TUTORIAL: Transform Windows XP into Windows Vista

[Vishal Gupta]

Guys!

Since we all know that Windows Vista has been released but its a bit costly. The most interesting thing in Vista is its look, new icons, cursors, theme, sounds, login screen, boot screen, etc. So I'm posting this tutorial to make our existing Windows XP to look-a-like Windows Vista.

Yes! There are lots of Vista Transformation packs available on net but I never use them because they slow down the windows and also install a few 3rd party utilities. So its better to do all the things manually.

In this tutorial, I'll tell you about how to make following things to look-a-like Vista:

Visual style (or theme)

Boot screen

Login screen

Sounds

Mouse Cursors

Windows Icons

Windows Explorer

Progress dialog box

Shutdown/log off dialog box

About Windows box

System Properties dialog box

Windows Classic Startmenu Left-side Image and Start button Logo

and a few other things

So here we go: :)

1. Vista Theme:

First thing which you should change in your windows is theme. There are lots of Vista themes available on net. I have also created a Vista theme for XP called "VistaVG Ultimate".

Download VistaVG Ultimate Theme

If you use WindowBlinds, then you can also get the glass affect. You can search on DeviantART and you'll get lots of WB skins.

2. Vista Boot Screen:

In Vista, Microsoft has removed the graphical boot screen and there is a minimal boot screen with just a progress bar. But it looks nice and you can download a similar bootskin for XP from here:

http://www.deviantart.com/view/41731179/

Just use Stardock Bootskin and apply it.

NOTE: A few people have faced booting problem after applying this Boot skin, so use this at your own risk. You can also make your own boot screen using Tuneup Utilities. For more information read following tutorial:

How to change Windows XP Boot Screen using Tuneup Utilities

3. Vista Login Screen:

Vista new login screen is just awesome and "ears1991″ at DeviantART created a look-a-like login screen for XP, which you can download from here:

http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/38038968/

This pack contains both LogonXP and LogonUI files. So you can either replace existing %windir%\System32\LogonUI.exe file with the LogonUI file in the pack or use Stardock LogonStudio and apply the LogonXP file.

4. Vista Sounds:

Vista contains new sounds, which are quite nice. You can download the whole pack from here:

http://rapidshare.com/files/14250508…ounds.zip.html

Just open "Sounds & Audio Devices" (mmsys.cpl) in Control Panel and goto "Sounds" tab and here you can replace windows default sounds with the new ones.

5. Vista Cursors:

Vista cursors are really sexy. You can download the pack from here:

http://www.gurudesign.no/downloads/aero_cursors.zip

6. Vista Icons:

Here is an Icon Pack for Windows XP, which will change XP default icons with Windows Vista icons. So you'll experience the high-resolution Vista icons in XP:

VistaVG Icon Pack for Windows XP

7. Vista Explorer:

Vista Explorer is very much different from XP Explorer. It contains Back & Forward buttons along with the Address bar & Searchbar and under it there is another toolbar containing useful links, like Tile icons, details, etc. But there is a 3rd party utility available called "Styler", which can add the same toolbars in XP explorer too. Just download Styler from here and then download following Styler Skin:

http://www.MegaShare.com/108659

Now extract it and copy this skin to "%ProgramFiles%\Styler\TB\skins\Styler's" directory and then apply it from the styler.

Another thing in Vista is the Common Tasks are displayed at bottom of the explorer instead of the default left-side in XP. But if you'll use my "VistaVG" theme, then you'll get the Common Tasks at bottom automatically.

8. Progress Dialog Box:

Vista progress dialog box is different from XP. But we can make our XP dialog box to look-a-like Vista one by using my favorite Resource Hacker.

Just open "%windir%\System32\Shell32.dll" file in Resource Hacker and then goto:

Dialog -> 1020 -> 1033

Now replace the existing code in right-side pane with the following code:

 </p><pre>1020 DIALOGEX 20, 20, 237, 124
	STYLE DS_FIXEDSYS | DS_MODALFRAME | DS_NOIDLEMSG | WS_POPUP | WS_CAPTION | WS_SYSMENU
	CAPTION ""
	LANGUAGE LANG_ENGLISH, SUBLANG_ENGLISH_US
	FONT 8, "MS SHELL DLG"
	{
	   CONTROL "", 103, STATIC, SS_LEFT | SS_NOPREFIX | WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE, 70, 30, 155, 10 
	   CONTROL "", 102, STATIC, SS_LEFT | SS_NOPREFIX | WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE, 70, 45, 155, 10 
	   CONTROL "", 104, "msctls_progress32", PBS_SMOOTH | WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE, 10, 75, 217, 13 
	   CONTROL "", 105, STATIC, SS_LEFT | SS_NOPREFIX | WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE, 70, 60, 155, 10 
	   CONTROL "Time Left:", 0, STATIC, SS_LEFT | WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE | WS_GROUP, 10, 60, 50, 10 
	   CONTROL "File Name:", 0, STATIC, SS_LEFT | WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE | WS_GROUP, 10, 45, 50, 10 
	   CONTROL "Location:", 0, STATIC, SS_LEFT | WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE | WS_GROUP, 10, 30, 50, 10 
	   CONTROL "", 106, "SysAnimate32", ACS_TRANSPARENT | ACS_AUTOPLAY | ACS_TIMER | WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE, 0, 0, 236, 25 
	   CONTROL 404, 0, STATIC, SS_BITMAP | WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE | WS_CLIPSIBLINGS | WS_GROUP, 0, 95, 60, 60 
	   CONTROL "", 0, "SysDateTimePick32", DTS_LONGDATEFORMAT | WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE | WS_BORDER, 10, 103, 130, 14 
	   CONTROL "", 0, "SysDateTimePick32", DTS_SHORTDATEFORMAT | DTS_UPDOWN | DTS_TIMEFORMAT | WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE | WS_GROUP, 167, 103, 60, 14 
	}

Click on Compile Script button.

You'll also have to replace existing AVIs in the file with new Vista ones. Just download the Vista AVI from here and after extracting the AVI from it, replace following AVIs in the Shell32.dll file with this one:

AVI -> 160 ->1033

AVI -> 161 ->1033

AVI -> 162 ->1033

AVI -> 163 ->1033

AVI -> 164 ->1033

And also download a BMP file from here and after extracting the BMP file from it, add it at 404 location in file. Just click on Action -> Add a new resource and then click on Open file with new resource button. Select the downloaded BMP file and click on Open. Now in Resource Name enter 404 and in Resource Language enter 1033 and click on Add Resource button. Thats it.

9. Shutdown/log off dialog box:

Windows Vista doesnt have any shutdown/logoff dialog box just like XP have but XP default dialog box doesnt look good. So here I'll tell you how to change it in XP?

Download required BMP files from here. Extract the file and you'll get 4 BMPs with the name:

1.bmp

2.bmp

3.bmp

4.bmp

Now open "%windir%\System32\Shell32.dll" file in Resource Hacker and then replace following BITMAPs with the mentioned BMP files:

Bitmap -> 14351 -> 1033 with 1.bmp

Bitmap -> 14353 -> 1033 with 2.bmp

Bitmap -> 14354 -> 1033 with 1.bmp

Bitmap -> 14355 -> 1033 with 2.bmp

Bitmap -> 14356 -> 1033 with 3.bmp

now save the file and open %windir%\System32\msgina.dll file in Resource Hacker and then replace following BITMAPs with the mentioned BMP files:

Bitmap -> 20140 -> 1033 with 1.bmp

Bitmap -> 20141 -> 1033 with 2.bmp

Bitmap -> 20142 -> 1033 with 1.bmp

Bitmap -> 20143 -> 1033 with 2.bmp

Bitmap -> 20150 -> 1033 with 4.bmp

Now save the file.

10. About Windows box:

To change the About Windows box you'll have to change 2 things:

The BITMAP file and the text of box saying Windows XP.

Download the required BITMAP file from here and then open "%windir%\System32\Shell32.dll" file in Resource Hacker and then replace following BITMAPs with the downloaded BMP file:

Bitmap -> 131 -> 1033 (For XP Professional)

Bitmap -> 147 -> 1033 (For XP Home)

Now open %windir%\System32\msgina.dll file in Resource Hacker and then replace following BITMAPs with the downloaded BMP file:

Bitmap -> 101 -> 1033 (For XP Professional)

Bitmap -> 107 -> 1033 (For XP Professional)

Bitmap -> 128 -> 1033 (For XP Home)

Bitmap -> 129 -> 1033 (For XP Home)

Now to change the text of dialog box, open "%windir%\System32\xpsp1res.dll" file in Resource Hacker and then goto:

Dialog -> 14352 -> 1033

Now replace the existing code in right-side pane with the following code:

 </p><pre>14352 DIALOGEX 20, 20, 275, 198
	STYLE DS_FIXEDSYS | DS_MODALFRAME | WS_POPUP | WS_CAPTION | WS_SYSMENU
	CAPTION "About %s"
	LANGUAGE LANG_ENGLISH, SUBLANG_ENGLISH_US
	FONT 8, "MS Shell Dlg"
	{
	   CONTROL 0, 12297, STATIC, SS_ICON | WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE, 7, 55, 21, 20 
	   CONTROL "Microsoft® %s®", 13568, STATIC, SS_LEFTNOWORDWRAP | SS_NOPREFIX | WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE, 35, 55, 200, 10 
	   CONTROL "Copyright © 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.", 13578, STATIC, SS_LEFT | SS_NOPREFIX | WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE, 35, 75, 210, 10 
	   CONTROL "", 13581, STATIC, SS_LEFT | SS_NOPREFIX | WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE, 35, 85, 180, 20 
	   CONTROL "This product is licensed under the terms of the End-User License Agreement to:", 13586, "SysLink", 0x50000000, 35, 105, 180, 20 
	   CONTROL "user name", 13575, STATIC, SS_LEFT | SS_NOPREFIX | WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE, 45, 125, 180, 10 
	   CONTROL "org name", 13576, STATIC, SS_LEFT | SS_NOPREFIX | WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE, 45, 135, 180, 10 
	   CONTROL "", 13095, STATIC, SS_ETCHEDHORZ | WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE, 35, 147, 235, 1 
	   CONTROL "Physical memory available to Windows®:", 13570, STATIC, SS_LEFT | SS_NOPREFIX | WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE, 35, 152, 133, 10 
	   CONTROL "", 13571, STATIC, SS_LEFT | SS_NOPREFIX | WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE, 170, 152, 88, 10 
	   CONTROL "OK", 1, BUTTON, BS_DEFPUSHBUTTON | WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE | WS_TABSTOP, 220, 178, 50, 14 
	   CONTROL "Version 6.0", 0, STATIC, SS_LEFTNOWORDWRAP | SS_NOPREFIX | WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE, 35, 65, 235, 10 
   }

Click on Compile Script button and save the file.

11. System Properties dialog box:

To change the System Properties dialog box, you can follow this tut:

Hacking System Properties Dialog Box (Sysdm.cpl file) in Windows XP

12. Windows Classic Startmenu Leftside Image and Start button Logo:

To change them first download required BMP files from here and after extracting the BMP files, open %windir%\Explorer.exe file in Resource Hacker and then replace following BITMAPs with the mentioned BMP files:

Bitmap -> 166 -> 1033 with 1.bmp (For XP Home)

Bitmap -> 167 -> 1033 with 1.bmp (For XP Professional)

Bitmap -> 176 -> 1033 with 2.bmp

Now a few more tricks:

1. Windows Vista shows the "View" menu on desktop too, you can also enable it in XP using following tut:

How to enable "VIEW" Menu on Desktop in Windows XP

2. Windows Vista's All Programs menu is different from XP, you can follow following tut to make ur XP Programs menu similar to Vista:

Change Look-n-Feel of Windows XP Start Menu

3. In Windows Vista an animated Vista Logo is also displayed before the Login screen. You can also do a similar thing in XP. Just download required BMP file from here and then open regedit and goto:

HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\Desktop

In right-side pane change the value of Wallpaper String value to the Path of downloaded BMP file. e.g., if you saved the BMP file at "D:\Startup.bmp", then set the value of Wallpaper to D:\Startup.bmp. Now you'll get a similar Vista Logo just before the Login screen in XP too.

4. In Windows Vista explorer, A small horizontal progress bar is displayed under each drive icon showing the filled/remaining space in the drive. You can also do the same in XP by using a 3rd party utility, which I have uploaded here. Just run the file and it'll add the progress bar in each drive.

5. In Windows Vista explorer, we get Bread Crumbs in addressbar which is quite useful. You can also get the same feature in Windows XP using "QT Addressbar":

QT Addressbar: Windows Vista Addressbar Clone for Windows XP

6. Windows Vista also contains a Sidebar, which is displayed on right-side on desktop (by default and can be changed to be displayed at left-side). You can also use a sidebar in XP. Just download it from here.

7. If you have any problem with Resource Hacker and want to know about it, then please go through following tuts:

All About Resource Hacker in a Brief Tutorial

List of Files to be hacked using Resource Hacker

List of a few Locations in Windows XP System Files to be Hacked using Resource Hacker

8. If you get error while saving the system files, then its happening because of the WFP (Windows File Protection) service, which can be disabled using WFP Patcher or you can use Replacer to replace system files with ur hacked ones. You can get all these utilities from following topic:

List of Some Useful System Utilities!

Thats all for now guys. If you have more suggestions then please post them. I'll wait for your comments.

There are lots of other 3rd party utilities, like LClock, etc. but I'm not mentioning them here.

Remember this tutorial is for doing the task manually and not using the transformation packs.

[andsome]

Something similar is already on here. The general opinion appears to be that if you have Vista it will look like Vista, and if you have XP then it will look like XP. Personally, I have XP and am completely happy with it looking like XP. :D :D

[Vishal Gupta]

Yep. You are absolutely right. But I made this tutorial for those thursty spirits who want to enjoy Vista look in their Windows XP coz either they can't afford Vista or they don't want to use Vista bcoz of its high hardware requirements. ;)

[Mike567]

Simple way is to use vista transformation pack :).