Vista Transformation Pack - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Vista Transformation Pack (VTP) is a third-party compilation of programs created to simulate the Windows Vista

Windows Vista

Windows Vista is an operating system released in several variations developed by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, tablet PCs, and media center PCs...

graphical user interface

Graphical user interface

In computing, a graphical user interface is a type of user interface that allows users to interact with electronic devices with images rather than text commands. GUIs can be used in computers, hand-held devices such as MP3 players, portable media players or gaming devices, household appliances and...

(GUI) on Windows XP

Windows XP

Windows XP is an operating system produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops and media centers. First released to computer manufacturers on August 24, 2001, it is the second most popular version of Windows, based on installed user base...

and Windows Server 2003

Windows Server 2003

Windows Server 2003 is a server operating system produced by Microsoft, introduced on 24 April 2003. An updated version, Windows Server 2003 R2, was released to manufacturing on 6 December 2005...

.

The program effectively simulates Windows Vista

Windows Vista

for Windows users who like the Windows Vista appearance but do not want to actually install Windows Vista. It does this by adding Windows Vista-like themes, wallpapers and visual styles; by installing third-party programs to simulate certain Vista features; and by patching system files.

In the latest version (ver. 9.0.1), users can use ViSplore, an application that simulates the Windows Vista Explorer application. Users are also able to get the Instant Search function and the new All Programs feature in the Start Menu

Start menu

The Start Menu and Start Button are user interface elements used in the later versions of the Microsoft Windows operating systems and in some X window managers...

using ViStart. Users can also get the Vista Sidebar using former Thoosje's Vista Sidebar which includes 19 gadgets. The Sidebar has since been updated to Vista Rainbar, a faster and more stable alternative. The Windows Aero

Windows Aero

Windows Aero is the graphical user interface and the default theme in most editions of Windows Vista and Windows 7, operating systems released by Microsoft. It is also available in Windows Server 2008, but is not enabled by default. Its name is a backronym for Authentic, Energetic, Reflective and...

feature is now part of the transformation pack, supported either through the free program TrueTransparency or the non-free WindowBlinds

WindowBlinds

WindowBlinds is a computer program that allows users to skin the Windows graphical user interface. It has been developed by Stardock since 1998, and is the most popular component of their flagship software suite, Object Desktop. It is also available separately, and as an ActiveX/COM component...

software from Stardock

Stardock

Stardock Corporation is a software development company founded in 1991 and incorporated in 1993 as Stardock Systems. Stardock initially developed for the OS/2 platform, but was forced to switch to Windows due to the collapse of the OS/2 software market between 1997 and 1998...

.

VTP is the successor of Longhorn Transformation Pack (LTP), the name given to it when Windows Vista was still being developed under the codename Longhorn

Development of Windows Vista

Development of Windows Vista occurred over the span of five and a half years, starting in earnest in May 2001, prior to the release of Microsoft's Windows XP operating system, and continuing until November 2006....

. It has been superseded by Seven Transformation Pack, a simulation of the Windows 7 GUI.

VTP 1.0

Version 1.0 was the first version of the VTP, released in a forum. It included various features to make earlier versions of Windows

Microsoft Windows

Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...

look more like Vista. Some features included Vista icons, a Vista-themed logon screen, an updated Windows Sidebar, a Vista Aero

Windows Aero

theme and other GUI

Gui

Gui or guee is a generic term to refer to grilled dishes in Korean cuisine. These most commonly have meat or fish as their primary ingredient, but may in some cases also comprise grilled vegetables or other vegetarian ingredients. The term derives from the verb, "gupda" in Korean, which literally...

changes.

VTP 2.0

The second version of the VTP included some minor bug fixes, as well as new features. Some new features included window transparencies with Glass2k, fixes to the sidebar, more Vista-style icon

Icon (computing)

A computer icon is a pictogram displayed on a computer screen and used to navigate a computer system or mobile device. The icon itself is a small picture or symbol serving as a quick, intuitive representation of a software tool, function or a data file accessible on the system. It functions as an...

s and several other third-party applications to enhance the Vista feel of the pack. The update also included a new visual style with improved Vista effects. This version generally had the look of Windows Vista during its development around Build 5112.

VTP 3.0

This version included many bug fixes as well as updates to the visual styles, various icons, the logon screen, and other parts of the UI

User interface

The user interface, in the industrial design field of human–machine interaction, is the space where interaction between humans and machines occurs. The goal of interaction between a human and a machine at the user interface is effective operation and control of the machine, and feedback from the...

. The most notable addition was the WindowBlinds

WindowBlinds

glass theme, which allowed for actual window border transparencies like Vista's Aero

Windows Aero

interface.

VTP 4.0

The fourth version fixed most of the remaining bugs and also added some new features, including more changes to icons and visual styles. A Vista-style system properties window was added, and a FAQ

FAQ

Frequently asked questions are listed questions and answers, all supposed to be commonly asked in some context, and pertaining to a particular topic. "FAQ" is usually pronounced as an initialism rather than an acronym, but an acronym form does exist. Since the acronym FAQ originated in textual...

was included, as well.

VTP 5.0

Version 5 included many bug fixes, as well as some new visual features and a customizable setup file. Some of the notable features included a modified logon screen, updated visual styles an improved transformation process.

VTP 5.5

This is the updated version of 5.0. Version 5.5 fixed many of the problems from earlier versions. In version 5.5, many installation problems were fixed, missing files problems were remedied, and some new patches included. It also contained updated versions of Vista cursors, icons, tray icons, and the logon background.

VTP 6.0

Version 6 was built as a stepping stone for 7.0. It added the new Vista Sidebar made by Thoosje. Also, it included VisualTooltip, a program used to view thumbnails of open programs on the taskbar

Taskbar

In computing, a taskbar is a bar displayed on a full edge of a GUI desktop that is used to launch and monitor running applications. Microsoft incorporated a taskbar in Windows 95 and it has been a defining aspect of Microsoft Windows's graphical user interface ever since. Some desktop environments,...

upon the mouse hovering on top of it. As usual, many bugs were fixed and Vista items were updated once again.

VTP 7.0

Although not a huge jump in physical appearance, Version 7 fixed many problems. An Express Mode was added the setup, making it easier to configure the setup for users. Also, ViStart, a Vista Start Menu port was added. Blaero's Start Orb was replaced with ViOrb, and many things were updated.

VTP 8.0

Version 8.0 basically fixed hotfix programs, allowed users to save changes made to the transforming information, and added/updated third-party applications. In this version, TrueTransparency was added to simulate the Aero

Windows Aero

theme, and WinFlip was added to simulate Flip 3D. (Both are disabled by default since TrueTransparency can be system taxing and the ViStart and ViOrb programs conflict with the version of WinFlip included in this version.)

VTP 8.0.1

Version 8.0.1 is the updated version of VTP 8. VTP 8.0.1 basically fixed some problems for better performance. It fixed some third-party applications, made pre-configured specifications to improve performance, and updated some configurations and system files.

VTP Express Updater for Welcome Center (VTP 9.0 Pre-release)

A pre-release version of VTP 9.0. Although not a completely new version, this update fixes multiple problems from the previous version. The update features enhancements from Version 9. It updates certain issues such as incorrect WindowBlinds detection, non-optimal Vista optimization, the bloated bar in some areas within Windows Explorer

Windows Explorer

This article is about the Windows file system browser. For the similarly named web browser, see Internet ExplorerWindows Explorer is a file manager application that is included with releases of the Microsoft Windows operating system from Windows 95 onwards. It provides a graphical user interface...

, Thoosje's Vista Sidebar bugs, and also helps the user manage their way to gaining Vista experiences more easily. Most major issues from ver. 8.0.1 are fixed. Although the update contains enhancements from version 9.0, the final release of 9.0 may or may not reflect upon the update.

Development

According to JCXP.net, the ninth version of VTP includes a robust, instant and reliable My Document’s file search in ViStart, improved glass border, more visibility and less distortion on the blur (TrueTransparency now has improved borders to blur-like effects, to further the emulation of Windows Aero

Windows Aero

). Ultimate Extras are bundled with VTP 9.0 and it has full support for Windows XP Service Pack 3. Unfortunately. VTP's release was delayed due to Lee's vacation and Windows X's hacked Paypal

PayPal

PayPal is an American-based global e-commerce business allowing payments and money transfers to be made through the Internet. Online money transfers serve as electronic alternatives to paying with traditional paper methods, such as checks and money orders....

and his email

Electronic mail, commonly known as email or e-mail, is a method of exchanging digital messages from an author to one or more recipients. Modern email operates across the Internet or other computer networks. Some early email systems required that the author and the recipient both be online at the...

accounts.

While Windows X's accounts had been hacked, at suspiciously convenient times for Windows X, development for ViSplore at that time was still ongoing, alongside ViStart and ViOrb.

Now, VTP 9 is completed
and has been released to the general public.
On November 11, a post on his website appeared. In it, it was confirmed that VTP 9 was coming out on November 12. The Visual Styles Pack's update was also released after the release of VTP 9 with the skin and have the TrueTransparency skin included.

Features

VTP 9 has added some 3rd party applications, including:

ViSplore (an application that simulates the glass of Windows Vista
Windows Vista
Windows Vista is an operating system released in several variations developed by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, tablet PCs, and media center PCs...

explorer program)
Vista Rainbar (in place of Thoosje's Sidebar due to too much consumption of memory
Memory
In psychology, memory is an organism's ability to store, retain, and recall information and experiences. Traditional studies of memory began in the fields of philosophy, including techniques of artificially enhancing memory....

and unanswered confirmation)
Vista Drive Icon to simulate the progress bar which were found after the drive icon and name in Vista's explorer.

VTP 9 has fixed many problems, some of the updates was based on VTP Express Updater. Some of the updated and fixed problems which were not included on VTP Express Updater:

Vista Orb positioning in "System Properties" dialog
Compatibilities on x64
X86-64
x86-64 is an extension of the x86 instruction set. It supports vastly larger virtual and physical address spaces than are possible on x86, thereby allowing programmers to conveniently work with much larger data sets. x86-64 also provides 64-bit general purpose registers and numerous other...

-based OS
Added large icon resizing option for high resolution monitors
Added Personalization setup screen for configuring current user account before installation
Fixed graphic driver detection issues in the package
Bootscreen without the Vista orb flag
Fixed possible errors when auto-configuring user account during installation without "Express Mode"
Updated visual style's top taskbar
Taskbar
In computing, a taskbar is a bar displayed on a full edge of a GUI desktop that is used to launch and monitor running applications. Microsoft incorporated a taskbar in Windows 95 and it has been a defining aspect of Microsoft Windows's graphical user interface ever since. Some desktop environments,...

background

It also updated some of its 3rd-party applications, including ViOrb (which was rewritten), WinFlip, and TrueTransparency.

VTP 9: A beta version

Some of the users like to call VTP 9 a beta version due to some 3rd-party applications that have many bugs, and frequent crashing during the pack's installation and after installing, performance issues, and more. It also contains bugs on the detection on Windows XP SP3 OS, Vista Rainbar, etc.

VTP 9.0.1

The update for VTP 9 due to many problems, issues, crashes, and bugs on VTP 9.
In this version, changes were seen in the pack, including:

ViSplore was included in unsafe applications list
Fixed Windows XP SP3 compatibilities
Fixed the option "Do not show this welcome screen after restart" that always keep programs in startup
Updated Vista Rainbar's launcher (for constant waiting cursor activity issue)
WinFlip's configuration was updated (for higher reliability and compatibilities with ViStart)
Added restricted applications that don't meet the requirements from startup list

VTP 9.0.1 was released on November 17. However, according to many users, VTP 9.0.1 still contains minor bugs, but most of the major bugs and errors are fixed.

This is the last and final version of Vista Transformation Pack. It was succeeded by Seven Transformation Pack

Poor performance

Vista Transformation Pack has been linked to a large number of performance issues involving RAM usage. There have been some reports of the Vista Transformation Pack using up to 3GB

Gigabyte

The gigabyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information storage. The prefix giga means 109 in the International System of Units , therefore 1 gigabyte is...

of RAM at idle. The Vista Transformation Pack has also been known to cause some CPUs to run at 100% usage while at idle.

However, many users have reported that VTP barely uses any CPU speed whether in idle or in use (3% OR lower). Also, most reports state that very little RAM is used.

Inaccurate programs

Vista Transformation Pack included additional software that was supposed to add more to the Vista

Windows Vista

feeling to Windows in previous builds. For example, the included program Glass2k made the entire window transparent, which is far from the Windows 'Aero' transparency, and LClock, the system tray clock

Clock

A clock is an instrument used to indicate, keep, and co-ordinate time. The word clock is derived ultimately from the Celtic words clagan and clocca meaning "bell". A silent instrument missing such a mechanism has traditionally been known as a timepiece...

replacement, simulated the look of older Vista builds (known as Longhorn

Development of Windows Vista

). Longhorn's styled clock was removed from the final Vista builds. Of course, these programs were, and still are, able to be disabled by the user through VTP's Welcome Center.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.