VistaMizer - Add a brand new Vista appearance to your Windows XP

Add a brand new Vista appearance to your Windows XP. So you want to have Windows Vista, but you don't want to give up Windows XP yet and – of course - you don't want to spend a single cent on it. Believe it or not, we have the solution!

After trying a few Vista themes for XP, I was really glad to find Vistamizer, just because it's so easy to install! Unlike other similar tools, which demand external applications, third-party libraries and other strange elements, Vistamizer includes just about everything you need to have it up and running in no time. Installing it is a question of pressing on the "Next" button a few times, rebooting and you're done. Uninstallation is also very easy: as the program creates a restoration point, you won't have any problems to go back to the good ol' XP if you ever grow tired of Vista's style.

Vistamizer lets you select exactly which elements to install and which ones not. The list includes not only Vista graphical elements, but also some extra apps that reproduce Vista's features such as the sidebar, the toolbat tooltips or the 3D effect to switch between running applications. Note that if you want to uninstall any of these later on, you'll have to open the Control Panel and start the Vistamizer uninstalling process, as there's no visual interface from which to manage installed components.

On the downside, I noticed some icons don't show properly, for instance in the Start menu and My Documents folder. But in my opinion these are just minor flaws in a full featured theme that can transform Windows XP into Vista in a couple of clicks.

Vistamizer is one of the best Vista themes for Windows XP available today: it's very easy to install, lets you choose what elements and apps should be included and the final output is pretty much the closest you can get to Vista in Windows XP.

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The answer to your prayers is called Vistamizer and it's a complete theme that will transform your current Windows XP system into a brand new Vista with all the 3D effects, transparencies, shiny icons and other eye candy. Don't worry, Vistamizer is just a Vista disguise for XP; the system core files and backbone will still be XP.
Back in 2007 when Microsoft finally decided to show its new Windows Vista operating system to the world, lots of people criticized it for the way it interacts with computer resources, as hardware upgrades were absolutely necessary in order to run smoothly a copy of Microsoft’s new OS. But most people liked its look, and even critics admitted that Vista looked good, so elements of its interface were quickly copied to be bundled into other applications.

VistaMizer is a software utility that offers an alternative to Windows XP users who like Vista’s interface but cannot upgrade to this OS because of various reasons.

Before setting up VistaMizer on their PC, users are required to choose if they prefer to install it as a normal app, also including an uninstaller, or if they want to patch their existing Windows installation without being able to undo the operation (unless the OS is reinstalled, of course) - however, they can create a bootable CD that can be used at a later time.

When the normal setup is chosen, once can choose to automatically create a restore point, then specify the items they want to personalize. To ensure a complete Vista-like experience, it is recommended to leave the default settings on, then restart the computer when the process is completed.

After reboot, all icons and fonts are revamped, and Windows XP has a fresh new look, hardly resembling the old one. All the standard Windows apps, such as Internet Explorer, Windows Media Player or Notepad have been updated to look like Vista's, along with the Start Menu and the Control Panel.

One should be aware, however, that no extra functionality is added, so other Vista functions, like Aero or User Account Control, are not present.

To put it briefly, VistaMizer definitely needs to be taken for a spin by all Windows XP users who want to beautify the looks of their PC without upgrading their hardware.

VistaMizer - Add a brand new Vista appearance to your Windows XP