All of us know that Microsoft is working on its upcoming OS "Windows 8" and a free public beta build (Consumer Preview) of Windows 8 can be downloaded using following link:
Windows 8 Consumer Preview (Public Beta) Released, Download Now
Windows 8 comes with many new features and UI changes. One of these changes is the new "Aero Lite" theme which is actually a replacement for the old "Basic theme" present in Windows Vista and Windows 7.
New "Aero Lite" theme in Windows 8 looks neat and simple. If you are still using Windows XP and also like minimal themes, you'll definitely find this topic useful.
Today in this topic, we are going to share a download pack which contains Windows 8 Aero Lite themes and skins for Windows XP. This download pack contains following stuff:
- Windows 8 Aero Lite Skin for Windows Explorer
- Windows 8 Aero Lite Skin for Taskbar
- Windows 8 Aero Lite Styler Skin for Explorer Toolbars
- Windows 8 Version Info
- Windows 8 Aero Lite Skin for Start Menu
- Windows 8 Wallpaper
- Windows 8 Charms Bar
After applying all these stuff, you'll get Windows 8 "Aero Lite" look-like UI in Windows XP as shown in following screenshot:
So without wasting time lets share the pack:
1. First download the theme pack using following link. Thanks to our friend PeterRollar @ DA for creating it:
Download Windows 8 Aero Lite Pack for Windows XP
After downloading the RAR file, extract it using 7-Zip or WinRAR and you'll get a folder containing all the required stuff.
2. Now go to "BorderSkin CP" folder and run "BorderSkin.exe" file. It'll provide Windows 8 Aero Lite look-like borders in Windows Explorer window. You can learn more about Border Skin here.
3. Now install SBar which provides Windows 7 and Windows 8 like Taskbar functionality in Windows XP and Vista. After installing SBar, apply the skin present in "SBar" folder.
4. Now install Styler software and apply the styler skins present in "Styler toolbars" folder present in the pack. To learn how to use Styler, please visit following tutorial:
How to Install and Apply Styler Toolbar Skin in Windows XP Explorer?
It'll provide Windows 8 look-like Ribbon UI in Windows XP Explorer. You can select any of 2 skins: ribbons minimized or ribbons maximized.
5. This pack also contains Windows 8 Version Info for XP. If you don't know about it, type winver in RUN dialog box and press Enter. You'll get a new window showing Windows logo and information. If you want to customize it and want to make it look-like Windows 8 version information, then you'll need to replace a system file "xpsp1res.dll" present in "Windows\System32" folder with the new one present in "Version info W8 CP" folder of the pack. You can use "Replacer" to replace the file.
6. If you want to have Windows 8 look-like tiny Start Menu and auto-hidden Start Screen thumbnail in bottom-left corner of screen, you can apply ViStart skin present in "W8 Start Menu" folder.
It'll replace XP start button with Windows 8 style square thumbnail which will only appear when you hover your mouse cursor on bottom-left corner of screen.
7. The "Wallpaper" folder contains default Windows 8 Consumer Preview wallpaper.
8. The last folder in the pack contains a RocketDock skin which will provide Windows 8 look-like Charms Bar in Windows XP. We have already covered it in past. For more info, check out following topic:
Download RocketDock Skin to Get Windows 8 Charms Bar in Windows XP, Vista, 7
That's all what this download pack contains. You can also download Windows 8 boot screen, login screen and Start screen using following links:
- Download Windows 8 Consumer Preview "Betta Fish" Boot Screen for Windows XP
- Download Windows 8 Consumer Preview Login Screen for Windows XP
- Download Windows 8 Start Screen Full for Windows XP, Vista and 7
You can also check out following similar article which will provide Windows 8 Glass UI in Windows XP:
Transform Windows XP into Windows 8 Using Windows 8 Developer Preview Kit
That's all for now. If you have any question regarding this pack, feel free to ask it in your comment...
Posted by: Vishal Gupta | Categories: Windows XP, XP Themes
ashish
Simply AMAZING!!!.....
Shanmukh
I'm here to prevent others from asking a cookie as they commented first :P
Just kidding , thanks a lot !
Kyle
^^lol.
dammit. Windows XP users are so lucky...
THIS IS THE BEST LOOKING THEME BY FAR!!!!
make one for win7 as well
NSDCars5
^^ +1. OK, this is not Google+, but then why do XP users get all the goodies that 7 users don't?
SMBR
Finally, For XP
Merlin_Magii
Is it just me who thinks this new 'Metro' typography-based user interface is a complete abortion ? I realise it was designed for Windows Phone 7 and Windows 8 touch screan devices - but the PC is very far from dead (contrary to the desires of those aliens, 'The Redmond Greys') and touch screans ain't gonna work instead of a keyboard and mouse. It may be the latest "gotta have to keep up with the other lemming trendies" but it is mindlessly simplistic visually and plain UGGLEEEEE ! You know - back when .... it was the latest "gotta do" to wear lumps of metal through your nose, sport a purple and orange Mohican hairdo and wear toilet-chain drenched razored trousers that drooped half-way down our butt cheeks. Then there was the silent majority who just carried on with the tried and tested things we liked and that served us well. There must be a moral here somewhere.
SCBright
@Merlin_Magii
\o/ Good point! Now I agree with you, I have the same opinion about this.
Vinay Saxena
hey VG won't we get a .mss theme like vistaVG and sevenVG for windows 8 ?
VG
^^ Might be in future when Windows 8 RTM is released. Cant say anything atm. :)
Vinay Saxena
^ Thanks, I really like them.. still using sevenVG on my system :)
EL GRAFICO
thanx bro c( :
Aravinda
thanks for all