How to Make Windows XP look like Vista

You may like the way that Microsoft new OS,Vista looks and want to switch just for the looks.I ask why do that when you can just tweak Windows XP to look like Vista.You want to do this because your current computer may not have the right components to run Vista.Also Vista does not come cheap.

This is what your computer will look like after:

Vista Theme (Start button, menus, icons, Vista environment)

• First Download Vista Anthracite Pack
• Then install the Vista Anthratic Pack
• Select the "Full" installion option
• After your installation is complete, restart your computer
• Click
  on the "Refresh icons" shortcut that is now visible on your desktop. This
  will change the XP desktop icons to Vista icons.

Vista Aero (Mouse cursors, Sound Effects, Wallpapers)

• First download the XP Vista Pack
• Then install it and select all the options.
• After you finish the installation go to the Control Panel.
• Now go to the mouse option
• Select the "pointers" tab
• Change your style to "Windows Aero"
• Then hit Apply
• Then procees to the "Sound & Audio Devices" option in the control panel.
• Select the Sound tab
• Change your sound scheme to "Windows Vista" and apply it.
• Then Pick a wallpaper you wish to have.

Vista Sidebar (Gadgets, etc.)

For the sidebar You can use the Yahoo! Widget Engine or Thoosje Vista Sidebar
. I will am going to use the Thoosje sidebar because it looks more like the Windows Vista sideba.However if you want more choices for gadgets then you may want to get the Yahoo
Widget Engine.

• First Download the Thoojse Vista Sidebar and install it
• Click on the "Sidebar" icon that is now on the desktop to start the sidebar
• Right-click on the sidebar that is on the right side of your screen
• Click Preferences—>Appearance tab
• Check "Run automatically when Windows start"
• Click OK
• To add gadgets click the + sign at the top of the sidebar
• Click on a gadget to add it.

TransBar (Transparent Taskbar)

• The first step is to Download TransBar and install it
• Launch TransBar (Start –> Programs –> TransBar)
• Check "Run at windows startup"
• Setup the Opacity level to how transparent you want your taskbar to be and click Apply

Y’z Shadow (Transparent menus, shadowed windows and taskbar)

• First Download Y’z Shadow
• Unzip everything inside to to "C:\Program Files\YzShadow\
• Locate the YzShadow EXE file inside the folder
• Start the program to enable its features
• Make a shortcut to the EXE file and put it in "C:\Documents and Settings\<your user name>\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

VisualTaskTips (Live windows previews)

• First Download VisualTaskTips then install it.Make sure that you selected the "Run at windows startup" option.