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How to update the scroll bars in OS X Leopard to the new gray "iTunes-style"

Mac

Update: until I can find extras.zip (the file referenced in this tutorial, which is now offline) please see How to make Leopard look more like iTunes 7 – which includes making the scroll bars use the iTunes 7 “gray” style (among other things).

Using Extras from Abitbol software, you can change the default ‘blue’ scroll bars in OS X to the new gray scroll bars as seen/used in the latest iTunes.

old os x scrollbars new itunes style os x scrollbars
boring old blue scroll-bars new ‘iTunes style’ scroll-bars

  1. First things first – download Extras.zip and extract it to your Desktop. It’s not critical that you use the Desktop, but do remember where you extract the files.
  2. Now we’ll create a backup of the ‘old’ scroll bars so that if anything goes wrong you can revert to them. To do so, open up a Terminal (Applications -> Utilities -> Terminal) and paste in the following: (note: if you’re using a PPC (non-Intel) Mac, replace Extras2.rsrc with Extras.rsrc in the text below)

    3. sudo mv /System/Library/Frameworks/Carbon.framework/Versions/A/
    Frameworks/HIToolbox.framework/Versions/A/Resources/Extras2.rsrc /System/Library/Frameworks/Carbon.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/
    HIToolbox.framework/Versions/A/Resources/Extras2.rsrc-old

    Enter your password when prompted.

  3. Now you’ll have a file called Extras2.rsrc-old which you can revert to if needed.
  4. To update to the ‘new’ scroll bars, enter the following commands in the same Terminal window. Replace Extras2.rsrc with Extras.rsrc if you have a PPC (non-Intel) Mac.

    5. cd Desktop/Extras (or use the cd command to move to whatever folder you extracted Extras to)

    sudo cp Extras2.rsrc /System/Library/Frameworks/Carbon.framework/Versions/A/
    Frameworks/HIToolbox.framework/Versions/A/Resources/

  5. Now launch a program that currently isn’t in use. It should have the new gray scrollbars. Restart Finder by holding down the option key on your keyboard, right-click (ctrl-click for single mouse button folks) the Finder icon in your dock, and then select Relaunch.

  6. And now Finder should be using the new scroll bars as well.

    7. new itunes style os x scrollbars

Posted in Mac.

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By Ross McKillop – November 27, 2007

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Related Posts:

How to make Leopard look more like iTunes 7
How to customize OS X with Deeper
How to play divx and xvid videos in iTunes and Front Row
How to change the arrows in the Scroll Bars for OS X
How to enlarge or shrink the scrollbars in Windows

11 Responses

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  1. Er says

    The Extras.zip link is broken.

    July 21, 2008, 10:53 am
  2. Jt Hollister says

    Dangit, where’s the scroll bars? I want this! But the link is b0rked! Someone mirror please?

    Or hell give me the file and I will mirror it!

    July 23, 2008, 1:26 am
  3. Martin says

    I have the files. I downloaded them a long time ago. Give me your email and I’ll send them to you.

    July 25, 2008, 9:40 pm
  4. Josh Crooner says

    please send me the extra.zip file..thanks.

    August 4, 2008, 11:10 pm
  5. Mitchell says

    I need the Extras.zip file. Please send it to me!

    August 17, 2008, 4:19 pm

Continuing the Discussion

  1. End November Updates at vanlandw.com linked to this post on November 28, 2007

    [...] Neat hack to have iTunes 7 style scrolbars for Finder/Safari/Ect on 10.5. [...]

  2. Top 10 OS X Leopard Tweaks - www.Tech-Dump.com linked to this post on December 17, 2007

    [...] Better Scroll Bars – If you have used the newest version of iTunes then you have probably noticed that it uses its own [...]

  3. Top 10 OS X Leopard Tweaks - Computer Forums linked to this post on December 17, 2007

    [...] The result is a much better looking stacks icon that really gives it the feel of having depth. 2. Better Scroll Bars – If you have used the newest version of iTunes then you have probably noticed that it uses its own [...]

  4. Leopard Ugly - Page 3 - MacTalk Forums linked to this post on August 2, 2008

    [...] to the hack? There’s heaps of tutorials that basically say the same thing, such as this one; How to update the scroll bars in OS X Leopard to the new gray “iTunes-style” – Simple He… But the package that you need to download looks to have been taken offline. Unfortunately all the [...]

  5. EmergingTechs.com » Blog Archive » Top 10 OS X Leopard Tweaks linked to this post on August 5, 2008

    [...] Better Scroll Bars – If you have used the newest version of iTunes then you have probably noticed that it uses its own [...]



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