► Windows Vista Sidebar (for real crazy enthusiast) Recommended

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The above sidebar is the ORIGINAL Windows Vista Sidebar by Microsoft. Yes, this is the real deal. But it is rather complicated. But with given time and patience, you can achieve it too.

1) You need to have something called VAIOXP.
http://www.aeroxp.org/board/index.php?showtopic=7728
VAIOXP is basically an written program that enables Windows XP to install Windows Vista applications. However, before you begin, you need to install these 4 important stuff first.

Prerequisites:

    * Visual C++ 2005 Redistributable Package
    * Microsoft Internet Explorer 7
    * Wireless LAN API (KB918997) (VAIOXP users only)
    * Windows Media Player 11 (Windows Sidebar users)

2) Then you install the VAIOXP Preview Build 2 rev. 3 build 4 (for Windows XP)
http://www.gcnaddict.com/mirror/vaio/vaioxp_b2r3.4_feb02.zip

3) Then you install the Windows Vista Sidebar
http://www.wincert.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=485

4) Installing Gadgets:
Download all you Gadgets from:
http://vista.gallery.microsoft.com/vista/S....aspx?mkt=en-us
Use 7zip archiver to uncompress the .Gadget files to a sub directory then copy that folder to the gadgets folder in Program Files\Windows Sidebar and add .Gadget to the end of folder name.

after u download xxx.gadget, extract the folder xxx (i use winrar) toC:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar\Gadgets

that means the xxx folder is inside C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar\Gadgets.
don't forget to rename the folder to end with xxx.Gadget

C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar\Gadgets --> this i need to create myself?

i dun have such folder in my program files...

IIANM, installer will self create the folder and we have to do it manually (copy-paste thingy)... in Vista, yes, it's *.Gadget (actually, *.Gadget file is compressed file), unfortunately, WinXP don't recognize this (*.Gadget) as a compressed file thus, we can't use the file, but we can rename *.Gadget file to *.rar or *.zip (my case, i'm on WinRAR), extract to any folder, rename the folder to *.Gadget, for example, Clock.Gadget...

1. rename to Clock.rar
2. extract to any folder you decide, say C:\Extracted\Clock
3. rename Clock folder to Clock.Gadget
4. move to/copy to C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar\Gadgets
5. you should be able use your gadgets already...

get the vista RTM sidebar installer here http://www.wincert.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=505

download the attachment, extract it and run it, it should be better...

credit to wincert.net

here you go http://rapidshare.com/files/26955225/RegSidebar.rar.html

Alright peeps, I have noticed that there are several threads where people display their Windows Vista 'visual style' on their Windows XP but there isn't any official thread that teaches exactly how to do it. So I have gathered a mini-tutorial on the tools and links you need to get started. Contributors are always welcomed. 
This is my desktop screenshot. I am 99% complete to the actual screen of Vista:
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Note: I did not just use VTP 6.0. I customized everything one by one from scratch. From VTP 6, to WB5, to Visual Tooltip, and now even TopDesk for Flip 3D. Don't worry, I have included all of them in this Guide.

Message for the Author:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

2) Bro, seriously.... this is very confusing. There is too many options. Can you just suggest which is the best & safest combination so that I don't screw up my OS and have to reformat.. etc.
- Okay firstly, let me share some screenshots of my desktop. Its not that exact but I am very comfortable with how it looks like.
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This is what my desktop looks like.

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This is to show the Start Menu and the HDD icons with the remaining space available.

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This is the Control Panel icons. I like the new set of icons =)

How the hell do I do THAT?
i) Firstly, I installed the Windows Vista Sidebar. (You can find the instructions on Post #3)

ii) Then I installed Vista Icon Pack 3. (You can find the download link on Post #2).
However, I 'unchecked' some of the options during Installation.
- Vista Cursor. (Why? Read step No. 3)
- Visual Tooltip. (Why? Because this is the old version. The new version can be downloaded here: http://chsalmon.club.fr/index.php?en/Download)

iii) After that, I installed XP Vista Pack by oddbasket. (You can find the download link on Post #2)
- This pack contains the PROPER vista cursor, PROPER vista sound scheme & PROPER vista wallpapers.
- After installing, you have to set it yourself. For the sounds, go to Control Panel > Sounds and Audio Devices > Sounds. Under sound scheme, choose "Vista RTM"
- As for the cursor, go to Control Panel > Mouse > Pointers. Under scheme choose "Windows Aero".

iv) Finally, install the Visual Style by Vishal-Gupta.
http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/48901895/

v) For an added touch, you can have the exclusive Windows Vista Ultimate wallpaper llike mine. (You can find the download link on Post #5)

vi) If you have any problems with the icons on your CD/DVD-ROM drive, check our FAQ No 4

It's the same from OtakuSoftware 

Oh well, long time never updated already. Here is my current desktop:

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sorry its a bit messy. assignments all pilling up.... argh.. uni life is killing meeeeee...

It's actually a gadget bundled with the Vista Sidebar. Comes in single and dual core flavours.

You can do AERO without WB but you can't do AERO GLASS without WB. Hope that helps 

y i install the windows sidebar will got error when i open this program.

yeahhh...



   

To let it start with windows, all you have to do is copy the .exe file and paste it under the 'Startup' folder in the start menu (your original one)

just change the shellstyle file with the one u like.