Make Your XP LOOK (to the Untrained Eye) Like Mac OS X

Intro: Make Your XP LOOK (to the Untrained Eye) Like Mac OS X

NOTE: This is highly premature. Please check back for more in a few days.

I know there are a few instructables out there changing the look of XP into Vista (Viruses intruders spyware trojans adware). Why Vista when it was Mac's Aqua it "conveniently borrowed" to be the Aero?

I know there is FlyAKiteOSX out there. I am not against it or anything. I just don't like the idea of changing everything without going through the whole process step by step. I know my guide is highly incomplete, but it does not use WindowsSkins or anything...

Firstly, I must say I am not a Mac or Linux Fanboy, but a serious M$ hater. Well, ironic it seems that as an unworthy student we are not allowed to get anything other than that onto our laptops.

Secondly, there are some instructables telling you how to boost your XP speed. You MAY need them. I cannot confirm you will or will not. I just recommend them just in case.

Thirdly, the files I uploaded can be found online. If you do not trust my uploads, download them yourself (how ironic).

DISCLAIMER: I am not responsible for your screwing up of your PC. If you can't get instructions right, I don't see how you arrived here anyway.

STEP 1: Desktop and Cursors

This step will cover 2 things that is not even really specialised. Your desktop and cursors.

The desktop is not really important, but if you want you can leave it as it is. Getting a Mac Default wallpaper is good though, so either get it from the zip or find them yourself. Also, you may want to hide desktop icons, so right click on the desktop>arrange icons by>(uncheck)Show Desktop icons.

The cursors are slightly more difficult. Get the OSX cursors (.zip or find them yourself). Go to Control Panel>Mouse>Pointers and check if you have the same screen as me (1st pic).

Then change each cursor according to their names. Of course also use your common sense. (The spinning ball is the hourglass, by the way). Then click "save as" when done and call it whatever you want. Starting to look cool already eh?

STEP 2: RocketDock

This is a bit more tedious. If you are really scared that you will screw your system, stop here.

RocketDock just emulates that dock thing on Macs. It is way cooler than the Windows taskbar. There are other Dock programs out there (ObjectDock, YzDock etc) but just use RD for standardisation. If you want to use others, just remember that it may be a *little* different.

Get RocketDock here and get the program. Install it anywhere you want and run it. Go to Settings. If you don't want to touch the registry, store the settings in a Settings.ini file (Under General).

Now comes the fun part. Move the taskbar off somewhere. I recommend the left since you need to move scrollbars on the right.) If you haven't, set your taskbar to autohide so it doesn't give you away. Now customize your Dock. I reccomend starting out with only a few things, as you WILL add a lot of stuff as you go along (look at mine). Just drag stuff off and they will Poof. Re-arrange stuff by dragging them along the Dock. Just make your dock your own. (Don't forget to choose your skin!)

When you are done, you may want to backup your settings.ini somewhere.

STEP 3: RocketDock (Part 2)

Now, for more customisation. Not only you can add folders and shortcuts, you can add little apps called docklets. They usually just look cool but do provide some use.

There are already some Default docklets in the program folder. The clock is one, and the RecycleBin is another (look at it carefully).

The first I recommend for the sake of this instructable (which is to look like Mac) is the Stacks Docklet (http://rocketdock.com/index.php?option=com_remository&Itemid=4&func=fileinfo&id=820)
It works like the Stacks in the new Leopard and does it quite well. One way to use it properly is to have a place to put all your shortcuts, then link the docklet to that folder.

Others are only if you have the time and energy to download them. Another mention is the SysStats system (http://sysstats.jools.net/). It is a highly customisable Docklet used to create your own custom apps. There are whole docks based on them.

STEP 4: Clearing Up

Now that almost everything is in place, time to save space on your system. RocketDock already has quite a lot of stuff to clear.

Check the languages folder. You can delete those .ini s you don't need (English is 1033) and that internet shortcut. The Skins folder is one big one too. Delete those that you think suck and that you will never use them.

This part isn't complete, but when I add more, it may be bigger.

Comments

[Cojon]

I think everyone needs to realize that Americans simply spend far too much time arguing to make their particular choice justified to everyone else. If you like the look (personal taste alone) of Mac, and this is appealing, use it. It is not a put down to Mac users or any attempt to make XP something it is not. It is simply a visual enhancement. if you don't like it, there are other instructables you may browse. Geez, get off the self promotion can, buckwheat! This is the truth IT DOESN'T MATTER what you think. Let others be who they are. It is not an OS war. No wonder the US is so little appreciated internationally. You guys WANT war. You want to blame Bush, but look at all these ARGUMENTS!!! Real fighting will soon begin... No, I am not in the US. Besides, whadda you care if someone likes Mac and you don't. So what! That's their choice. And if you prefer Linux, why spend all this time pushing it on others. They can use what they want. I'm sure others are intelligent enough to realize that other OS's are available and thank you Google for providing an easy way to find accurate answers on which to base a choice. Please realize that people are different. All your noise sounds like it's breaking down into OS war camps. Back off a bit and let us get on with things. Now please QUIT ARGUING. My ears would hurt with all that noise if it were auditory. By the way, nice instructable. Appreciated. Perhaps I say my O/S is DOS. Now fight and argue like spoiled little children over that too! Gosh, you Americans...

[REA]

but you have to remember that we americans are just as barbaric as a tribe of natives that have never seen advanced technology. the only difference is that we dont settle our differences with spears and knives. we do it with preschool-level speech and guns, where as europeans use profound verbal arguments that dont end with "NO YER STOOPID!", but normally end in both parties accepting one another's opinion. i blame our TV shows. and the south. and this wasnt a joke. when it comes to tolerance, europeans are good at it.

[Knuxz]

I'm offended. What does "the south" have to do with anything? It's all politics and money. It's not my fault, as I am a Texan, that we have power-hungry politicians. So don't go blaming it on "the south". The south isn't even a real region. It's all perspective. In my opinion, no one but the pigs in Washington are to blame.

[Cann0n]

you have too much time on your hands. :P

[mike!!!]

can you try to do a mac login screen so it looks like you never had windows

[fwjs28]

download Kkmenu for a menu....also a taskbar hider may work better......

[xACIDITYx]

Sorry to spam, but if you want it to look more like OS X, then you can try my recently published instructable. Not spamming, but this one isn't done yet and mine is. Sorry.

[randName]

I am not really offended. School life has eaten up almost all my time. My laptop already looks much better, as I replaced some system dlls for the icons. So if anyone is looking for an update, either wait for my graduation or someone to take over me.

[elluart0609]

Sorry to spam, but if you want it to look more like OS X, then you can try my recently published instructable. Not spamming, but this one isn't done yet and mine is. Sorry.

[cheeseefungu]

Linux can't play games, and for a hardcore gamer like me, i cant live without games :(. If i could use ubuntu with xp i definately would.

[Rjdsmith]

I agree, linux has yet to fix the gaming problem, and i love games too. But there is the opton of duel booting. To find out more, google : Duel boot ubuntu and Xp.

[Cann0n]

Why not just run windows on a virtual machine under linux? plus you can play many games on linux. read up one.

[Rjdsmith]

Thats true, But running games under a virtual machine is often wayyy slower. Although the program wine is getting better and better. There is also Cedega, but you have to pay, and personally I think that if I bought the game I shouldn't have to pay to play it. The Best option for playing games is just dual booting, but wine is becoming efficient!

[xACIDITYx]

You mean Dual Boot.

[Rjdsmith]

oops, sorry

[cheeseefungu]

For me, i don't want to duel boot Ubuntu and XP/Vista.... I only want one OS to take care of it all. Im not a fan of getting a lot of things when one can do it all for you (XP) even though it kinda sucks.

[codongolev]

xp always looks like a guy squinting with his tongue out. maybe he just ate something sour? XP

[Cann0n]

Not true. You can play WoW on Linux... I haven't personally because I don't play games, but I used to play Diablo 2, Tribes 2, and TES3:Morrowind.

[Cann0n]

it's a noob thing. :-Q

[yedead1]

Linux can play games and there are some programs out so you can run .exe files. Also if you get Damn Small Linux its the smallest version of Linux (50mb), it was designed to play games and is the Nintendo DS's operating system.