Perfect Vista Desk - tutorial

Perfect Vista Desktop - tutorial

I made this tutorial for beginners (and not only), because there are alot of users, that still don't know the basic things about XP to vista customization. I looked at JCXP VTP desktops sections and I was shocked - how can a vista desktop look so non-realistic? So much interface spoilers that can be easily hidden! I think everybody will find one or two things that make the desktop even better. So here goes:
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TaskBar:

Probably one of the most important things that new users forget after installing any vista transformation pack or just applying the theme is to lock the taskbar. Right click taskbar - and select lock the taskbar.

Visible XP style icons - these elements really spoil the looks and give out that you are using XP, To change a icon - right click it, select properties, and then browse to your new icon.
You can use the following vista icon pack: [link]

Start orb - many users don't know that the orb in vista is bigger, and looks more original - you can use the folowing applications to get full orb:

ViOrb [link]
BlaeroStrartOrb [link]
WindowBlinds*

Sometimes the tray icons don't fit in with the style, it's very easy to hide them, and unhide by clicking the arrow near them. To hide the tray icons - Right click taskbar, select properties, click on hide inactive icons, then click customize, you can set the icons you want to always hide.

If you don't type in other languages you may also disable the language toolbar: right click taskbar, select toolbars, and uncheck the language bar.
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Windows Explorer window:

Windows Vista has a very simple and stylish explorer, but after installing any transformation pack it almost does not change, here is how you make explorer like in the picture:

Get Styler and a Vista styler toolbar install styler, apply the toolbar, in explorer window - rightclick any toolbar and select styler toolbar.Then unselect every toolbar except styler. You can also use onlyBlueBar to use with QT toolbars

To hide the menubar and throber (windows flag):
Styler program has the function to hide both these things, but if you don't want to run styler, but want to hide windows flag use these tweaks: [link]
Note: Impossible to hide the menubar with styler toolbar enabled.

Add a favorite links menu to your explorer
Download this: [link] and install it
If it's not automaticly applied - click on the menubar view>Explorer Bar>and check FindeXer
Then right click the findexer bar, and select oprions.
Make sure the load findexer by default is checked

To customize findexer to vista look
use Favorite Links kit here: [link]

Vista icons:
To apply vista icons to all the system elements there is no need to install a pack, you can just use IconTweaker to change the icons fast and safe. You can use the icons from the icon pack mentioned above.

ClearType© - this is the technology that makes fonts smooth and nice, the showed fonts in the first screenshot are WindowsXP default. ClearType is highly recommended for LCD monitors. To enable clearType:
Right click desktop, select properties, click Appearance, and select effects. Then select the use the folowing method to smoothen screen fonts and use ClearType. Set OK. The fonts should be nice and smooth now.

To change icons to 48 px - go to desktop properties, select appearance and then advanced. Chose icon for the list and change it from 32 to 48 pixels, click ok. You can experiment with the icon spacing to get the icons just right for you.
note: The icon change will affect whole system including startmenu. To change only Desktop icons - you can use WindowFX - it ads cool effects but it i not free.


And that's about it! visual style does the shellstyle part.

Recommended Visual styles:
Aero Ultimate - ultimate vista theme for WindowBlinds - [link]
Vista VG Ultimate** - vista VS for xp [link]


Some other usefull vista desktop programs:
Vistart - the perfect startmenu with search [link]
Windows Sidebar: [link]
Visual TaskTips: [link]

And one last thing, to make a desktop screenshot press PRT SC on Desktop and paste to a image editor (eg paint). To show a losless format desktop screenshot - save as PNG, for slower connections JPG is recommended since it is much smaller.

*WindowBlinds is not free [link]
**Vista VG was used in this screenshot

Comments are welcome!