HOME | DD
fediaFedia — Windows XP to Vista tutorial
Published: 2007-07-17 10:28:58 +0000 UTC; Views: 468994; Favourites: 565; Downloads: 54026
Redirect to original
Description
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!
===================================================
TRANSFORMATION PACKS
===================================================
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:
===================================================
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
===================================================
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
===================================================
Vista user pictures: [link] ALL vista wallpapers [link] Vista Sounds [link] Vista screensavers: [link] ===================================================
WINDOWS FLIP3D AND ALTERNATIVES
===================================================
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
===================================================
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
===================================================
Original vista boot screen for xp: [link] Best Logon available for XP: [link] ===================================================
WINDOWS PRODUCT (RED)
===================================================
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
===================================================
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
===================================================
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
Thank you very much. Following those links, and some other addons, I was able to make my Windows XP appear like Windows 7 without paying for WindowBlinds!
Thank you very much!
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Nice tutorial fediaFedia, anyway there are some link that are dead now like the "Vista Help for XP" and "Windows Calendar" could you update those links and I love your WindowsBlind skin but I thought it's alread on RC3.1, why does it still say "Best WindowBlinds style: Aero Ultimate RC1"
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Are you just lazy or is there an exam coming up?
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
anyway, how do you make some text to become bold in your description, do you need to be subscribed or something?
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
without the *
Also look in the faq
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Great tut!
For all of those people who don't want to work and download the programs themselves, get my transformation pack! it has all of these programs and more all in one easy pack! Plus it does not leave any permanent damage, like the real transformation packs. you can choose what programs you want, rather than the official transformation pack, which puts all of the programs on your computer without asking you.
Here's The Link:
[link]
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Dude, the only reason I made this tutorial is to refrain people from using VTP, it's known for messing up systems.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
yeah i know that but i created one that is not all compiled into one .exe so users can choose the programs they want... also is it okay if I used your aero ultimate styler toolbar?
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
When i installed ViStart, there's no text where any of the things like My Documents should be. Help?
It's annoying. I've tried restarting vistart and downloading the one from the website.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Please report this bug in Lee-soft.com forums
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Biggst Thx
Greatz
p.s. Nice work...make wait i hope i see great works in the next year of you
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
this is the greatest XP-Vista tutorial I've seen!!!! thenks a lot for making it, it's very helpful!!!!! of course this goes to my favs ^^
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Glad you found it informative
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Page link is broken...
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
I know that there WAS ~patternjake's Game Explorer Port for XP...but he deleted it 
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
It's in every system that has office 2007 anyway.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Can u take a media Center from another persons computer put it in a cd (or flash drive) then put it in this computer
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
No, but you can install media center on XP pro or home [link]
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
but i think you said that to make xp look like as much as possible to vista you have to install everything!So it's a matter of styling or performance right??
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
If you have performance to spare you can, but if you don't, here is my recommendation: Vista Rainbar + True Transparency + VistaVG theme - that's a pretty good combo.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
hi there.I have a question.After this tutorial i 've come to the concusion that all these mini apps etc. that you have to install on your os are way too big!
Are they bigger than 50mb all together???I'm sorry if i'm wrong.Also i have another question.While i was searching about transformation packs i saw many complains about they slow down too much the pc.I'd like to know if you had any trouble and if your pc is running stably and normally so i can go on with following the tutorial!Thanks in advance
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Ofcourse your system will slow down if you install ALL of these, chose a few.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
i got it better... i just downloaded vista to my xp... with a external hard drive... to have enough room and i change the settings at the boot screen
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
That's Dual-boot, old news.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
um... no.. i mean i just installed vista for free and use it on my xp since i hate xp
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
How can you install vista on XP? Virtual Machine?
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
um... no ... you buy a copy of vista... from the store... put the disk into the drive... and when your computer is starting you click f1 and change the settings so that the OS is set to vista...or use my special program... that when your computer starts it asks you witch one you want... and it changes the settings so you can have vista running or xp running... ok ?.? o.o
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
call it what you want... but i uninstalled xp after... and put on the offical sticker!! so it is a vista computer!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
i really dont care to know what dual booting is.... i know what i did... i deleted XP so it is now a vista computer! it doesnt need xp anyways XP SUCKS
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Anyway what was the point of commenting here? Just to say that XP SUCKS?
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
i didnt comment just to say that... i just said i just downloaded vista.... and xp does suck...
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Windows Seven is way better than vista
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
seven is just a test version of vista....
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
No, it's a successor to vista. And obviously like any new OS - better than vista.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
wat eve...e.e me tired night night
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
@fediaFedia;
Is it just me, or does the enitre "Costomization Pack" pretty muck tell you that apart from a couple working links, the only working true "Costomization Pack" will be this so called beta 2? Just wondering. Slightly dissapointed. On a happier note, some of your later work has almost brought me to tears with awesomeness.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
huh? This is a tutorial, not a customization pack
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Srry, wrong deviation XD. Somewhere, you made some sort of program with links and a "secret" testing button (requires a password) Previews for explorer and the entire program points towards the beta two version. By the way, what is the "secret" testing password? (haven't gotton around to hacking the program yet, lots of homework XD)
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Somewhere in my gallery under tutorials and guides, it's discontinued too
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Just curious, what was the "authorized beta testing" password? lol
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
For some of my friends to access hidden easter eggs.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Darn, I thought that there was something more (got the easter eggs when i hacked it)
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
You can't disassemble the parts of the app without the password, it's encrypted
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
| Next =>