Vista Transformation Pack 4.0 was just released and it does a great job of giving your XP machine the Vista look. In December last year Windows Blinds released a new version of their software that was designed to provide Windows XP with transparent effects, however, it wasn’t free. That is where the Vista Transformation Pack comes into play. It is free and does a great job of giving my machine a look similar to Vista. It doesn’t have the powerful transparency effects for every window (as seen on the window to the right in the screenshot above) but does have enough transparency to make me happy. The greatest thing is that it is free!
It does have uninstallation options in case you decide you want to get rid of it, so there really isn’t anything to lose. However, when you install the software it has to overwrite some system files (it modifies things like the boot screen) so Windows will prompt you stating that your system files have been changed. It will ask whether you want to change them back or leave them, so just leave them if you want the system to function properly.
The software is also nice because it allows you to choose what you want it to change. If you don’t want it to alter the boot screen then you just have to uncheck the “Boot Screen” box during installation (the boot screen is kinda ugly, see the screenshots link below). This is a very nice piece of software.
Update: Here are the steps you need to take to adjust the transparency of the windows:
- Right-click on the Glass2K icon in your system tray and select “Settings”. Now check to see what your keyboard shortcut is (I changed mine to be Ctrl + Shift).
- Open the window that you want to adjust the transparency of, like Windows Explorer or Notepad for example.
- Use the shortcut above in conjunction with a 0-9 number key. 0 means you want no transparency where 9 means you want the most transparency. If I wanted a window with no transparency I would press Ctrl+Shift+0.
- That’s all! I don’t believe there is a way you can do this for every application at one time so you will have to perform this for each application individually.
Download The Vista Transformation Pack (14.61MB via RapidShare)
Nice Screenshots
Forum Discussion
| Update: |
There is a newer version of the Vista Transformation Pack available here.
|
| Update 2: |
The newest WindowBlinds, version 6, will be making XP look eve more like Vista. While it does cost a little money the big benefit is that it supports blurring much like Vista’s Aero.
|
Hi, I’ve currently got StyleXP installed on my machine. Although I’m able to change to a visual style that looks like Vista, I want to… “experience more.” I’m thinking about downloading Transformation Pack 6, but does anyone know if there will be any conflicts between StyleXP and the TP6? Should I uninstall StyleXP first? Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks.
“you first go back of your pc. remove your ram. then brake it into two pieces and throw it in the bin. don’t have any other work? lagging behind your system? Go and see some other work. or else i’ll hack your system by sending strong viruses. understand. – from the X team.” Had any body told you like this. I’m afraid
If you unload StyleXP (not uninstall, just make sure it’s not running) you should be okay. I’m not sure what would happen if you had two theme editors running at the same time…so I wouldn’t risk it.
Any thoughts on the Vista to XP?
I have seen a few things on that before…maybe I’ll have to research that to see what the consensus is on making Vista look like XP.
is it possible to uninstall even if i dont have a windows xp cd? if so, can someone tell me what the steps are to uninstall? thanks in advance
This is just like an application that you normally install. To uninstall it you just use the Add/Remove programs in the Control Panel.
But when I first installed it I chose the option that says it’ll change my system files, will this affect my system if I uninstall VTP?
It has to change system files in order for it to apply the transformation, but the changes can always be undone by uninstalling the software. Just make sure you’re running the latest version of the transformation pack (the one linked to at the bottom of the article in the update)
Thanks for the info
I have installed it but my start button and toolbar have not changed, I did select to change them, I have run the maintance several times but still no change also my icons haven’t changed either. Do I need to install the glass also for it to work? can anyone help. thanks.
Which version are you trying to install? There is an even newer version available, version 7, that I haven’t updated this article for.
rapidshare not a crap site…you just need a rapid hacker … or a account…i have both
but now back to the subject…it looks amamzing!!!!!!!!! im downloading right now.
when i try to install i get an error KB925902 and it tells me to go to another forum to try to fix it…
anyone got this prob?
its a good side
it makes computer really slow
do not try if your computer is a bit slow (not slower) becuse of that dirty uxtheme patch and it installs many programs(vistart for vista start and thoojse sidebar) i tried it its bad i think to try brickopack in that we will get vista theme but vistart is not included we can download vista start and that KB925902 is solved we can download sidebar from [desktopsidebar.com] or [thoosje.com] or desktop.google.com
my windows cant open the file what muss i do????
You should be able to just run the installation.
i hope this one is better than the other ones i downloaded.
When i downloaded the first one it was all cruddy like OMG then the second one the start menu sucked.
I’ve been around and i’m very tired of such foolishness in these skins if this one give me any problems i’m coming back to this site and giving you a piece of my mine. lol jk
i am still tired of themes and cover ups that do not work at all!
what are the specs needed…
Can’t get this thing working. all the installer does is CRASH and wants to send report to M$. ..Yes i have uninstalled the offending Hotfix….
any ideas.
what is the glass2k
:oops:
That’s the program that adds the transparency effects to things like the Taskbar.
Sad. because they fuuuucked my system
Hi, the screenshots look great but will this run on only one account? Also, will it ruin my system?
I’m fairly certain that it only applies the changes to one user’s account, and not all of them. It won’t ruin your system, but you should create a restore point with System Restore before proceeding. That will make it easier to go back to before you installed it.
is it to dwnld?
Yes, you download and install this.
Hi Check the below link.
[makeuseof.com]
In this site you can find 5 tools which gives your XP a Vista look.
I tried all the 5 tools it is very good and amazing. All the 5 doenot slow you system only thing is you need 1 GB of RAM.
This is really nice. I Installed and everything works great.
I dont know about others. who cant make it work right.
This is almost like a real Vista, looks really nice. When I installed I thought that I had new windows on my computer, works great. Nice pack. Thanks…
Good but slows down Windows
why cant I right click in this new windows vista…when I go to start and right click on something it acts just like im left clicking so I cant remove it from list
People go to Crystalxp.com
Cool! I already got the Vista Theme, it pretty easy. Just get all theese things.
Vista Theme: [themexp.org]+blue.zip&proddesc=Wallpaper&catdesc=Computer/OS&namedesc=aero%20blue
Style XP(Vista theme driver): [tgtsoft.com]
TransBar (Make your taskbar transparent): [home.no]
Official Vista Backgrounds: [winmatrix.com]
The Cursurs (Mouse pointer): (DIRECT LINK!)[bronch.com]
‘File Not Found’
…
There’s a newer version available anyway:
[cybernetnews.com]
my computer crashed
ryan didnt want to pick on you but… to me ive just been able to see what youve done for the last 2 – 3 years online
do the icons open like vista?
Why the hell all this fuss…
Vista is ar$e!
[winmatrix.com]
Cheers!
[winmatrix.com]
and
[winmatrix.com]
You can find and download many cool stuffs + even some port apps and guides/links there to totally transform and enhance XP like Windows Vista and or Windows 7 for free, in both GUI and feature/function! Just FYI. Thanks.
Long live XP!
