this video is what i used as a starting point when i first got back into modding back in 2024 https://youtu.be/A-KA8RDZ-l4 a pretty good tutorial aside from explorer stuff for that I'd use these toolbars https://winclassic.net/thread/2045/ephemeralviolettes-classicexplorer-classic-throbber-extensio?page=8 as well as classic shell explorer which i think is covered in the video
for icons and various other things I'd use this https://get-ntmu.github.io/ a brand new program which aims to replace the outdated 7tsp program doesn't have the risk of bricking your system anymore and can do much much more than what 7tsp could do every pack is on the website
this is what i use as a taskbar and start menu replacement https://github.com/kfh83/ExplorerEx it's the real xp explorer built from the server 2003 source code but it requires special themes found here: https://file.garden/Zc5EyP0NHTb1qSrk/xptheme.zip and for your you restore control panel which can be done using this: https://winclassic.net/thread/1779/restoring-control-panel-applets-links
these reg keys are also needed for explorerex https://file.garden/Zc5EyP0NHTb1qSrk/Regs.zip
i use secureuxtheme and luna10 normally and then i use a few windhawk mods for classic theme + something called explorerex
I'll work on a tutorial when I get home I have like a bazillion windhawk mods to list down
they also locked off every restroom prior to the 8th graders arrival I feel like my bladder is about to go kaboom
it's also loss day