Author: Jonathan Posted: June 07 2007
Windows Vista is the newest version of Windows. It does not only have more security features but also attracts users by its fancy appearance. If you are using Windows XP, you may feel that your Windows XP's appearance is old and not stylish.
Your transfered appearance will not have the sidebar like this real Windows Vista appearance.
Credit: www.globalgiants.com
Copyright: www.globalgiants.com
Enlarge +It will cost you money to buy a Vista computer or Windows Vista CD. For me, Windows Vista is still very expensive. I can show you the way to change your Windows XP's appearance to Windows Vista's appearance.
The differences between Windows Vista and Windows XP are the start menu, the icon and screensaver. Therefore, you have to change the appearance of these features. At first, you have to download a few software. They all are free. These software will help you to change your computer's appearance from XP to Vista. After the transition, you can only find a few differences. Here is the list of software that you need. Click to follow the link of each software.
Vista Screensaver Ported to XP
Folder Icon Changer
After downloading, you can start with your changing process. There are three steps:
Step 1: At first, download and install Vista Start Menu. It is only about 1MB. Besides changing your start menu to Vista style, this software helps to set up hotkeys for shut down and restart. You can also change the font size in start menu.
Step 2: Now, download Vista Screensaver zipped folder. In Windows Vista, there are four different screensaver styles: Aurora, Bubbles, Mystify and Ribbons. To use these screensavers, you have to unzip the downloaded folder (file type is .scr) to C:\Windows\System32 in your Window XP system. Right click on your desktop and choose "Properties". Choose "Screensaver" tab. Pick your Vista screensaver and click OK. You can also check file *.txt enclosed in the zipped folder to know how to make your screensaver work as you want.
Step 3: You have to find and download Window Vista's icons in the Internet. Then, download and install Folder Icon Changer. It is about 1.1 MB. Activate Folder Icon Changer and click "Get icons from a file". Locate the Windows Vista icons that you download. This program will change each hard drive icon of your Windows XP to Windows Vista's icons. Try to change as much XP icons to Vista as you can.
After finishing these three steps, it is great that you also use Windows Vista's wallpaper. You will find that your Windows XP looks exactly the same as Windows Vista. (Well! Actually, there are a few differences. We do not have the sidebar). You should be careful to choose the icons that match with Windows Vista. I hope you will transfer your Windows XP appearance to Windows Vista appearance successfully with my method.
http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/OS-Enhancements/Vista-Transformation-Pack.shtml
Also there is another way:
deepesh from tech-recipes wrote:
Dowload and install this latest version of "Vista Transformation Pack" here:
At last, Vista Transformation Pack has finally come out! Despite the name Vista, you'll get whole new update and more functions. Get the awesome Vista look today!
Vista Transformation Pack will give to your Windows XP system the new and cool look of Microsoft's future operating system: Windows Vista. The pack changes most of the system icons, skins and toolbars and also adds new enhancements to your desktop such as a dock bar or a different system tray clock
You sure will be surprised if you hear this. From now on you can update Vista Transformation Pack without uninstalling and you can even integrate Vista Transformation Pack into Windows setup files. (Still experimental, though but most of them are fine enough to be implemented)
This release has a lot of update covering from build 5472 so you’ll get much more icons update and much better visual styles and WindowBlinds skin, with bugs from earlier release fixed. Let’s see the changelog for more details below.
What's New in This Release:
· Added Apply Vista Setup screens transformation
· Fixed applying missing Vista UI transformation to setup files bug
· Fixed language id debug dialog when repair in Maintenance Center
· Fixed missing resources patching for Media Center and Tablet PC Edition
· Fixed missing some files during Vista UI transformed setup installation preparation
· Fixed new updated files missing after uninstallation when use re-apply Vista UI transformation mode
· Fixed obsolete language id checking bug in repair function
· Fixed rebuilding icon cache console dialog disappearance bug
· Fixed rebuilding icon cache incompleteness problems (I programed it to delete IconCache.db so it should be better)
· Fixed resource extracting using Resource Hacker bug on some non-English langude id with letter
· Fixed SideBar obsolete uninstallation that might cause problems to Vista SideBar
· Fixed Start orb misalign for VistaStart (by 1 pixel)
· Fixed system files uninstallation bug (system files restored after uninstall, all same)
· Fixed Vista Toolbar Throbber animation bug
· Fixed Vista Visual Pack’s execution problem on Vista UI transformed setup files that doesn’t have GUIRunonce.
· Fixed WindowBlinds installation path detection bug
· Fixed WindowBlinds skin installation on Vista UI transformed setup install launch bug
· Fixed Windows logo in System Properties overlapping bug
· Fixed wordpad.exe patching failure (wrong file location)
· Fixed unable to execute “ResourceHacker.exe” on Vista UI transformed setup install bug
· Fixed uxtheme.dll patcher execution issues (couldn’t execute file xxx.com, patch doesn’t work, etc.)
· Fixed uxtheme.dll patching issues on Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 2 Beta
· Fixed x64 Edition detection failure on x86 OS with x64 CPU
· Updated Vista cursors from Pre-RC1 build
· Updated Vista icons from Pre-RC1 build
· Updated Vista tray icons from Pre-RC1 build
· Updated Vista logon background from Pre-RC1 build...
But the easiest way, is to download a software called WindowBlinds (V5.5 and above are better), then install Vista Theme package named VistaWT. Another good theme is Leapond Glass, which is quite similar to MacOSX.
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