signed with newer SHA-2-based certificates.

More information can be found in Microsoft Security Advisory 2880823.

Fuzzy step-by-step

1. Open UxStyle.sln and start a Batch Build for the following project configurations:

   • UnsignedThemes (x64, Release)
   • UnsignedThemes (x86, Release)
   • UxPatch (x86, Win 8 Release)
   • UxPatch (x64, Win 8 Release)

2. Manually sign build artifacts:

   • \bin\x86\Release\UnsignedThemes.exe
   • \bin\x64\Release\UnsignedThemes.exe
   • \bin\driver\x86\uxstyle.sys
   • \bin\driver\amd64\uxstyle.sys

3. Return to Visual Studio and Batch Build the following project configurations:

   • Installer (x64, Release)
   • Installer (x86, Release)

4. (optional) Manually sign build artifacts:

   • \bin\x86\Release\Installer.msi
   • \bin\x64\Release\Installer.msi

5. Return to Visual Studio and build Bundle (x86, Release).

6. Manually sign build artifact \bin\bundle\Release\UxStyle_Bundle.exe