Vista Visual Styles Pack
Rating: 5
Version tested: 6.0
Description: Vista Visual Styles Pack is a theme for XP that mimics the look and style of the Windows Vista desktop. It provides a range of changes that you can optionally apply to different facets of Windows XP to transform these to a Vista-like look and feel. A number of Vista functions and Vista-like applications are also provided.
If you like the new look of Windows Vista and would like to have it on your XP then you’re in luck; “Vista Visual Styles Pack” delivers an excellent copy of the Vista look as well as a recreation some of the toys and widgets that Vista provides as well. Here are some notes on this software:
- Vista Visual Styles Pack offers 2 Vista themes, Basic and Aero. These are very similar but have slight differences (most apparent in open windows and dialog styles).
- The range of customizations possible is just simply impressive: you can change the look of the start menu, taskbar (and system tray), system font, and open windows and dialogs. You can also choose a Vista-style tray clock, Vista icons, Vista sounds, visual tooltips (similar to the Visual Task Tips program), Vista boot screen, new screensavers, new wallpapers, cursors, a customized media center, and a Vista-style sidebar with widgets. (See screenshot; note that the wallpaper in my screenshot is not provided in this package).
- This software will claim some resources from your computer but is not a big resource hog. A full install with all the bells and whistles will claim around 50 megs extra of your computer’s RAM (compared to Vista’s 500). However, note that most of this is due to the third party applications that provide Vista-like functionality (clock, widgets, tooltips, etc.). The theme modifications themselves simply replace those of XP and do not cause any resource expenditures in and of themselves.
Installation:
- Program installs like any other application, although it is recommended that you create a restore point, before installing. It seems to have 2 installation methods: applying UI transformations to system files and applying it to setup files. The difference, I believe, is that in one case system files are modified while the other they are preserved but the Vista UI files are run instead. In either case you are able to uninstall completely and revert back to the pre-installation state.
- When installing make sure to uncheck the box that will change your browser home page to that of Vista Style Pack’s developer if you dont want that to happen.
- You will need to disable security programs (antivirus, anti-spyware) when you install, as these will prevent and/or intercept many changes to the system files.
- Setup will ask you to check exactly which customizations/additions you want in your system. There are many options to choose from (described below); you could choose to customize every possible detail so that it resembles Vista or just go for the minimal customizations of the Vista theme and/or a few other details.
- If you want to add or remove specific customizations or features after you install, you can do so by running the ’Vista Transformation Pack’ entry from windows add/remove for some of these; however, for others you will have to run the uninstaller (it will let you remove only those things you don’t want).
- You can use the add/remove entry to perform a number of maintenance issues: fixing icons, fixing services that reverted back to the pre-transformation state.
The Verdict: I am usually not big on customizing the Desktop but I must admit that this are pretty darn cool. This is an extremely ambitious project and the fact that the developers pulled it off so well is quite remarkable. However, having installed this and played with it I am not entirely sold on the attractiveness of the Vista theme itself (I prefer the XP icons to the modified ones, am not too excited about the Vista font, and much prefer the widgets offered by a program like Klipfolio than these Vista style ones). Also, for a project of such scope there invariably are some bugs. For example, my IE 6 was modified such that it had 2 address bars, only one of which worked. It also lost a number of IE extensions that I used frequently. (If you encounter bugs make sure to report them in the support forum so that they can be addressed).
On the other hand, if you are interested in transforming your Windows XP (or 2003) so it looks and/or behaves like Vista this is probably one of the best ways to do it; it looks cool, and is extremely easy and hassle free to set up. (Not to mention 100% free).
Compatibility: Windows XP and Windows Server 2003. (32-bit versions; 64-bit compatibility is planned for future releases). Requires only a DirectX 8, 64MB RAM graphics card.
Download from this forum (link above screenshot; approx 30 megs). Program home page here.
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Thanks man.
I was literally begging for Windows Vista to my Dad for at least a month and then I gave up, but this one is great, really really great.
And don’t ever forget, I am great fan of yours.
Keep on writing such good posts and one more time, thank you.
Some honest criticism:
When I started reading this blog I found you focusing on apps for smart users - unique programs that enhanced your system. Off late all I’ve seen are utilities that perform vague boring tasks that aren’t worth even 10% of the effort you put into your detailed reviews. Most of these tasks are done and done better by several other utilities. Program launchers? Come on!! I know it’s not easy to find that ‘great’ utility but how about featuring something genuinely nice rather than these also-ran utilities one can find by the dozen on 1000s of freeware sites. The Vista Styles Pack is for lamers who aren’t doing much with their system resources anyway so can afford to wither them off on worthless fluff! Put back the genius in freewaregenius!
I Love Vista but don’t have the internet this theme will save me alot thats so much freewaregenius
The Marcsanator
this is cool, this could save people a lot of time and money. only thing is dont have xp im stuck with ME. the worst windows ever
Where in the world is the link for this?
thanks for it
i am glad to know that site.
good
Where is the download button on this page?
I would like to see how it woks
This program is a very nice program!
hello hope ur cool
hi
its a nice theme
[...] All in all a very nice freeware program that will provides to XP users one of the nicer features in Windows Vista. If you want more Vista bells and whistles on your XP machine check out Vista Visual Styles Pack. [...]
very good
very good
[...] more Vista-like functionality for Windows XP? Check out Vista Visual Styles Pack, Shock [...]
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