Workaround to Run Windows Vista Bar Style Sidebar in Windows 7
In Windows 7, Windows Sidebar gets a major overhaul. The gadgets no longer restricts to need to pin to the bar of sidebar anymore, which normally located at the side of the desktop. Gadgets can now roam free and locate anywhere on desktop in Windows 7. Some people may prefer gadgets that stick to Sidebar, or Windows Sidebar that actually runs and exists, and can be closed once to hide all gadgets, there is a workaround to implement such Windows Sidebar system in Windows 7.
The workaround is to install Windows Vista Sidebar into Windows 7, replacing the new version of sidebar component, as similar with resolution to fix gadget not working when UAC is turned off in Windows 7. After the hack found as found by Suicide Solution, Windows 7 gadget will have to run in the sidebar area, which is a bar that can be located on the side of the desktop.
- Close all gadgets on desktop.
- Take ownership and grant full control permissions for Administrators user group of the following files located in C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar folder:
settings.ini
sidebar.exeAnd inside the en-US Folder:
sbdrop.dll.mui
Sidebar.exe.mui - Rename to backup the 4 files listed above.
- Download Win7-Sidebar-Fix.zip.
- Extract and copy the contents of the ZIP file to their corresponding folders in C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar folder, overwrite and replace existing files if applicable.
- Re-add gadgets to desktop.
Voila, now Windows 7 has the sidebar program, which can be opened, closed, and exited, together with all gadgets added to it.
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January 29th, 2010 16:06
[...] in Windows Vista had received a major overhaul and redo in Windows 7. Windows Sidebar is now replaced by Windows Gadget Platform, a new framework for creating and hosting mini-applications (gadgets) on [...]
January 17th, 2010 14:33
I couldn’t get new gadgets to work either, but I figured they were zip files that windows knows how to use by their extension.
What you have to do (correct me if there’s an easier way) is rename the gadget you downloaded to end with .zip (you might have to set your folder options to show file extensions first).
Open the archive, copy the contents to a folder you make in the gadgets folder for the sidebar, then use the name and location standards apparent in the other gadget folders (ie. end the folder name .gadget and you have to have an en-us folder, with the gadgel.xml file within, and apparently all the html files if there are any).
December 28th, 2009 23:05
For those interested there is a Windows 7 gadget which mimics the vista sidebar
http://vista.gallery.microsoft.com/liveItemDetail.aspx?li=28856970-af5e-4692-acdc-93479f80887b&bt=1&pl=1
The advantages of using this over the method mentioned here is that 1) you can continue to install gadgets without a problem 2)gadgets with fly-outs work. There is no multi-page feature however.
December 28th, 2009 13:57
great workaround. finally got the sidebar back. no idea why they would get rid of it in the first place. unfortunately the only gadgets that work now are the stock ones. any workaround on how to get other gadgets to work? any time i open one i get “unspecified error.”
December 22nd, 2009 10:45
Great, it worked. Only problem is, how the hell can I autohide the sidebar now… this was the ultimate aim… to restore a hideable sidebar.
There is an autohide plugin/gadget available from microsoft’s live gallery, but I didn’t expect it to work on the ‘workaround,’ and it doesn’t.
Sidebar AutoHide
Any thoughts on how we can autohide the sidebar in windows 7?
December 15th, 2009 09:57
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!
What the Microsoft team have in their f***ing heads? I don’t understand why they leave with the SIDEBAR… the program name remain (sidebar.exe) but there’s no f***ing “SIDEBAR” anymore! And I love love it!!!
December 11th, 2009 05:19
Hi,
Excellent! Seems to work. I have 7 64bits and just replaced the files in program files (and not in program files (x86)).
But to take ownership and grant full control, you have to go in properties-security-advanced-owner-edit, click on administrators and click apply.
Thanks anyway, that sidebar was the only thing I found useful in Vista. And they didn’t reimplant it in 7… not even as an option… don’t ask me why…
Seb
December 2nd, 2009 05:30
Awesome, thanks for the fix. Not sure why they removed such a useful docking feature..!
November 29th, 2009 22:24
Hi guys,
Can someone Please let me know where to get the required files from Vista 64Bit as I don’t have it and don’t know anyone who does.
Thanks.
November 26th, 2009 13:42
Man! Thank u so much!!!!
November 19th, 2009 19:54
Thanks for this info.
It bugged me a little not having the actual bar where the gadgets could “rest in”.
I actually hope this gets corrected in a future update for Win 7.
Thanks again
Deric