[ Tutorial ] Add Vista stylish look and functionality in Windows XP
Windows Vista is the latest workstation version of Windows after a long delay and is designed for business and home users. First of all, we should understand the mean of Vista; We can check our dictionary or explore the encyclopedias. Vista as a beautiful view, for example, of countryside, a city, etc. In formal mean is a range of things that might happen in the future. According to name it’s really have a new look style (aero glass), with easier way to handle personalization and navigation menus.
As Vishal explained The most interesting thing in Vista is its look, new icons, cursors, theme, sounds, login screen, boot screen, etc. and has started a thread named as TUTORIAL: Make Your Windows XP look-a-like Windows Vista
The topic cotains most of things that differ Windows XP from Windows Vista and We can change look and feel of Windows XP. Here, I m going to introduced some registry hacks that may helps to make too similar look to Windows Vista in our existing Windows XP.
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}\ShellFolder]
"Attributes"=hex:70,01,00,20
"CallForAttributes"=dword:00000000
(2.) Rename Set Program Access and Defaults and Network Connections under Start Menu
By Default In Vista Set Program Access and Defaults and Network Connections are renamed as Default Programs
and Connect To respectively. In Windows XP, there is no option to rename these. Perfrom this task, follow the
steps.
Navigate registry to : HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{2559a1f7-21d7-11d4-bdaf-00c04f60b9f0}\ShellFolder
Change the value of Attributes to 70 01 00 20 for Set Program Access and Defaults
Navigate registry to : HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{7007ACC7-3202-11D1-AAD2-00805FC1270E}\ShellFolder
Change the value of Attributes to 70 01 00 20 for Network Connections
Now U will get option to rename these.
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{2559a1f7-21d7-11d4-bdaf-00c04f60b9f0}\ShellFolder]
"Attributes"=hex:70,01,00,20
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{7007ACC7-3202-11D1-AAD2-00805FC1270E}\ShellFolder]
"Attributes"=hex:70,01,00,20
(3.) Add Open Command Windows Here context menu under Drives and Folders with Hidden property
Windows Vista contains context menu of Open Command Windows Here but it doesn't display normally.
We can see and use this menu by clicking with Shift Key. Its not new thing, Windows 98 also contains Open With
context menu and we can see and use this as the same method as Windows vista.
Now this can be created in Windows XP as windows Vista.
If U have already created the menu, U can modify by following steps.
Navigate registry to : HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shell\cmd
Create a String value named as Extended and leave blank this one.
Navigate registry to : HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\cmd
Create a String value named as Extended and leave blank this one too.
here is the reg code.
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
; For Drives
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shell\cmd]
@="Open Command Window Here"
"Extended"=""
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shell\cmd\command]
@="cmd.exe /k \"cd %1\""
; For Folders
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\cmd]
@="Open Command Window Here"
"Extended"=""
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\cmd\command]
@="cmd.exe /k \"cd %1\""
(4.) Add Checkbox Show Drive Letters in Folder Option
Its really simple registry hack; Windows Vista has checkbox to hide or show drive letters under Folder Option. We can add this option under Windows XP by using this reg code. Just Copy and Paste the code in txt file and save as *.reg and patch it.
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\Folder\ShowDriveLetters]
"Type"="checkbox"
"Text"="Show Drive Letters"
"HKeyRoot"=dword:80000002
"RegPath"="Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Explorer"
"ValueName"="ShowDriveLettersFirst"
"CheckedValue"=dword:00000000
"UncheckedValue"=dword:00000002
"DefaultValue"=dword:00000000
Limitation: You have to Restart/LogOff the PC OR Kill the explorer process (explorer.exe) and restart using Task Manger to take effect.
NOTE : Copy the reg code into notepad and save as .reg and patch them.
These are some registry hacks that may add some look and feel of Vista in windows XP. I m still trying to get more...
I hope, You like ...!