WinXP --to--> Vista [Archive]

Hairbautt

11-15-2006, 12:33 AM

Are you crazy about the new Vista look? Want to turn your babygoober styled XP into the new ultra-cool-ass Vista?

***02/06/07 JoeJoe.biz Downloads section got revised, all links refer you to the general download section, just copy&paste the title in their search box.

Here's some tips and sources...! F.Y.I. Stay AWAY from Vista Customization Packs!

By the way, I don't suffer from any resource hogs - additional stuff like the flip3d task switcher will hog more mem, but WindowsBlind (WB) really doesn't sap anything from me (2.52 Ghz, 1 GB RAM, 6600GT).

I. Materials.
a. WindowsBlinds v5.1 (Latest) $19.95 :shifty:
http://www.stardock.com/downloads/
b. StylerToolbar v1.40
http://www.joejoe.biz/ (Broke Link, Use Search@JoeJoe's)
c. Vista Icon Pack v3 (Safe, install in SAFE MODE)
http://www.vistaiconpack.com/
-Do NOT select WMP11 Skin if you have final, bootskin sucks, logon sucks too, mouse cursors never work :lol: Icons & Drive Icons are GREAT tho'!

Don't forget LogonUIs or bootscreens. No theme is complete without one. ;)

II. Skins - The tricky part.
Everyone's tastes are different. In WindowsBlinds you can use "User Overrides" to change themes. For example, You're using a theme, but the taskbar skin of it sucks. You can grab another skin whose taskbar skin doesn't suck and override it to use that one instead. Same works for ShellStyle.

Favorite skins (Some require LS-Patch for shutdown/Logon text) See below:
a. Jemaho's Vista 2.4 - 2.3 Refresh
http://www.joejoe.biz/ (http://www.joejoe.biz/joejoe/load/index.php?dlid=877) (Broke Link, Use Search@JoeJoe's)
b. Ironjer's AeroGlassV5 "The Remix III"
http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/37703954/
c. Kayeirene's VistaPerfection X4 RCX
http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/42710127/ (http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/42710127/)
d. Flahorn's Jadaero 1.3
http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/46622486/
e. Plenty of more out there! (See bottom for links to host/resource sites)

Bootskins (requires programs like Tuneup to SAFELY apply)
http://www.joejoe.biz/ (Broke Link, Use Search@JoeJoe's) & also on DeviantART.

Icon Skins/Packages - Basically, theres two types. Themes & System Patches
1.) Themes for programs such as:
a. Icontweaker
http://joost.endoria.net/home
b. Iconpackager $14.95 :shifty:
http://www.stardock.com/products/iconpackager/
c. TuneUp Utilities 2007 (With Styler 2)! $39.99 :shifty:
http://www.tune-up.com/products/tuneup-utilities/

2.) Then theres SYSTEM PATCHES
a. Vista Icon Package3 is the only TRUE option. (ITS SAFE)
http://www.vistaiconpack.com/
Others...well, there fark up your computer. Not worth mentioning as some colleages of mine found out. :P The folks who created this Kudesnick, Aero Live™ and Th3N@tive hangout at JoeJoe.org.

*In explorer (any open window except IE) you can go to 'Tools' in the menu bar--->select 'folder options'--->select 'file types' tab--->Here you can change icons for certain file extensions.--->Select an extension (*.rar) and click the 'Advanced' button--->'Change Icon' and select whatever icon file.

LogonUI's - Seriously, some suck. :dry:
http://www.joejoe.biz/ (http://www.joejoe.biz/joejoe/load/index.php?cid=12) (Broke Link, Use Search@JoeJoe's)
& also on DeviantART.

Mouse Cursors - Forget Stardock's CursorXP just drop in Windows/cursor folder.
a. K-Net's Semi-transparent Cursors
b. Boboy2u's Windows Vista Build 5456 Aero Cursors
c. JoeJoe's Vista Build 5456 Cursors
d. Hiusak's Vista 5492 Inspired Cursors & HighSpin V2.1

***(Broke Links^, Use Search@JoeJoe's)***

Vista Sidebar - Huge grab for this...find at JoeJoe.org. Afraid I don't have a purpose for it, so I'm not too sure about it.
Vista Sidebar @JoeJoe

Office 2007 Icons - Update that old Office 2000's icons to the new cool ones.
http://www.joejoe.biz/ (http://www.joejoe.biz/joejoe/load/index.php?dlid=911) (Broke Link, Use Search@JoeJoe's)
or just unique ones...
http://www.joejoe.biz/ (http://www.joejoe.biz/joejoe/load/index.php?dlid=524) (Broke Link, Use Search@JoeJoe's)

--

III. Additional Software
a. Systray RC1 Icons (I use, comes with Replacer)
http://www.joejoe.biz/ (http://www.joejoe.biz/joejoe/load/index.php?dlid=834) (Broke Link, Use Search@JoeJoe's)
b. Visual Tooltips (I don't use)
Search...
c. Vista Games (I have problems with MineSweeper)
http://www.joejoe.biz/ (http://www.joejoe.biz/joejoe/load/index.php?cid=26) (Broke Link, Use Search@JoeJoe's); Check torrents as well.
d. TopDesk (For cool flip3D task switcher ALT+TAB) $14.95 :shifty:
http://www.otakusoftware.com/topdesk/
e. LS-Patch (This SAFELY removes the Logon/Shutoff text in your start menu - for WinXP English Only!) Usually comes with skin, if need be.
f. WindowsFX (buggy, interfere's with WB) $19.95 :shifty:
http://www.stardock.com/products/windowfx/
g. L-Clock (Cool, longhorn style clock with skins for XP & Vista)
http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=157465
h. MSN Messenger aka Windows Live Messenger 8 Skin FINAL by Blue Eyes & Stianu89 (Really incredible)
http://www.joejoe.biz/ (Broke Link, Use Search@JoeJoe's)
i. AveDesk (Neat program for customizing your desktop, worth a look, but uses some resources)
http://www.avedesk.org/

Remember there are custom sound packs, wallpapers, and themes for other progs like WinRAR. (Great Wallpapers, too!).

Just search these sites for additional resources:
http://www.aeroxp.org/ (Maybe not so much...)
http://www.crystalxp.net/ (Good for icons, also has Vista Inspirat Bricopack)
*http://www.joejoe.org/ (Everything)
*http://www.deviantart.com/ (Everything, Styler, WB skins)
http://wincustomize.com/Index.aspx (Never use personally)
http://www.customxp.net/images/PngFactory/ (Icons)
http://converticon.com/ (Helps convert downloaded *.pngs to icons)

Screenies of my past Vista theme machine as well as my current:
http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/2439/wbtd1.th.jpg (http://img215.imageshack.us/my.php?image=wbtd1.jpg)http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/6954/themebootscreentr0.th.jpg (http://img406.imageshack.us/my.php?image=themebootscreentr0.jpg)http://img125.imageshack.us/img125/5914/themedesktopic7.th.png (http://img125.imageshack.us/my.php?image=themedesktopic7.png)http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/2366/themedirtydesktophk0.th.png (http://img401.imageshack.us/my.php?image=themedirtydesktophk0.png)
***My Styler bar is custom for Flahorn, for my personal use only since I have no permissions.

I can still answer questions and such, but school really ties me up. :pinch:

PM, if you like. I can offer unofficial Vista sounds including unique ones for minimizing/maximizing windows (cool) along with ripped logon/logoff sounds that were I guess cut or something. I also, just have unique logons that I can't ever find anymore...I need to get a screen of that up sometime...:unsure:

backlash

11-15-2006, 01:37 AM

cool. I got the new solitaire. Wish they had freecell available to download, too.

Hairbautt

11-15-2006, 01:43 AM

Uhhh...Wow, I thought they did have it, but you're right. I have the new freecell. I can send it to you if you want. Just PM me.

Or you might wanna check torrents.

LilAznAccommodator

11-15-2006, 04:41 AM

Thanks HairBautt for all thsoe links as I use WindowBlinds with Ecliz theme but always looking for better

snowultra

11-15-2006, 05:30 AM

thank you hairbautt

Skiz

11-15-2006, 08:28 AM

A mod needs to put this Guides/Tuts.

Hairbautt

11-15-2006, 06:50 PM

Thanks guys, I've added a bit more to it. I just got sick'n tired of XP's blue & silver so it took me a longtime to discover WB, and the whole idea of themes & what-not.

LilAznAccommodator

11-15-2006, 07:24 PM

Hehe for Cursors, I stuck with CursorXP and found Ghost (http://wincustomize.com/ViewSkin.aspx?SID=1&SkinID=1686&LibID=25) Might not be Vista but it sure does match it well in my opinion ^_^... If this is valid you can add to you post if wanted.

{I}{K}{E}

11-15-2006, 08:58 PM

cool. I got the new solitaire. Wish they had freecell available to download, too.

where did you download the Vista solitaire?

backlash

11-16-2006, 12:23 AM

cool. I got the new solitaire. Wish they had freecell available to download, too.

where did you download the Vista solitaire?

Under Additional Downloads:

c. Vista Games (I have problems with MineSweeper)
http://www.joejoe.biz/joejoe/load/index.php?cid=26

Hairbautt

11-18-2006, 05:20 PM

Is that a problem linking that in this forum?

Acid_death69

11-18-2006, 07:07 PM

i downloaded one of the skins but i dont know how to apply it.

Hairbautt

11-18-2006, 07:25 PM

You have to install a program called WindowsBlinds from Stardock. Latest is v5.1

Acid_death69

11-18-2006, 11:13 PM

haha right cool

Acid_death69

11-18-2006, 11:50 PM

how do i get side bars to work?

dodgy368

11-19-2006, 11:18 PM

Thanks Hairbautt, I'm having hours of fun with this.:D

Hairbautt

11-20-2006, 06:19 PM

how do i get side bars to work?I never cared for'em, but I'm sure the readme says how to when you d/l the file.

Thanks Hairbautt, I'm having hours of fun with this.:D
Great to hear, thanks. :) Careful, though. Don't screw up your computer as I did :pinch: (twice, but I was experimenting with stuff).

N@LiM

11-22-2006, 06:48 AM

hey.. thnx for all the tips and links.. Can u plz upload ur logon file somewhere....rapidhsare etc.. it really looks cool.

Hairbautt

11-22-2006, 02:05 PM

hey.. thnx for all the tips and links.. Can u plz upload ur logon file somewhere....rapidhsare etc.. it really looks cool.
Hmmm, yea. Lemme learn Rapidshare.

...:whistling ...Learned. Damn, that was easier than I thought.

Here's my Logonui and bootskin, I'll edit the original post, theres a final release on the MSN...er I mean Windows Live Messenger, too. So...needs some updatin'.

Bootskin & Logonui: http://rapidshare.com/files/4388342/Skins.zip

suprafreak6

11-22-2006, 09:49 PM

i cant get that ls clock to work...i also need some nice backgrounds

suprafreak6

11-22-2006, 09:55 PM

also if i download a .gadget file how do i apply it?

Hairbautt

11-23-2006, 03:12 AM

Sidebar, I dunno. Gotta read JoeJoe Forums or...the readme.

L-Clock, how is it not working? It should be simple to use...If your taskbar is black, though, you are going to have to change the font to white for the clock by right clicking the clock and selecting L-Clock properties.

N@LiM

11-23-2006, 12:18 PM

Smith

11-23-2006, 10:13 PM

I got a bunch of logon screens and boot screens and edited them to say XP. Sweet.

Hairbautt

11-25-2006, 09:34 PM

I use WindowBlinds with Ecliz theme but always looking for better
For any other theming nut like me (^ or you if interested)there's a new one called Hilled SE for WB by Jemaho with a logon by ears1991. It has a Longhorn - Vista feel to it. I love it.

Hilled SE (theme with everything you need):
http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/43647808/

Hilled Aurora SE (logon):
http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/43594383/

dodgy368

11-29-2006, 12:08 AM

Cheers hairbautt, keeping the boot screen and logon but have wiped the rest, was causing havoc and I've got too much to lose(about 200gig of movies), good fun messing with that stuff though, thanks.:D

1234bzy

12-05-2006, 08:11 AM

B-e-a-u-tiful!

LilAznAccommodator

12-05-2006, 06:40 PM

Hairbautt

12-05-2006, 08:07 PM

Thanks for that reference but dunno I don't really like how there is that 'bar' in the Window.. The bar witht eh Folder Views or what not.. that is sort of what is making me not want to switch over to Vista at the moment.
:O Are you talking about the menu bar? The bar with File, Edit, View, Folder Options, Help, etc.

If so, Styler Toolbar can disable that for you, :dabs: but it has to run in the background.

Unless...!

You use this RegHack (English WinXP Home): :naughty: (Safe works for me no problems not sure if language matters:ermm: )

LilAznAccommodator

12-06-2006, 04:06 AM

Ehh haha probably the Menu Bar.. and thanks for the reghack shall give the theme a go.

fred861

12-08-2006, 04:30 PM

zen_o

12-08-2006, 11:18 PM

where can u get this?

Hairbautt

12-09-2006, 12:02 AM

where can u get this?
The VistaCG visual Style?

Visual Styles (M$Styles) are here (and some of them are quite good): http://www.joejoe.biz/joejoe/load/index.php?cid=3
Theres some on DeviantART, but JoeJoe has the good ones IMO.

Remember!
1.) You probably need the Neowin Multi-Theme Patcher
http://themes.belchfire.net/index.php?showtopic=8767
2.) And theres some programs that can make your "Vista Start Button" pop-up over the taskbar (Like what WB does, but for M$Styles)
Example: http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/44129576/

:) Have fun, and Happy Holidays!

MultiForce

12-11-2006, 02:01 PM

dezerter

12-11-2006, 08:35 PM

vista is't the best :)

Hairbautt

12-14-2006, 11:14 PM

Going to jump onto this thingie. Thanks for posting.

Installed Vista on 3 different machines this weekend and everything worked fine until installing 3 party drivers and other software, so called Vista compatible stuff. The OS is somewhat buggy too so I guess I'll wait with it until they get a SP out. Even the tooltips "hangs" for several minutes on top of other Windows etc.
I have the actual Vista RTM on my laptop, but this is so you can turn XP into a Vista-clone a.k.a. vista look-a-like.

That way you can have the joys of Aero on XP without the compatibility issues. Then again, you can't make it look exactly like Vista, but its better than the XP babe blue/silver crap IMO.

:)

grchl3

12-16-2006, 06:05 PM

Thank you Hairbautt!

This is a very cool guide and it's an amazing looking transformation. No more of XP's Fisher Price desktop for me, i'm switching over to Vista's slick stylings!

mEtho

12-18-2006, 12:59 AM

has any1 tried the Vista, is there a proper keygen (Serial #) for the final vista??

Diamonds4Ever

12-18-2006, 01:06 AM

wats up all, i wanna make my aim look like vista

also azureus and utorrent as well:D

Hairbautt

12-18-2006, 02:29 AM

is there a proper keygen (Serial #) for the final vista??This is NOT the thread for that. This is about themeing XP to a Vista style. You may be searching for this (http://www.google.com/) or you could try searching the forum.

wats up all, i wanna make my aim look like vista[,] also azureus and utorrent as well:D
For uTorrent I use BSH's vista.revamp, but there are alot of others here (http://www.utorrent.com/skins.php). AIM, Azureus? Can you skin those? :ermm:

S!X

02-12-2007, 07:59 AM

Here's a good site for wallpapers http://www.wstaylor.net/vista.html

Liran3331

02-14-2007, 09:46 AM

i already got the new skin of vista to my Windows XP
thanks! :]

LilAznAccommodator

02-14-2007, 04:59 PM

Care to share what you might be using?

Skiz

02-14-2007, 05:04 PM

Care to share what you might be using?

I'll send you one.

Hairbautt

02-14-2007, 06:15 PM

i already got the new skin of vista to my Windows XP
thanks! :]

Care to share what you might be using?
Yea, which one are you using Liran?

zhangbox

02-15-2007, 07:41 AM

i do not like vista
if you just want a good look
you can use mac not pc

Chrys

02-15-2007, 08:52 PM

I don't like VISTA ! I preffer to use WIN XP SP2

tem

02-21-2007, 08:15 AM

i like VISTA. Better than XP

Hairbautt

02-21-2007, 06:12 PM

This is about themeing XP to a Vista/Longhorn style. Da*N it.

Fulanito

02-21-2007, 08:15 PM

Nice thread Hairbuut, good information ttoo ;)