To make Windows XP look like Windows Vista you may choose many theme installers. The best one with true transparency effect is windowBlinds from Stardock Software. But because I had few issues with the stardock software, and also the theme is not applied to sub windows and forms, also is not native windows theming engine, I used some other customization software STYLE XP. It utilizes same themeing engine as Windows XP. It can be used to just install the themes and can be un-installed later.
PART 1: INSTALLING WINDOWS VISTA THEME
1. Download Style XP from TGTSoft. (Trial version is sufficient, if you need it you may purchase it)
2. Download the Vista Theme from here. (It downloads a zip file named vista.zip)
3. Launch StyleXP from Programs --> TGTSoft --> StyleXP
4. It is the Main Window
5. Go to VisualStyles Option and click on add a new style
6. Select the above downloaded vista.zip file. click Open.
7. Now Select the Option Vista CG, Take a GLASS OPTION and CLICK Apply Style to current Theme.
8. Now the Windows Looks like Vista.
PART II : INSTALLING WINDOWS VISTA SIDEBAR on Windows XP
Installing Sidebar is not straight forward as above. Follow the steps.
1. Install the Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Redistributable Package from here.
2. Install .Netframework 3.0, get it here. (Original Link : http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=10cc340b-f857-4a14-83f5-25634c3bf043&displaylang=en)
3. Install Internet Explorer 7. Get it from here.
4. Install Windows Media Player 11. Get it from here.
5. If you have already installed Items in Step 2 , 3 and 4 you may directly proceed to next step.
6. Install Wireless Lan API from Microsoft. Get it from here.
7. Then, install VAIOXP; If you have Windows XP, Get it here or here. If you have Windows Server 2003, Get it here. The system might ask you to restart. Please restart if it does so.
8. Install the fonts. If you have installed Office 2007 you might have some fonts inside this fonts package. Get it from here. To install the fonts extract the fonts from the ZIP file and just copy all and paste in C:\WINDOWS\FONTS (Generally or to your fonts folder).
9. Download the Sidebar installation Files from here.
10 After you have downloaded the sidebar installation files just extract ZIP FILES and place it in a folder.
11. You may find several files, image files , sidebar.exe, sidebar.manifest and so on..
12. Ignore all the files.
13. LOOK FOR SIDEBAR.INF. RIGHT CLICK ON SIDEBAR.INF AND CHOOSE INSTALL.
14. When you install it will ask for file path regsvr32. Click browse and select C:\windows\system32 (or your windows system32 folder)
15. Again it will ask for file missing. Now you got to choose your original folder where you extracted files in STEP 10.
16. Now the setup will proceed to install Sidebar Files. It will be installed in C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar
17. Please Restart the system.
18. Go to the path and run Sidebar.exe
19. System tray showing Sidebar
20. You can Add Gadgets by clicking on Add Gadgets.
Installing new gadgets available from Windows Live Gallery.
All the gadgets from the Windows Live Gallery site can be installed. But they are not as easy as just click and install as in Vista.
1. Download the gadget from Windows Live Gallery.
2. Rename the Extention to RAR. If you downloaded a clock gadget, it will be like clock.gadget. So rename to Clock.RAR. (To extract RAR files you may need Winrar or 7-Zip Archive Tool)
3. Extract the files to a folder and name that folder as Clock.Gadget.
4. Copy this folder and Put it inside the GADGETS Folder in your C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar Folder.
5. Now you can add Gadget through add Gadgets as usual.
Enjoy the Sidebar in Windows XP.
Screenshot of Gadgets on Sidebar.
Screenshot of Gadgets Detached from Sidebar.
Enjoy Vista on XP.
BARATH.