How to Make Windows XP Look Like Windows 7 for Free

Windows XP is a great operating system. It's very stable and light enough on resources to run on older computers. If your computer doesn't have the recommended system specs to install Windows 7 or you don't want to upgrade, you can use these handy free tools to make it look like Windows 7.

Seven Transformation Pack

This useful tool from Windows X Live transforms every aspect of your computer to look like Windows 7. Elements changed include in the Seven Transformation Pack the boot screen, welcome screen, visual styles, dialogue boxes, icons and sounds. The Seven Transformation Pack even includes Windows 7 desktop wallpapers and an advanced feature that emulates Flip 3D. The Seven Transformation Pack can't be easily uninstalled, so create a System Restore Point in Windows XP before you install it. That way, you can easily set your computer back to normal if Seven Transformation Pack doesn't work.

ViStart 7

ViStart by Lee-Soft was originally intended to provide a Windows Vista Start menu for Windows XP. Now a version called ViStart 7 is available to make your XP Start menu look like Windows 7. There are also skins available for ViStart 7 on sites such as DeviantArt.com. ViStart includes a search function to find programs and files on your computer, and includes multi-language support. You can easily disable ViStart 7 by right-clicking it icon in the systray, then clicking Exit.


BootSkin

BootSkin has been discontinued by Stardock Corporation, but is still available from download sites such as CNET's Download.com. You can use this program to make your Windows XP startup screen look like Windows 7 by downloading bootskins from a site like WinCustomize.com. Click Explore and then BootSkins XP to find compatible Windows 7 bootskins on WinCustomize.com. You can then open the file directly or click File and Import from File to install the skin in Bootskin.

LogonStudio

Also from Stardock Corporation, LogonStudio for Windows XP allows you to download or create a logon screen for your computer. Hundreds of logon packages for LogonStudio are available for download on WinCustomize.com. You might have to browse for a while to find logon screens that are specifically designed to look like Windows 7. Then click the Load button in the LogonStudio interface to import the package into the program. If you don't like your logon screen, you can install a new one at any time, or install Windows Default to set the Windows XP logon screen back to normal. Keep in mind that LogonStudio will not give your computer a Windows 7 logon; it only affects the background behind the logon screen.

Google Desktop Sidebar

The Google Desktop Sidebar is a gadget that comes with Google Desktop. The sidebar is similar in many ways to the sidebar in Windows 7. When installing Google Desktop, you must select "Sidebar with Gadgets" to get this feature. Popular gadgets for the Google Desktop Sidebar include a calendar, a clock, a desktop search feature, news and weather gadgets.