Windows XP Aero

Windows XP Aero (initially called Windows XP2, due to the creator thinking isn't a good name idea for them, it started with a unknown name) is a mod made by Niko. The aim of this mod is to bring Aero design language from Windows Vista and bringing features from scrapped Windows XP Unity, Windows Vista and Windows Longhorn, then giving improvements. This has been inspired by fusoxide's Windows XP logon screen in Vista style, which she made the logon screen into a reality. This project doesn't fix inconsistencies, but it have the same consistency level as Windows Vista, keeping the old Windows icons which it didn't change yet on Windows Vista. It's based on Windows XP Professional SP3, but it's fully updated to 2019 (bundled with Windows Embedded POSReady 2009 updates). Planned Windows XP Unity goals like the Sidebar, Control Panel stuff and more ended up to this mod. 
The first release (Beta 1) of this mod has been uploaded in December 13, 2023. Beta 2 has been uploaded in December 17, 2023, as a buggy release, then Beta 2.1 has been released as a emergency update and uploaded in the same day.
== History ==
=== 2022 ===
A very early version of Windows XP Aero existed in 2022, which it wasn't popular. This was a personal Windows XP mod. It behaved more like a bootleg than a polished mod. It contains Samsung sounds, a early version of the logon screen, different cursors and wallpaper set. There are flaws in OOBE which the fully released Windows XP Aero doesn't have. It have a bug where OOBE animation fails to load (it was supposed a long logo animation taking 30 seconds, which is Windows Vista orb animation), it have a different font, different button graphics which are XP styled buttons, the logo is low quality, Help function is present and some more. 7-Zip and Dependency Walker are preinstalled in the OS, and Internet Explorer 8 is present. This shlwapi.dll update have a bug which Start Menu shortcuts are broken.
=== 2023 ===
(TBA)
=== 2024 ===
(TBA)
== Ultimate Extras ==
Windows XP Aero Ultimate Extras is a bundle pack for Windows XP Aero. It contains content from Windows Longhorn pre-reset to Windows 8 betas (limited to 2011). Contains themes, wallpapers, gadgets and software. It includes original Windows XP stuff and stuff from now canceled project Windows XP Unity. It contains an autorun created by Niko herself, with Microsoft Visual C# 2010. It was developed in January 12, 2024, and then the source code of said autorun has been released in March 3, 2024. It resembles Windows Ultimate Extras Control Panel applet, but with different links. Fonts from Windows 8 are included for 7955 visual style.
=== Content of the disc ===
==== List of the software ====
* BitLocker To Go
* Windows Live Messenger 2009 (patched with Escargot)
* MSN Messenger 7.5 (patched with Escargot)
* Internet Explorer 8
* Microsoft .NET Framework 4.0
* Microsoft DirectX Runtime (June 2010)
* 7-Zip
* Mypal 68
* New Moon
* VLC media player
* Windows Live Essentials 2009
* Windows Media Center (from Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005)
* Windows Media Player Plus
* Windows PowerShell 1.0
* XPS Essentials Pack
* Microsoft PowerToys for Windows XP
** ClearType Tuning (present, meanwhile it's installed in the OS by default)
** Desktop Manager
** HTML Slideshow
** Image Resizer
** Magnifier PowerToy
** Color Control Panel Applet
** PowerToy Calculator
** RAW Viewer
** Slideshow PowerToy
** TaskSwitch PowerToy (TaskSwitchXP is installed by default, and it's still present for some reason)
** TimerShot (present, meanwhile it's installed in the OS by default)
** Tweak UI
==== Stuff installed by Ultimate Extras Pack ====
* Hold 'Em
* Tinker
* Windows Media Player Skins
* Pinball
* Some additional gadgets
* User account pictures 
** Windows Vista
** Windows 7
** Some Windows 8 betas
** Windows XP 
** Windows XP Unity
* Sample Media
** Windows XP
** Windows XP Media Center Edition
** Windows Vista
** Windows 7 
** Windows XP Unity
* Wallpapers 
** Windows Longhorn
** Windows Vista
** Windows Vista Beta 1 and Beta 2
** Windows 7 Beta
** Windows 7
** Windows 8 Beta
** Windows XP
** Windows XP Unity
* Sound schemes
** Windows 7
** Windows 2007 (composed by fean)
** Windows Garibaldi (startup and shutdown sounds composed by fusoxide; rest of the system sounds are made by GMM)
** Windows Longhorn (startup and shutdown sounds composed by SectorWire; rest of the system sounds are made by GMM)
** Windows Vista Ultimate Extras (Glass, Pearl, and Tinker)
** Windows XP
** Windows XP Unity (composed by several people)
* Visual Styles
** Windows XP and its development builds
** Windows Vista Beta 1 and 2
** Windows Longhorn
** Windows Vista
** Windows 7 Beta
** Windows 7
** Windows 8 build 7955
** Windows Live (Wave 2 and 4)
** Windows XP Unity
* Wallpapers
** Windows XP and its development builds
** Windows Vista Beta 1 and 2
** Windows Longhorn
** Windows Vista
** Windows Vista Starter
** Windows 7 Beta
** Windows 7
** Windows 8 Betas (excluding from Consumer Preview above)
** Windows XP Unity
** Windows 2000 (two of them are included due to Windows Longhorn demo)
** Windows Home Server 2011
** Windows Server 2008 (R2 included)
** Windows Me (one of them has been included due to Windows XP Unity)
** Community-made wallpapers
** Downloadable wallpapers from Windows Vista era
** Microsoft Surface (PixelSense)
** Microsoft PixelSense 2.0
** Proof of Concept build wallpapers
* Screensavers
** Free Fire
** Windows XP default screensavers
** Flux
** Flying Windows
** Windows XP 3D Flag
** Windows XP Starter Edition
* Preset changing feature
* Calculator and Paint from Windows 7 pre-release builds
=== Presets ===
Preset feature changing is a part of Windows XP Aero Ultimate Extras. You can change the preset to suiting aesthetic with the Aero design language. It changes icons, bitmaps, boot screen and replaces some software. It also follows the consistency level like Microsoft did. It's not made to make consistency fixes.
==== Preset list ====
* Windows XP Aero (default)
* Windows Longhorn
* Windows Vista Beta 1
* Windows Vista Beta 2
* Windows Vista
* Windows 7 Beta
* Windows 7
* Windows 8 M2
== Features ==
=== Features included in Windows XP Aero ===
* Updated to 2019
* Breadcrumbs bar
* Graphics from Windows Vista and 7
* Windows Media Player 11
* Internet Explorer 7
* Only upgradable from Windows 2000 and maybe NT 4.0 (Autorun will not run).
* Patched UX Theme
* Sounds from Windows Vista, but with few unique sounds.
* Windows Sidebar
* Apps and games from Windows Vista
* Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 and 3.0
* Personalization from Windows Vista, made by the creator.
=== Features removed from Windows XP Aero ===
Features are removed in a similar manner to Windows Vista.
* NetMeeting
* Pinball (can be installed from the Ultimate Extras)
* Tour
* ClipBook Viewer
* Windows Media Player 6.4
* Windows Media Player 95
* Internet Games
* MSN Explorer
* Windows Messenger
* Additional Classic Color schemes
* Program Manager stub
* Internet Connection Wizard
* DDE Share 
* taskman.exe stub
== Trivia ==
* This is the most popular Windows XP mod made in 2024.
* GMM made the bootscreen for her, which she improved his bootscreen a bit by adding Windows XP Delta Edition flag, and the old bootscreen ended up in Ultimate Extras for the Windows Vista Beta 1 preset, albeit with year changed to 2005.
** They both used Windows XP Delta Edition flag in said bootscreens.
* It was originally to have the Samsung sound scheme, but it ended up using Windows Vista/Windows 7 sounds. 
* Windows Longhorn sounds used Windows 9 (GMM's AWTL) sounds because it suits Windows Longhorn for her.
* Windows 7 Beta, Windows 7 and Windows 8 M2 presets used Vista boot screen because Microsoft never changed the fallback boot screen bitmap, and it's already included on Windows 11.
* Personalization Control Panel and Ultimate Extras Autorun are made by the creator herself.
** SeregaWin555 (not a OSM member) made a Russian version of Personalization Control Panel, and EbhefgyWin included it in his Extras Pack. Then EbhefgyWin forked Niko's Vista Personalization applet to make Windows 7, Windows 7 Beta, Windows 8 and Windows 10 variants of said applet, but the creator herself, added his Windows 7 and Windows 7 Beta variants of Personalization Control Panel to her Ultimate Extras presets.
* Some of the graphics (like the Vista Beta 1 preset logoff/shutdown dialog), the Media Center jingle and startup sound are made by RDesign.
* This is the first Windows XP modification to include Internet Explorer 7 from Windows Vista SP2 and Autorun from Windows Vista.
Category:Fictional Windows versions