If you are a Windows Vista user and cannot wait another year before Windows 7 arrives you might want to pimp your operating system to look and feel like Windows 7. The following article is a guideline on how to tweak several areas of the Windows Vista interface to resemble Windows 7. Some changes, like a new wallpaper, do not tinker with system data at all while other changes require to patch system files so that the changes can be applied. It would therefor be a good idea to create a system restore point or backup before you continue reading and applying.

Here is what we will do:

Install the Windows 7 theme
Install the Windows 7 boot screen
Install the Windows 7 login screen
Install one of the Windows 7 wallpapers
Add Aero Shake to Windows Vista
Add Aero Snap to Windows Vista
Add the Windows 7 Calculator to Windows Vista

1. Install the Windows 7 theme

Download: Windows 7 Vista Style

Adding another theme to Windows Vista can only be done if several system files are patched first. You can find instructions on how to patch a system file at uxtheme.dll patcher or directly download the required files for your operating system here.

The Windows 7 Vista Style theme has to be downloaded and unpacked on the system. The whole directory has to be moved into the directory C:\Windows\Resources\Themes if Windows Vista is installed on drive c:. The theme can then be selected by clicking on the Windows 7.msstyles file in the Windows 7 folder of the theme. Click here for more Windows 7 Themes.

2. Install the Windows 7 boot screen

Download: Windows 7 Boot Screen for Windows Vista

The zip comes with two files: VistaVG Seven Boot Screen for Vista.tbs which can be used with the Tuneup Utilities or winload.exe.mui which can be used if the Tuneup Utilities are not installed on the system. Using the winload.exe.mui file requires to replace the original file located in the system32\en-US\ folder with the one downloaded. You need to take ownership of the file by right-clicking it in system32\en-US\ to be able to replace it with the new one. It might be a good idea to backup the file before replacing it. You could also move the old file out of the folder and the new file in. Restart the computer system to see the new boot screen. You might need to enable No Gui Boot in the Boot tab of msconfig.

3. Install the Windows 7 login screen

Download: Windows 7 Login Screen

Download the file from the link above and unpack it on the hard drive. Start by installing Logonvista (LogonStudioVista.exe). Start the application afterwards and load the Windows7.logonvista file.Then take permission for basebrd.dll which is located in c:\windows\branding\basebrd\basebrd.dll and replace it with the one in the dll folder of the unpacked file. It is again advised to backup the file before replacing it. Logout to see the changes.

4. Install Windows 7 Wallpapers

Download: Here

You can view all Windows 7 wallpapers that have been installed in the M3 build of Windows 7 by following the link at the beginning.

5. Install Software

Download: Aero Shake, Aero Snap and the Windows 7 Calculator

Aero Shake:

One of the new features of Windows 7. Shaking the active window with the mouse will minimize all visible windows. Shaking it again will display the minimized windows again.

Aero Snap

Aero Snap can be used to snap windows to the left or right side of the desktop which will change their size so that they will be displayed on half the screen. Moving a window to the top will maximize that window.

Windows 7 Calculator

This replaces the original Windows Vista Calculator with the new and updated Windows 7 calculator.

Subscribe To RSS Feed Updates (What is RSS??)

Bookmark & Share

Related Posts

• Run Windows 7 Calculator In Windows Vista
• Windows 7 Aero Snap For Windows XP Or Windows Vista
• Windows 7 Theme
• Add All Regional Themes To Windows 7
• Windows 7 Boot Speed Benchmark
• Windows 7 Theme for Windows XP
• Windows 7 Calculator