I got working Vista sidebar under Windows 7

[jjrambo]

If you really want old sidebar inder Windows 7 the following you can do.

Go to Program Files for x86 or Program Files (x86) on x64 Vista. I run x64 Vista so i had to go into Program Files (x86). Take whole folder Windows Sidebar and copy over the Windows 7 machine. You can paste it on desktop. Go and just rund sidebar.exe. If you want you can overwrite in Program Files. When you run you will get your Vista sidebar. All gadgets work fine.

Sidebar is fully functional, you can set its properties etc. It seems that program has no dependencies so actually to be simple it's the same damn code like in Vista with few things disabled in code, improved, cleaned. I'm a programmer and i know how the **** works. When somebody tells you that MS write OS from scratch they lie to you...It's code build on top of older code.

[ViperAFK]

why

you can just line up your gadgets on the side...

[jjrambo]

why

you can just line up your gadgets on the side...

Somebody asked for Vista Sidebar under Windows 7...there you go. I don't use Sidebar or any sort of gadgets don't care about it, but figured somebody likes old Vista sidebar. When you delete Vista copy of sidebar, those gadgets might not show up when you try to add them using Windows 7 sidebar. Under search bar where it says all gadgets click little arrow and select all gadgets and it will find them :)

Edited December 28, 2008 by jjrambo

[doug_jnr]

When somebody tells you that MS write OS from scratch they lie to you...It's code build on top of older code.

no one has ever said that...and it wouldn't make sense for them to do taht.

[Inctye]

no one has ever said that...and it wouldn't make sense for them to do taht.

Exactly. But it is good to know that there is a workaround for restoring the Vista sidebar for those who liked the way it was.

[Brandon Live Veteran]

This is terribly unwise. Not only are you giving up all the bugfixes, performance improvements, and security improvements that have been made in Windows 7's gadget platform, but you're also running in an unsupported configuration that could cause any number of unexpected problems.

It seems that program has no dependencies so actually to be simple it's the same damn code like in Vista with few things disabled in code, improved, cleaned. I'm a programmer and i know how the **** works. When somebody tells you that MS write OS from scratch they lie to you...It's code build on top of older code.

What the heck does that mean? Windows 7 is fully compatible with Vista, what dependency would exist on Vista but not on Windows 7?

Nobody would expect that to fail. It's the other way (Win7 stuff on Vista) that's even slightly interesting, genius.

[I am Reid]

I like the sidebar because it makes more use of my screen. I usually just use the internet, and have a maximized window without the sidebar leaves a lot of empty spaces on the side.

[Brandon Live Veteran]

I like the sidebar because it makes more use of my screen. I usually just use the internet, and have a maximized window without the sidebar leaves a lot of empty spaces on the side.

So don't maximize :)

In fact, in Win7 you can just double click on the top or bottom border of the window (or drag the top or bottom to the edge of the screen) to get into the "vertical maximize" state.

[MeDieViL02]

thx alot i was looking for this!!!

i really missed the sidebar :D

[slinky333]

Thank you!! I was missing having the gadgets visible all the time, now I can just glance over to see the info I need no silly mouse movements or keyboard keys to hit.

EDIT

Hum it seems flyouts don't work though :(

[Ci7]

This is terribly unwise. Not only are you giving up all the bugfixes, performance improvements, and security improvements that have been made in Windows 7's gadget platform, but you're also running in an unsupported configuration that could cause any number of unexpected problems.

What the heck does that mean? Windows 7 is fully compatible with Vista, what dependency would exist on Vista but not on Windows 7?

Nobody would expect that to fail. It's the other way (Win7 stuff on Vista) that's even slightly interesting, genius.

Thank you!! I was missing having the gadgets visible all the time, now I can just glance over to see the info I need no silly mouse movements or keyboard keys to hit.

EDIT

Hum it seems flyouts don't work though :(

[Billy Gun]

Thank you! I wold be so happy if someone finds one way to make the WMP11 work on W7.

[J400uk]

I wonder if we could get the XP theme to work in 7 as well, for people who don't like the new style.

[Ci7]

Thank you! I wold be so happy if someone finds one way to make the WMP11 work on W7.

I wonder if we could get the XP theme to work in 7 as well, for people who don't like the new style.

:facepalm:

[Mr Mialo]

why

you can just line up your gadgets on the side...

Well one feature I am going to miss "sidebar is always on top of other windows" No matter what I am doing I can always just glance to the right and be informed about whatever I want to be informed about.

If you want the gadgets spread all over the desktop the vista sidebar can do that too.

The Windows 7 sidebar sounds like it is the same only they removed functionality.

[HawkMan]

So don't maximize :)

In fact, in Win7 you can just double click on the top or bottom border of the window (or drag the top or bottom to the edge of the screen) to get into the "vertical maximize" state.

Still not nearly as intuitive as just clicking maximize and having your info and utility gadgets allways right there on the sidebar though, is it ?

and hardly something you want to do to every windows you use when you work with a lot of maximized windows. As I said before there's NO reason at all for the sidebar to be removed, all the features in 7 could have been added without removing the otpion to use the sidebar if you want it. or even add in the sidebar as a extra app hat acts as a gadget dock.

removing it is only removing a usefull feature for those who use it and like it. the "new" features of putting gadgetson the dekstop without the sidebar visible was allready there in Vista. so the only new feature is really the edge docking. The dekstop peak isn't really part of the gadgets but rather the dwm.

And I doubt I'm alone in wanting some allways visible gadgets on the side of my screen to make use of my widescreen, without havign to use a stupid peak feature (again, not really a new feature, you could do it in Vista, only it didn't hide the windows, it brought the gadgets on top).

But as I said before, I'd be happy if they added a sort of virtual desktop edge, where you could move the mouse to the edge of the screen, and sort of drag out and edge or something, to create a custom buffer or padding on the side f the screen to the docked gadgets are allways visible.

[_tux_]

whats wrong with using desktop preview? to see the sidebar gadgets?

[HawkMan]

whats wrong with using desktop preview? to see the sidebar gadgets?

What's wrong with letting us keep the "option" to allways have a sidebar with our gadgets allways there ?

[Mercellus]

What I would like to see is the return of the original Longhorn-styled sidebar which was able to take full advantage of XAML, which made it a lot more interesting that HTML + JavaScript gadgets.

[Pikey]

Pretty hilarious! .. it wasn't that long ago that everyone seemed to detest the sidebar and refused to even contemplate using it ..

You can't please all the people all the time ..

[HawkMan]

Pretty hilarious! .. it wasn't that long ago that everyone seemed to detest the sidebar and refused to even contemplate using it ..

You can't please all the people all the time ..

I think you're confusing the vocal minority with everyone.

There's one rule above all on the internet, and among computer magazines when they still existed bak in the dark ages too :p

- You only ever hear the peopel who complain.

the people who aren't complaining are just using their software. They're not going on internet forums writing whine threads about how much they like using it or whatever. The vocal minority is what causes problems in MMO games.

[Ci7]

Pretty hilarious! .. it wasn't that long ago that everyone seemed to detest the sidebar and refused to even contemplate using it ..

You can't please all the people all the time ..

not mentioning bitching about it as "useless" "waste of space " "bloats"

[Ryan437]

correct me if im wrong but if u right click on the gadgets there an always on top button :huh:

[HawkMan]

correct me if im wrong but if u right click on the gadgets there an always on top button :huh:

And you don't see the problem with that ? and how that is in no way the same thing as a sidebar ?

[scratch42069]

Desktop Gadgets are better than Vista Sidebar Gadgets because you don't have the sidebar getting in the way. You can right click each gadget and set them to be always on top and arranged to the left or right.