How to remove the side bar in folders?

I recently upgraded to win7 from XP on my work computer.

One big issue I have is now every folder contains this side bar (favorites, libraries, etc). I need to have two folders always visible/open on the right side of my screen... The problem is, these side bars are taking way too much space. How can I disable the side bar in those folders?

If needed, I will gladly go back to the convinient XP style if that is my only choice (no side bar, with a "favorite menu link".

It seems like Microsoft did a critial error and forgot to include such a vital and handy option in its latest OS.

Problem with this fix is that it applies it to all my folders, then I have no way to navigate around my folders (other then the old win98 way), there is no "favorite" link in the menubar.

well you could disable that after installation and still navigate folders by clicking on "favorite" in the menu bar...

I am aware of those arrows. It still could potentially take 100 clicks to get to a folder 100 deep as opposed to two clicks to get anywhere using the xp style... and with network discovery off, it also seems rather impossible to get to a network share.

I tried that too... Its not really a solution because it still takes up space + it effects any and every other folder I open up after.

The closest I can get it making both of em smaller, opening up a third folder, making it normal size, close that folder... That will trick win 7 into using a normal size for all other future folders... But it still has the obvious problem of "takes up space in the original 2 folders".