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fediaFedia — Windows XP to Vista tutorial
Published: 2007-07-17 10:28:58 +0000 UTC; Views: 468794; Favourites: 565; Downloads: 54024
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Revised at 06/09/2008
Windows XP > Vista tutorial 
Now downloadable as a MS Word document!*
* latest updates and new adds may not be included
This is my 1st XP>Vista tutorial, I've searched and found all possible things that make XP look like vista. Happy reading!
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TRANSFORMATION PACKS
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These packs will automatically transform your XP to Vista, but you'll need MUCH more then that to make your XP look as close as possible to vista...
Vistamizer: [link]
BricoPack Vista Inspirat 2 (SP3 compatible) recommended: [link]
===================================================
Like I said, transformation packs are not enough, here is a list of other required things for a vista feeling:
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VISUAL STYLES
===================================================
Get the basic vista look with msstyles, you'll need to patch uxtheme first.
Best Visual style (msstyles) Vista VG ultimate: [link] 
Aero Ultimate ViOrb - to make the whole orb appear on the msstyles: [link] Aero Ultimate Vistart [link] ===================================================
WINDOWBLINDS SKINS
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Get the premium Vista Aero experience on XP with WindowBlinds 6! You will get real glass and blur, and many other features with WB!
Best WindowBlinds style: Aero Ultimate RC1 [link] - Highest Quality vista style for XP===================================================
GLASS WITHOUT WINDOWBLINDS
===================================================
Don't have WindowBlinds? Don't worry, you can get Aero Glass frames with these:
Border Skin - one of the best glass emulators for XP: [link] Best vista TT skin - Aero Ultimate for TrueTransparecy: [link] Vystal: [link] FastAero: [link] TrueTransparency (highly recommended) [link] ===================================================
MISCELLANEOUS VISTA ITEMS
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Vista user pictures: [link] ALL vista wallpapers [link] Vista Sounds [link] Vista screensavers: [link] ===================================================
WINDOWS FLIP3D AND ALTERNATIVES
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Get the awesome Flip3D effect just like in vista.
New! Best Flip3D - Shock3D (free)
TopDesk: 1.5 (shareware) [link] WinFlip: (free) [link] Madotate [link] ===================================================
LIVE TASKBAR PREVIEWS
===================================================
Did you notice a cool vista feature which displays small thumbnails over a taskbar? You can have the same in XP!
Visual Tooltips: [link] Visual Task Tips: [link] ===================================================
VISTA LIKE APPLICATIONS AND SKINS FOR THEM
===================================================
Windows Mail: windows Live Mail [link]
Windows Defender: WGA required Windows Live Photo Gallery: [link] Windows Media Center: Skins for XP MCE 2005 Media Center program: [link]
MediaPortal (open source media center): [link] Vista like skin for media portal: [link]
Nero Home: [link] Vista skin for Nero home: [link]
Other Media Center software: [link]
Windows Media Player 11 (Genuine Windows required): [link] Best windows media player resource pack: [link]
Internet explorer 7 (Genuine Windows required): [link] Mozilla firefox: (alternative to ie7) Tutorial on how to make Firefox look like IE7 Vista: [link]
Windows Calendar: [link] Vista Help for XP: [link] Vista Games explorer: V1: [link]
V2 (possibility to add games): [link]
===================================================
EXPLORER PLUGINS IN VISTA STYLE
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Want your explorer to look and work like vista's? Try these:
Favorite Links for XP: [link] Styler (vista toolbar) [link] Styler skins - Vista perfection X4: [link]
Other types and languages: [link]
Vista adressbar: [link] ===================================================
PORTED VISTA APPLICATIONS (originals)
===================================================
Real programs from vista hacked to work on Windows XP
Windows Vista Sidebar RTM (original sidebar from vista): [link] (Windows Sidebar Styler [link] )
Vista paint, notepad, calculator: [link] Vista games for XP: [link] Vista Snipping Tool, Sticky Notes, and Inkball Game, Texas Hold'em ported to Xp: [link] Windows Journal for XP: [link] ===================================================
WINDOWS SIDEBAR ALTERNATIVES
===================================================
Rainmeter Windows Sidebar (recommended): [link] Takes very little resources!
Google Desktop demo: [link] Thoosje's Vista Sidebar: [link] ===================================================
MODIFICATIONS AND DESKTOPX
===================================================
These applications imitate the functions of vista ones. Some of them are limited in functionality.
Welcome Center: Glass: [link]
Basic: [link]
Windows Picture Viewer for XP (mod): [link] Windows Photo Gallery (DesktopX): [link] Vista system properties: [link] Vista personalization for xp: [link] Vista clock for xp: [link] ===================================================
RESOURCES
===================================================
Windows Vista original icons and pngs: You can use these icons in a dock or any system elements:
347 vista icons: [link] 347 Vista pngs: [link] Vista application icons: [link] Vista RTM WOW icon pack: [link]
Vista Icon packages:
For tuneUP: [link]
For IconPacakger: [link]
For IconTweaker: [link]
===================================================
BOOT\LOGON\SYSTEM SOUNDS
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Original vista boot screen for xp: [link] Best Logon available for XP: [link] ===================================================
WINDOWS PRODUCT (RED)
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Dell released a special set of computers with Vista Product (RED) for charity purposes. If you have ever supported (RED) you can get the special wallpapers, screensavers, sidebar gadgets and dreamscene for XP: [link]
===================================================
DREAMSCENE ALTERNATIVES
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And last but not least:
Dreamscene (Video, Animated wallpaper): In Vista Ultimate there is a extra called dreamscene, it lets to use a video background as a wallpaper :
DreamRender - one of the best dreamscene programs for xp: [link] KMplayer (tutorial) [link] Bsplayer (free): [link] VLC player (free): [link] Dreamscene animations: [link] DreamsceneXP (flash on Desktop) [link] AuroraXP: [link] JelyXP: [link] ===================================================
WEBSITE LINKS
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Other customization websites:
Windows [design] [rus] [link] Crystalxp.net: [link] WinModify: [link] Joejoe.org: [link] Winmatrix: [link] Wincert: [link] Aeroxp.org: [link] The Vista (RUS) [link] JCXP: [link] Aqua-soft: [link] Wintuning (RUS) [link] Vistart (vista start menu) official website: [link] ===================================================
OTHER TUTORIALS
===================================================
If you want your XP look like any other OS, check out these:
XP > Longhorn tutorial for longhorn fans [link]
XP > Leopard tutorial by anoos: [link]
TUTORIAL: Transform Windows XP into Windows Vista, Without Using any Customization Pack: [link]
This tutorial is mostly hacking system files to look like vista.
===================================================
Comments are welcome!
Feel free to suggest other software, will be included to the tutorial!
if you found this informative, and don't forget to visit my gallery for lots more HQ vista stuff 
Related content
Comments: 402
can i still use other visual styles after i install the bricopack? like i want to use the vistaVG because the visual style in the bricopack isnt very nice. thanks fediafedia. looking forward to your reply
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Yeah, you can use any visual style even with brico pack, not a problem
👍: 0 ⏩: 2
is it really compatible with sp3? because when i install it, sp3 isnt in the compatible list.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
thanks so much. great tutorial!
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
It looks nice.
But I don't wanna use WB.
It brokes my PC
visit my gallery [link]
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Man all of those are cool but..is here a chance to broke my pc?:Splease answer
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
thanks man ur the best in vista resources and as these are mostly like windows 7 so hats off to u.....
although the programs u mentioned if one from each catagory is run simultaniously the would consume a hell lot of commitcharge....so minimal the waste products....{critics......just suggestions and advice}
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
It's not meant to run all programs I mentioned here at the same time
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
well i changed the link to it so here it is now
[link]
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
It's still warez, you do realize that you can get banned for that?
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
hey xcuse me but can i let you know somethin i have added a windows xp genuiner to deviantart here'sthe link
[link]
it will make your pc genuine it also includes unistaller so that you now do not have a problem
sorry for my setup is not up to date but still it does work
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
It's warez, deviantart doesn't promote warez neither do I, sorry.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Now I have SP3 yeah ^_^ now I can install Vistamizer 
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Of course, most of the apps should work on SP2, but it's recommended that you install SP3 for better security stability and performance
👍: 0 ⏩: 2
But if I install Vistamizer in SP2 what kind of problem had I?
in Sp1 is not compatible because I tryed it 
Actually I have SP2
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
I wouldnt try those packs if i were you.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
so I can't use those packs 
anyway this is the best Vistamizer that I ever seen
good job!!!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Thanks, you can use BricoPack Vista Inspirat 2, its much safer than vista transformation packs and such.
👍: 0 ⏩: 2
hey wowz thx you for BricoPack Vista Inspirat 2 I install it and my pc look like Vista
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
hey thx you !! i'm your fan :>
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Hey Tried out the software True Transparency
It Works Like A Charm.thanx Alot
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Read the description, all of it.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
very nice *O* but how to turn back to the "XP style" once you used 'vistamizer' shouldnt there be something like...XPmizer xDDD o.o? sorry but im kinda noobish at these things xD i just asked this so i know how to change it back(if i can) before i 'vistamize' it XD
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
There should be a uninstall option for Vistamizer, also you can switch to old luna style by going to Properties > Appearance
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
The link didn't die, vystal died.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Fedia I have a problem XD I decided to use the database file to remove the address bar but also decided to uninstall styler which was being used as my address bar. I am now address barless. I can't get it back so is there another database file to reveal the address bar (I can't right click to restore either)
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Hmm, try this: [link] (use the default.reg)
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Thanks it worked, I couldn't find a fix anywhere. Could I recommend my Vista Icon Pack? I think it's complete and would go well with your WB Skins and xp to vista guide.
[link]
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Hmm, for which program is that?
👍: 0 ⏩: 2
It's not for a program it's just the complete set of vista icons categorized in .ico format
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Oh, well i think it was done before
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
So it has, and twice as good. Thank you for your time
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Keep it anyway, coz it's hard to find icons for some people
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
It's not for a program it's just the complete set of vista icons categorized in .ico format
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Glad you found it useful, but note Seven is the new trend now
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
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