Vista Transformation Pack 8 makes Windows XP look even more like Vista

Filed under: OS Updates, Windows, Freeware

Vista Transformation Pack 8 makes Windows XP look even more like Vista

by Brad Linder Nov 29th 2007

Love the look of Windows Vista, but don't want to spend hundreds of dollars on to "upgrade" your operating system and potentially slow down your computer's performance? Vista Transformation Pack 8 gives you most of Vista's visual candy without the operating system's security enhancements, user account control, or power management features.

We first looked at Vista Transformation Pack last year when the utility was still in its infancy. But now it's all grown up, and this week version 8 was released with a bunch of features that make XP look even more like Vista:

Added TrueTransparency 0.8.5 to bring Aero glass-like transparency effects
Added WinFlip 0.42 to emulate Vista Flip3D
Added CPU speed to welcome center
Updated Vista Sidebar to version 2.3 Lite

You'll probably want to create a system restore point before installing Vista Transformation Pack, since it will alter settings. In the past, some users have reported that they're missing icons after uninstalling, so proceed with caution.

[via makeuseof]

Tags: vista, vista-transformation-pack, windows-vista, windows-xp, xp

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

TechDune said 10:00PM on 11-29-2007

Vista Transformation pack has been showing some trouble when tried to un-install..

Chris said 11:11PM on 11-29-2007

Crashed as soon as I tried to open it.

Erik Sagen said 11:11PM on 11-29-2007

Why someone would want to do this is beyond me.

Although, the transparency effects are pretty neat, but the novelty of it doesn't last long enough to keep it enabled.

Now, having the ability to use widgets/gadgets/fidgets on the desktop is great considering (to my knowledge) on the Mac you're limited to using widgets within the Dash only.

Mysterius said 9:36AM on 11-30-2007

There are ways to hack that, I believe, or you can just use Yahoo Widgets (aka Konfabulator).

Laddi said 11:52PM on 11-29-2007

i like vista

Mysterius said 1:23AM on 11-30-2007

"Love the look of Windows Vista, but don't want to spend hundreds of dollars on to "upgrade" your operating system and potentially slow down your computer's performance? Vista Transformation Pack 8 gives you most of Vista's visual candy without the operating system's security enhancements, user account control, or power management features."

And... this won't slow down my computer?

Wouldn't a system designed to handle these effects work better than a retrofit?

DooDee said 9:37AM on 11-30-2007

transformation s packs DO slow down computer performance A L OT , advanced computer users will always try to gain more performance on multitasking and speed by disabling even native windows xp visual effects and believe me you gain at least 60 % in rapidity.

with transformation pack active you will be losing a lot of substantivity of menus and file browsing and everything,

Besides the un installation process of these packs is too hard to be not suspicious of some kinda spy ware ..

In windows vista those visual effects are native and work a lot more faster than with the transformation pack on xp.

BGM said 9:38AM on 11-30-2007

The installer crashes whenever i try to open it.
Its the same exe file extracted from the rar file in the developer's forum.

Here are 2 screenshots as proof,

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s240/guy6600crazy/Misc/vtp1.jpg

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s240/guy6600crazy/Misc/vtp2.jpg

Guido said 9:41AM on 11-30-2007

Mysterius: Of course it will slow down your computer. You have maybe 6 separate programs running to emulate the Vista "effects". This is really why Vista - itself - is slower, and there it's built into the core.

A better option really is Windows Blinds.. I have Vista and use blinds on it .. The "enhances" have long sense worn off for me.

I'll take WB+Object Dock + Launchy (Thanks DS!) any day over the boring Vista look.

RV said 9:52AM on 11-30-2007

U guys might also want to try this....works wonderfully so far...only one thing I am not sure of is whether the "Remote Procedure Recall" error I keep getting is due to this or not....but otherwise this does do a good transformation from Xp to Vista...

http://www.crystalxp.net/galerie/en.id.130.htm

Raúl C. said 12:50PM on 11-30-2007

@ Erik Sagen:

You can put Dashboard widgets on the desktop. It's not available as a default option, though. You need to turn on the "Developer Dashboard", then grab and drag the widget you want, close Dashboard and drop the widget onto the desktop.

Useless, though. Vista's SideBar and Google Desktop's sidebar do a better job at that.

Wouldn't change my Mac for Vista though. Maybe XP SP3, but not yet.

michael said 6:01PM on 11-30-2007

But it doesn't come with the extra security enhancements, several of Vista's new programs, and support for Vista-only programs.

So just get the real thing. No need to install something like this.

Tired_ said 8:43PM on 11-30-2007

I wouldn't install anything like this, this close to SP3. If nothing else, SP3 will break the uxtheme patch, which will leave you in a sorry state after all these modifications are applied. Wait till there's a version tested with SP3.

Dan said 6:16PM on 12-05-2007

After uninstalling this program, the htp://www.windowsxlive.net has hijacked the browser and has installed itself as home page.

Any suggestions how I can get rid of this. BTW, Hijack This" didn't work on this.

gopher87 said 8:52AM on 12-06-2007

as bgm said, vtp 8 also crashes on installation on my machine... a good alternative is boot the system in safe mode and then try installation.... give it a try

R. Dunn II said 11:49AM on 12-09-2007

I tried out the Vista Transformation Pack ver 8 and it does have some problems, mostly the WinFlip on boot up. It will notify me that that 3D video is not available. But if I click on the Winflip.exe within Winflip folder, it runs just fine. Also the sidebar works best if you run it from the Taskbar or menu. Turn it on AFTER boot up. I had so much trouble with other elements, such as the fancy Vista Menu that I uninstalled the whole thing, then re-installed version 6 selecting out undesirable elements. Ver 8 uninstalled leaves behind elements that it placed in such as Transparency, Winflip, Sidebar Winorb, etc and is useable in the old ver 6

R. Dunn II said 12:52PM on 12-09-2007

darren said 8:04AM on 12-10-2007

will i lose all my stuff i have on my xp at the mo like lime wire msn win me plyer ect ect what will it remove

Nilesh said 8:50AM on 12-14-2007

thanks

jitendra sharma said 9:25AM on 12-14-2007

is my yahoo mail a/ctotel blocked so ineed your pleese help me
to my a/c is open my mail yahoois not open plese sent to my a/c open

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