Transform Kubuntu Jaunty to Windows 7 In 3 Simple Steps
One thing that I love about Linux (and Ubuntu) is that it is fully customizable and I can configure it to the way that I want it. Previously, I have already illustrated its flexibility by showing how you can transform Ubuntu Hardy and Intrepid into Mac OS X. Today, let’s bring a step further and see how we can transform Kubuntu Jaunty to Windows 7 in 3 simple steps.
In this tutorial, we will make use of the Vistar7 – Windows 7 transformation pack to perform the transformation. This transformation pack has a nice collection of Windows 7 themes and comes with an installation script to make the whole transformation a breeze.
Before we start, please note that:
1) The purpose of this tutorial is to illustrate the flexibility and customizability of the Linux desktop. We are not advocate of Microsoft (or Windows 7).
2) If you are not comfortable with your computer looking like any other OS (especially the one that you hate most), do not read further.
3) The transformation pack only change the look and feel of your Kubuntu Jaunty. It does not give you the functionality of Windows 7. If you want to use Windows 7, download the RC1 and install it in your computer instead.
4) This transformation pack will create a new user profile in your system and install itself in the new profile. Your personal profile will be left untouched.
Step 1: Download the transformation pack
First, download the Windows 7 transformation pack torrent file. Then with your bit torrent client (such as KTorrent), download the transformation pack folder to your home directory.
Step 2: Make the installation script executable
Open the Konsole and type in:
cd /path-to-windows7-transformation-pack-folder sudo chmod +x install.sh
Step3: Install the transformation pack
(Before you run the installation script, make sure you are connected to the Internet.)
Run the installation script by running the following command in the Konsole:
sudo ./install.sh
The installation script will do the following:
1. Add new software package to your existing software repository.
2. Install several plasma related software.
3. create a new user – vistar7.
4. prompt you to set password for the new user.
4. Extract the required files to the corresponding theme directory.
5. Change the configuration path.
When the installation is done, you have to switch to the new user profile – vistar7 to see the Windows 7 interface in action.
Screenshots:
Kubuntu’s menu bar.
Dolphin and Konqueror passing off as Windows Explorer and Internet Explorer 8.
List of Windows 7 wallpapers that come with the transformation pack
Install the theme in your personal profile
For those who want to bring it further and install the transformation pack in your personal profile instead of the new user – Vistar 7, here is the steps:
(This is not recommended as the transformation is not fully supported by the creator. Do this at your own risk.)
In the Windows 7 transformation pack folder, open the install.sh file in Kate.
At the third line, change the NEWUSERNAME to your own username
3 | NEWUSERNAME="your own username" |
Scroll down to line 30, put a # in front of the statement from line 30-33
30 31 32 33 | #echo "Creating user." #useradd -m $NEWUSERNAME -s /bin/bash && \ #echo "User created. Enter password for new user." #passwd $NEWUSERNAME |
Save the file.
Run the script in Konsole:
cd /path-to-Windows-7-transformation-pack sudo ./install.sh
Log out and login again. You should be able to see the Windows 7 theme in action now.
Tags: kubuntu, Linux, transformation, windows 7
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[Click to close]33 Responses
You forgot the really important step to make it Windows-like – make sure that the automatic login is “root” without a password required.
I wouldn’t do that as it will impose serious security threat. You can do that if you like, but I wouldn’t recommend it to my readers.
I think it was just a little provocative notice to windows user :) btw. great example of linux flexibility :)
LOL , Windows is so incredibly gay that it’s extremely easy to duplicate their supposedly amazing professional DE and user experience.
It’s like cleaning a painting by Rafael with a brush of razorwire, but hey – there are more obscene fetishes out there ;)
They’ve done a nice job with the themepack. The funny side of the story is that the new W7 toolbar look VERY KDE. Guess that nicking from thieves is all right ;)
I miss conficker, Gumblar and Nine-Ball though….
Windows and KDE’s interface both look alike right from the start, so it is an easy task to emulate one or another.
Agreed. Thankfully applying W7 themes to KDE 4.3 will not limit the DE to the functionality in the W7 DE. W7 DE is way behind OSX and KDE 4.2.4 +. KDE 4.3 makes some significant progress compared to 4.2.4 too, which puts W7 further behind. 3-5 years I should say.
Not hard – having used Windows 7 beta and RC, it basically wants to be KDE 4 when it grows up ;-)
My motherboard fried and I had to re-install Windows and Kubuntu Jaunty in their respective partitions.
Time to being on Internet wirelessly:
Windows: 6 hours (includes 45 minutes for telephone activation, including 10 to find the COA)
Kubuntu: 40 minutes
Tweaks to make Kubuntu look like Windows: 10 minutes
Tweaks to switch back: As fast as I could!
Tweaks tomake
Why change KDE 4 into something uglier??
Alas, the users’ souls are an abyss!!
Write a post about making windows look like KDE4.
That’s the power of Linux, we can make it as beautiful (or as ugly) as we want it to be.
“Write a post about making windows look like KDE4.”
Sure, I think it shouldn’t be too difficult too.
KDE4 is already the Windows Vista of desktop environments. I had been a die-hard KDE guy while it was on version 3, but when version 4 came out early last year, that instantly drove me to GNOME (or Xfce). Who needs KDE4, anyways?
I’ve heard this regular bull for a long time now, and it almost always origins from grumpies who:
- doesn’t have the hardware to run KDE 4
- haven’t learned anything about KDE 4 AT ALL
- have performed screenshot evaluation ONLY
- haven’t used Vista
- fail to see the difference between logic & aquired taste/bad habits
KDE 3 IS die-hard, but it will sink. That’s a good thing. Perhaps paper & pen should never have replaced granite & chisels in the first place?
Who needs KDE 4? Easy question. KDE does.
I would have agreed with you early last year. KDE 4.1 was very buggy.
But I love KDE 4.2 (Jaunty) now. Wow. Gnome feels klunky and unpolished to me, now.
I never use anything other than Kubuntu Jaunty, anymore (even though I have XP, Vista, Debian, PuppyLinux, Ubuntu, and Xubuntu, LinuxMCE, and Mythbuntu installed on various partitions in my network).
Some people like KDE on other distributions (openSuse, for example), but I like the Ubuntu standardisation of repositories and packages.
But I don’t like any other desktop as much as KDE. Definitely not Windows 7.
@Fred
“but when version 4 came out early last year, that instantly drove me to GNOME (or Xfce)”
Then it is your fault. KDE 4.0 was not intended for user, it was for developers! Even 4.1 was not for average user.
“Who needs KDE4, anyways?”
A lot of people need KDE 4, innovative, pretty, usable.
hey,
it looks funs imo. btw – how do you revert the changes in case you installed it into your own profile? I assume that’s a bit longer and painful process then to install it. No – I haven’t installed it. I’m just curious :)
Why should one go back to Windows? Ubuntu is so much quicker and easy to use. I am happy that I divorced Windows and Microsoft.
This article is not about bringing the KDE users back to Windows, but to illustrate how flexible and versatile KDE is. For those who can’t get use to KDE interface, but would like to ditch Windows, this could also be a good alternative.
I just made Gnome look like Mac following instructions given previously, now I would also like to try making it look like Win7. Is there a transformation pack that works with Gnome? Or do I really need to install KDE4 first?
I am sure there is, but you just have to look for it. As the design and layout of Gnome is different from Windows 7, it could require a little more work to transform it to Win 7.
Doesn’t look like Windows 7 at all. Why don’t you guys do your homework?
pls help me i dont know how to use command line im new to linux
Hmm! At home I have Windows 7 dressed up to look like Mac OSX, plus Debian 5.0 dressed up to look like an Alienware version of windows with KDE 3.5. At work I have Open Suse 11 on KDE4.3 I also use Linux Mint with Gnome(No dress-up. Sorry guys, but this looks nothing like Windows 7. I love Linux and use both Gnome and KDE on a regular basis, but I have to say (7) is a major improvement for MS. 4 months constant “on state” running and not a crash in sight or a problem with virus and trojons. This one looks very solid.
@michael: I am not a regular Windows user, but I must also agree that Win 7 is more polished than all its previous release. I must also say that other OSes such as Mac OSX and Ubuntu have not been relaxing either. Mac OSX Snow Leopard and Ubuntu Karmic are impressive too.
hey guys, please help me on the konsole part because I am having the problem that keeps telling me Permission denied
is there a way to make the start icon a win7 icon cos i want 2 fool me mates completely
I made a Win7 login screen for KDM:
http://kde-look.org/content/show.php/Vistar7+KDM+Theme?content=117877
@Schiwi: That’s a nice one.