How do YOU make your beloved XP OS more VISTA alike?

T

Tiramisu

Weaksauce
Joined
Apr 28, 2007
Messages
125
As per title.

And I'm refering to where and how can you download and modify the theme to be more comteporary/current appealing (GUI). I saw quite a few people who has mod their themes to be quite Vista alike or those modern looking themes.

I actually have both copy of 32bit/64bit Vista but decided to go back to XP Pro SP2 to fully UNLEASH my OC'ed rig's FULL potential and I feel Vista is such an resource and CPU hog and I cannot stand to see others who has OC'ed their system at the same or lower clock speed than mine and gets about the same or higher scores cos they're on XP. However, my scores under the Vista catogory is on the top of the list ;) but this is like winning the SPECIAL OLYMPIC, nothing to be proud of or exciting about becouse XP users still got the BEST BRAGGING rights...;)

Also, is there anyway that you can update IE to IE7 and WMP9 to WMP10 without validation process during the installation process? I can bypass the validation step from MS site as I can download the new patch/software from 3rd party sites but eventually I must come to the valiadation step during installation, so maybe this is something that's inevitable?

I can actually get all the updates automatically not a problem but I'm just a bit worry will I be more vulnerable to security attack without upgrading my IE to ver 7 from ver 6 or am I OK as long as the auto updates does its job?
:D
 
I typically use one thing: KoL's VistaXP theme which is tough to find nowadays. It was so close to the real "thing" we call Vista that Microsoft practically demanded he pull it down from everyplace he posted it. KoL did admit that he "borrowed" some imagery from the real Vista files, so that's more than likely the real reason Microsoft complained, intellectual property be damned...

There are two files related to his VistaXP: the v2.0 visual style which is what I use, and the v3.1 WindowBlinds style/theme. I don't use WindowBlinds, too buggy and resource intensive (and I'm a major tweaker/performance hound, have been for decades) so it's simply useless to me.

If you can locate the WindowBlinds v3.1 version, it'll end up making your XP box look like this (different color styles shown in this huge image):



Anyway, that Transformation pack does a lot of the same stuff and it uses a lot of the same data but I've never been able to figure out why Microsoft doesn't go after that one. Who knows. It also modifies a lot of system files and replaces others, so stability is again an issue. To use the simple KoL VistaXP visual style, you patch your uxtheme.dll to allow unsigned themes, copy the small folders with the shellstyle files in it and load it, done. Takes no more RAM or resources than any default XP theme at all.

KoL is one of the greatest themers around, and his primary site at http://www.studiotwentyeight.com is a virtual smorgasbord of beautiful stuff that can make XP much more enjoyable. The basic VistaXP visual style alone looks like this:



Currently I just went back to using a simple brushed aluminum skin (I run XP x64) that I like a lot called BW (that's it, just BW).

I don't see why people gripe so much about the validation stuff - if you're a legit customer and legit owner of Windows XP. It's a simple fact of life nowadays, so whenever I see people looking for workarounds I just gotta wonder. I know the basic rule of thumb is to say "It doesn't matter if you don't have anything to hide, it's a privacy issue and I don't want them knowing what I have." In this day and age, there's no true anonymity online - even Tor users can be tracked if the need exists.

Hope this helps...
 
Install the Zune theme from Microsoft and the Google Desktop. Google Desktop gives you the gadgets sidebar in XP.
 
Gatticus said:
Install the Zune theme from Microsoft and the Google Desktop. Google Desktop gives you the gadgets sidebar in XP.
Click to expand...

Seconded on the Zune theme, though I have no personal interest in any of the rest.
 
Thanks very much for the generous replies guys.

I tried the Vista V2 from CrystalXP.net and it really screws my XP up. The logging time into windows is redicously slow....I had to do several uninstall/re-install and use rollback several times which is VERY annoying....

As for Zune theme, I love it, although it's not all that high tech fancy GUI but it doesn't modify your .sys files and doesn't currupt your XP logging time. It doesn't take any resources at all and it's just like any other XP based theme.

Very dissapointed after I tried installing the CystalXP Vista V2 theme and also Vista Transformation Final. Both of them gave me rediculously slow logging time....the CystalXP also made my sound driver dissappeared...I had no sound and the theme turned out to be traditional xp theme...WTF....only the ICONS changed...I used the express installation to takes the least amount resources...anywas...

I wanted to have this fresh exciting new looks so I guess I'll stick to Zune theme for now...or maybe just go back to Vista Ultimate 32bit...

messing around the sys files is no fun...
 
Well, thats odd the Vista V2 has worked fine for me, both on my Desktop and Laptop. Sry for your troubles, i didnt know it would do something like that.
 
I used the Vista Transformation Pack when I had XP.

It did take a hit to performance.
LClock was great- I'd recommend it to anyone with XP.

Yahoo Widgets is a great gadget tool- some of the widgets look so Vista-like, it is hard to tell the difference.

There is only so far you can go, though, before you start realizing it would be a ton better just to upgrade ;)

Anyways, I eventually ran sfc /scannow and removed all effects of the darned Transformation Pack. Just got tired of the buggy effects.
All these skins do is create a pitiful, buggy attempt at trying to make it "seem" like you have Vista.

If you want it to look like Vista, the Transformation Pack (get the Icon Pack too) and LClock are the best out there, IMO.
 
blendingnoise said:
use this to allow unsigned themes to be used by your pc
http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=308905

I use royale vista and am very happy with it.
http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/25495627/

As far as you wmp question - follow the steps to import info into the registry.
http://www.mydigitallife.info/2006/...on-bypass-skip-and-without-wga-no-validation/
Just another link incase.
http://www.mydigitallife.info/2006/...r-11-final-bypass-genuine-windows-validation/
Click to expand...

Much thanks for taking your time on this detail reply :)
Apparently, you've to be a registered user to download UXthempatcher from the first link you provided. And without the XPthemepatcher software, I cannot unlock the wonderful themes you recommanded even I "thought" I had them installed..:p
I'll also look into bypass wga/validation process but it looks like it could quite of work...:p

number69 said:
Try this theme, no uxtheme.dll hack required.

http://www.istartedsomething.com/20061029/royale-noir/

Also check this thread out:

http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1116869&highlight=royale+noir
Click to expand...

You gotta absolutely love the Royale/Noir "secret" unlocked MCE alike and modified themes. Zune theme is also great too without and it stays in your theme option menu permanetely unlike the Royal/Noir theme. Well, all of them wil stay permanently once you choose to enable either one of them.

It's great if you're comming from stock XP Pro SP2 or MCE 2005 with only the "Royale" theme as standard.

zacdl said:
I used the Vista Transformation Pack when I had XP.

It did take a hit to performance.
LClock was great- I'd recommend it to anyone with XP.

Yahoo Widgets is a great gadget tool- some of the widgets look so Vista-like, it is hard to tell the difference.

There is only so far you can go, though, before you start realizing it would be a ton better just to upgrade ;)

Anyways, I eventually ran sfc /scannow and removed all effects of the darned Transformation Pack. Just got tired of the buggy effects.
All these skins do is create a pitiful, buggy attempt at trying to make it "seem" like you have Vista.

If you want it to look like Vista, the Transformation Pack (get the Icon Pack too) and LClock are the best out there, IMO.
Click to expand...

I'll try LClock sometime later, thanks for mentioning it.
I find all other Crystal, Fansy, Sci-Fi or watever those appealing looking themes that had to modify your entire .sys registry will take a hit in the system's performance....that's very dissapointing for me (It may be also becouse I'm trying all the modification on my "laptop" and NOT the detail system spec as seen in my sig. (My new set of xtreme OC Ballistix will arrive soon ;) ) And for some of you who doesn't find a performance downgrade upon "LOGGING" into windows NOT start up may be becouse our OC'ed Core2 system are way to fast that's even enough to handle a crap loaded XP OS. My case could be a good example that there's a performance hit that many of you havn't noticed ;)
You may probably get a slightly faster performance (but nothing you may be able to actually FEEL it since you didn't noticed anything before I just told you now...:p)
 
bbz_Ghost said:
I typically use one thing: KoL's VistaXP theme which is tough to find nowadays. It was so close to the real "thing" we call Vista that Microsoft practically demanded he pull it down from everyplace he posted it. KoL did admit that he "borrowed" some imagery from the real Vista files, so that's more than likely the real reason Microsoft complained, intellectual property be damned...

There are two files related to his VistaXP: the v2.0 visual style which is what I use, and the v3.1 WindowBlinds style/theme. I don't use WindowBlinds, too buggy and resource intensive (and I'm a major tweaker/performance hound, have been for decades) so it's simply useless to me.

If you can locate the WindowBlinds v3.1 version, it'll end up making your XP box look like this (different color styles shown in this huge image):



Anyway, that Transformation pack does a lot of the same stuff and it uses a lot of the same data but I've never been able to figure out why Microsoft doesn't go after that one. Who knows. It also modifies a lot of system files and replaces others, so stability is again an issue. To use the simple KoL VistaXP visual style, you patch your uxtheme.dll to allow unsigned themes, copy the small folders with the shellstyle files in it and load it, done. Takes no more RAM or resources than any default XP theme at all.

KoL is one of the greatest themers around, and his primary site at http://www.studiotwentyeight.com is a virtual smorgasbord of beautiful stuff that can make XP much more enjoyable. The basic VistaXP visual style alone looks like this:



Currently I just went back to using a simple brushed aluminum skin (I run XP x64) that I like a lot called BW (that's it, just BW).

I don't see why people gripe so much about the validation stuff - if you're a legit customer and legit owner of Windows XP. It's a simple fact of life nowadays, so whenever I see people looking for workarounds I just gotta wonder. I know the basic rule of thumb is to say "It doesn't matter if you don't have anything to hide, it's a privacy issue and I don't want them knowing what I have." In this day and age, there's no true anonymity online - even Tor users can be tracked if the need exists.

Hope this helps...
Click to expand...

I gotta give you an A on that and many MANY props to you for the best possible detail explanation. I had time to re-read your entire msg again and many details you mentioned certainly solved a lot of puzzles that was in my head...BUT..I was too noob-ish not to fully understand it as you made your post way too early in this thread (not complaning though..;) )
I'll try "all things" you mentioned later...I gotta give you the most credit for that :D :D:cool:
 
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