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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

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:

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