Vista Windows Sidebar - Reinstate on Windows 7

Sidebar - Vista Sidebar on Windows 7

How to Reinstate the Vista Sidebar on Windows 7​

   Information

This will show you how to reinstate the Vista Windows Sidebar on Windows 7.

METHOD ONE

Reinstate Vista Windows Sidebar on Windows 7

1. First Close all running Gadgets and Check Task Manager to Make sure it is not running and then go to C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar.
2. Download the Take Ownership shortcut to add it to the right click context menu by going here http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1911-take-ownership-shortcut.html

3. Right click on the Sidebar folder and select Take Ownership

4. Rename the Original Folder to Windows Sidebar (2)

5. Go to the Windows Sidebar Programs folder in Vista and copy it.

6. Now just paste the Vista folder in the Programs folder on your Windows 7 partition.

7. Right Click on the screen and select Gadgets and now you should have the Vista sidebar.
8. To close the sidebar just go to the icon in the system tray, right click and select exit.

METHOD TWO

Reinstate Vista Windows Sidebar on Windows 7

1. First Close all running Gadgets and Check Task Manager to Make sure it is not running and then go to C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar.
2. Right click on a file and select Properties.
3. Go to the Security Tab and click on Advanced.
4. Go to the Owner Tab and select Edit.
5. Select your user name and hit OK.
6. Go back to step 3 now and instead of Advanced select Edit.

7. Select your user name and tick the box with Full control and hit OK.

• OK now you have done that for every file in the Windows sidebar folder except the Gadgets Folder, you can now delete or replace the files.

8. Copy the Windows Sidebar Folder and Paste it somewhere for a backup if you want to Revert your changes.

9. Go to the Sidebar Folder in Vista and copy all the files except the Gadgets Folder and Paste it in the Windows 7 Sidebar folder and overwrite the existing files and folders.

10. Right Click on the screen and select Gadgets and now you should have the Vista sidebar.

STEP TWO

Add Vista Sidebar Gadgets to Windows 7

   Note

This is an optional extra for getting all of your Gadgets from Vista to use in Windows 7

1. First close your sidebar and check Task Manager to make sure it is not running.

2. Go to folder options and select Show Hidden Files.

3. Now go to your Vista Drive and go to folder Users\your user name\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Sidebar\Gadgets and copy all of the folders in that folder.
4. Now go to the same folder on your Windows 7 drive and Paste the files in that folder.

5. Start your sidebar again by Right Clicking on the Desktop and selecting Gadgets and now you should have all the gadgets you were using on Vista, Enjoy!

STEP THREE

Add NEW Gadgets to the Vista Sidebar

There is a problem installing new gadgets when using the Vista sidebar and you will need to follow this workaround to be able.

1. Download new Gadget

2. Download 7-Zip and install

3. Right click on the Gadget.exe and go to the 7-Zip tab and Extract Files.
4. Now you have the folder on your desktop you will need to add .Gadget to the folder name and move it to the Gadgets folder as mentioned in Step Two.


TO UNDO CHANGES FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS

1. Opening the Start Menu and then type: cmd and Open as Administrator

2. Type: sfc /scannow

3. Let it complete and restart and all changes will undone.

For more information on scf /scannow look here.

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Add or Remove Desktop Gadgets in Windows 7
• How to Allow or Prevent User Installed Gadgets in Windows 7
• How to Enable or Disable Gadgets in Windows 7
• How to Turn Windows 7 Gadgets Feature On or Off
• How to Allow or Prevent Installation of Unsigned Gadgets in Windows 7
• How to Restore the Default Windows 7 Gadgets
• Trick to Moving Gadgets in Windows 7 Closer Together
• How to Import Windows Calendar from Vista into Windows 7
• How to Create a Gadgets Shortcut in Windows 7
• How to Change the "Get more gadgets online" Link in Windows 7
• How to Fix Gadgets not Displaying Correctly in Windows 7
• How to Add or Remove "Gadgets" from Desktop Context Menu in Windows

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello Mr Grim....

I didn't know you had done a proper tutorial on this subject; Good Work!















Later Ted

 

[skunksmash]

nice work Mr Grim......

SK

 

[Mark]

Thanks Guys.

Tanks to Brink as well for touching it up a little here and there.

 

[Joe]

Indeed. Great job Mr. Grim.

This was one thing that I like about Vista and will carry over to Windows 7

 

[Brink]

Thanks Guys.

Tanks to Brink as well for touching it up a little here and there.

You're welcome Mr GRiM.

I tend to fancy the new Gadgets on the desktop only though. It's a lot more customizable IMO.

 

[simsandwhich]

Hey there, any idea how to uninstall? I decided that I'd rather have the gadgets in Explorer not the sidebar, but Ive got no idea how to reverse this... any ideas?

 

[Mark]

Go to command promt,

1. Opening the Start Menu and then type: cmd and Enter

2. Type sfc /scannow

3. Let it complete and restart and you will have your old sidebar back or lack of should I say.

 

[simsandwhich]

Thanks alot, Im giving it a go now

 

[Mark]

New registry fix for enabling the Sidebar with UAC off, download reg file and right click and select merge, restart and enjoy.

Downloading this file type (.reg) can potentially harm your computer.

Sidebar NO UAC Reg Fix

 

[skunksmash]

great work Mark......, im also gonna give it a whirl




SK

 

[LarryLaser]

Gadget fix with UA Dis'd

Thank you so much for this fix.
Any recommended Registry docs for the Win 7 base??
I want to make a few changes for the "right click" op in "Computer" icon, to add Regedit, Services, Add/Remove Programs...

I have writen reg files to make the changes, but, no working.
I have Activated the Administrator Account (w/Password Protection) and Logged on as Admin, and right click regedit.exe - Run As Admin, and tried to make the mods manually, noop...
Checked "Permissions" on the Keys, Admin has full control, still no functionality.

Here is one of the reg mods I am talking about;

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}\shell\regedit]
@=@%SystemRoot%\regedit.exe,-16


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}\shell\regedit\command]
@=%SystemRoot%\regedit.exe

I have these, and others on all of my other computers that I work on and test on. from Win2k---WinVista x32 and x64.

My main focus is to use as much as the Security settings possible in the Win 7, and Test the Apps that I use regularly. (like AutoDesk, COMODO, CST, MatLabs and Many Electronic Design Programs (some Legacy), for the Engineering Work that I do.

 

[caid602]

The attached foldes appear to be dead.

 

[Mark]

Links fixed.

 

[caid602]

I still can't get the files ;-(

Anyways, thank you for your great work!!!

 

[Mark]

I still can't get the files ;-(

Anyways, thank you for your great work!!!

Sorry Mate, they were fixed 2 days ago but for some reason they change them daily so the only way to get them is to browse my Public Skydrive which I have linked under the old ones.

This is it here if you want to check them out.

 

[caid602]

Thank you!!! Finally, I got it!

 

[caid602]

After playing with this "hack" I have realized that the "flyouts" are blocked.
Examples are
- wp-corp mail checker
Wp-Corporation
- WeatherMan:
WeatherMAN
- Agenda / Calendar
Windows Live Gallery

It works in Vista and with the "original" Sidebar in W7

 

[stevieray]

On my Vista laptop, I have gadgets on multiple "pages"... and I can click thru those pages using the arrow on the top of the sidebar.

On my Windows 7 desktop pc, the gadgets just pile up on the desktop... there are no multiple "pages".

How can I get the "page" function onto W7? I don't want 15 gadgets cluttering up my desktop, I would prefer to see 5 (or so) at a time. Is this possible in RC1?

 

[Mark]

On my Vista laptop, I have gadgets on multiple "pages"... and I can click thru those pages using the arrow on the top of the sidebar.

On my Windows 7 desktop pc, the gadgets just pile up on the desktop... there are no multiple "pages".

How can I get the "page" function onto W7? I don't want 15 gadgets cluttering up my desktop, I would prefer to see 5 (or so) at a time. Is this possible in RC1?

If you want it the way Vista was, then why don't you follow the tutorial to reinstate the Vista Sidebar. Windows 7 does not have that option because there is no sidebar.