NrGx

We have all seen how good Windows Vista looks and are all reasonably tired of the fat blue XP toolbar at the bottom of the screen.

I found 3 ways in which it is easy to make your desktop run like Windows Vista.

1) The first (and best) way IMO, is the Radium Vista Customization Pack. What this basically does, is gives you the Orion style of Vista (doesn't provide Aero for now from what I know) and alters basically the tool bar, the start menu, the logon screen and even...THE BOOT SCREEN. Your friends will be like "whoa! is Vista out yet?" (if they are stupid :D). This way is pain free, very quick although it does make you reboot. The details when it is loading are in portugese (I think) but it works great! It also gives you wallpaper that came with the original Longhorn beta.

It is available here: http://www.deviantart.com/view/31771692/

2) The second and second best way is to use the Vista Customization Pack. This way gives you a more complete Vista look with the folders and windows explorer screen looking more like Vista. However, I found that installing took a very long time, it messes around with your Registry a fair bit (grrr...) and also doesn’t alter the boot screen like the Radium Pack does. Also, the start menu isn't properly configured so it is slightly off center and is damn annoying. Overall though, it looks good, is complete though may lag your computer.

It is available here: http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/...ion-Pack.shtml

3) The last and worst way to configure windows is by using WindowBlinds. The problem with this method is the fact that it isn't free for the good version (it costs about $30) and that you have to download the rest of the skins ect. Also, it doesn't change the folder structure or the icons, you need to change that separately. Having said that though, it is a way to change the look of windows without having to change the registry drastically. WARNING: This is a background process and will lag your computer.
I don't recommend this method at all but you can make the look of XP something other than Vista as well.

It is available here: www.windowblinds.net/ (free version)

I thought I'd include a picture of my desktop because it displays the look you can achieve with the Radium Customization Pack.

Good luck with the customization and post the pics if you can.

Any changes or mistakes I made please tell me.

Attached Thumbnails

 

NrGx

Is this the right way to make a FAQ? My first one so be gentle but critisize if you must :). Apart from that, any comments are appreciated and any improvements that can be made should be mentioned.

Nrgx.

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Q9550 @ 4.0GHz

anjokid

looks good to me, but the start menu my documents disappears a bit, i know thats not your fault but, looks pretty poop :D

oh well good try :) but vista is out for beta testing now anyway.

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NrGx

lol yeah the alignment is crap because i screwed around with the registry settings for the start menu. It was ok when I first had it.

Thanx for the feedback.

Nrgx.

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Q9550 @ 4.0GHz

anjokid

its no problem thanks for the FAQ

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P.J

I need to a better vista visual style !!!

TFSweet

For the first option that you gave, is it easy to get rid of it if necessary (like uninstall the program and the vista skins and such go away)?

firefox is awesome

this is a good faq, but it seems that in the thumbnail you attached the developer copied the dock right out of Mac OSX, it looks almost identical.

NrGx

The first option is amazingly easy to get rid of. The Add/remove programs menu does that fantastically.

And the dock is based on Mac OSX. But thats all from Mac OSX i am allowing on my desktop :D.

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Q9550 @ 4.0GHz

TFSweet

Is the dock apart of radium pack or is that another program that I have to install? Also, on the start menu where it has :my docs, my music, my network locations, etc... I do not have any of the icons next to them (just text). I was wondering if this is a fault of mine or if there is a way to get the icons next to the options?