You can get the best of two worlds, the TRUST of Windows XP, and the LOOK of Windows Vista. Only thing to be ensured is that your PC has got some good RAM else you are having trouble to upgrade to Vista. Probably because of its huge system requirement, and and the rest being discouraged by all the negative talks about the operating system, many Windows users are not quite being responsive to Vista.

Besides, Windows XP was so long in the Windows market and people got so used to it, that very hard to think about switching the well accustomed-to Windows for most XP users. However, almost everyone likes the visual interface of the new Vista, and you can easily make your Windows XP look like Vista just by using these few free tools.

1. Vista Transformation Pack
Keywords:
Vista Transformation Pack 8, Vista Transformation Pack 9,
Vista Transformation Pack 10.
Vista Transformation Pack is an overall conversion pack that changes almost everything of your GUI like Control Panel, System dialogues, icons, media player skins. It also comes with the Vista aero glass effect which is really a comprehensive pack.

2. VistaMizer
VistaMizer is a highly flexible and customizable that saves your previous configurations, it allows you to choose whether you would like to go back to your previous XP settings, you can easily do it. It changes a lot of your system file. Once you have installed the tool and rebooted the system, you are completely done with a fresh look.

3. RocketDock
RocketDock is a smoothly animated, alpha blended application launcher. It provides a nice clean interface to drop shortcuts on for easy access and organization. With each item completely customizable there is no end to what you can add and launch from the dock.

Now with added Taskbar support your minimized windows can appear as icons on the dock. This allows for better productivity and accessibility.
Features included:
Minimize windows to the dock
Real-time window previews in Vista
Running application indicators
Simple drag-n-drop interface
Multi-monitor support
Supports alpha-blended PNG and ICO icons
Icons zoom and transition smoothly
Auto-hide and Popup on mouse over
Positioning and layering options
Fully customizable
Completely Portable
ObjectDock Docklet support
Compatible with MobyDock, ObjectDock, RK Launcher, and Y’z Dock skins
Runs great on slower computers
Unicode compliant
Supports many languages and can easily be translated
A friendly user base 🙂
And best of all… its FREE!!!

4. Vista Start Menu
Vista Start Menu is the convenient alternative to the plain Start menu you find in Windows XP and Windows Vista. The program uses your cognitive abilities (visual memory, reflexes,etc.); however, while it is easily understandable for beginners, it is also highly efficient for experienced users
Each detail in Vista Start Menu is well thought-out and the program will allow you to accomplish all your tasks with ease and comfort. Vista Start Menu was designed specifically to make it possible for users to quickly access any information simply by using the keyboard or the mouse.
Moreover, it does not change your system settings and easy to install or remove.

5. WindowsBlinds
WindowsBlinds is a tool for applying different visual theme on your entire current Windows environment by changing overall look and feel of your start bar, start menu, title bars, push buttons and more. WindowsBlinds is memory-friendly, that it shouldn’t slow down your system. After installed, you can either apply one of the default visual themes or download one from the WindowsBlinds gallery which contains over 1000 themes.

There are some other great tools you can use:

XP Vista pack- oddbasket
Thoosje’s Sidebar
Transbar
LClock
Styler
VistaVG RTM theme
Vista Styler theme

Some probably going to stick around with XP until Windows 7 comes along. And even then you may have to wait. If that’s what you plan to do, no problem. You can do a few things to get XP to look and feel better.
Checkout 10 Ways To Make Windows XP Look And Feel Better