In the slightly outdated, but still peppy and beloved by many Windows XP, gadgets can also be used, albeit in a somewhat limited version. The limitation refers to the impossibility of using scaling gadgets that have similar functionality. For many, this does not become too weighty an argument, if you are one of them, then this manual is for you.
Installing the Windows Sidebar
To start working with gadgets in Windows XP, first of all, you need to install a special software module Windows Sidebarported from the "seven". In fact, this is the same gadget panel with some addition in the form of a sidebar. So, first of all, you need to download the Windows Sidebar distribution. After downloading, run and, if we receive a message about the need to install .Net Framework 2.0+, then you will additionally have to download and install this package, select the desired file depending on the bitness of your OS version. The procedure for installing Sidebar is extremely simple, you have to click the “Next” button that everyone loves a couple of times. Ready? Let's go further.
Gadget Dashboard - Getting Started
The module is most likely installed along the path " C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar”, go into this folder and look for the panel launcher file called sidebar . We launch it and on the Windows XP desktop a sidebar appears on the right with a standard set of pre-installed gadgets, in the tray we can notice a well-recognized icon called " Windows Sidebar". If you right-click on it, a context menu with settings will open, and the item " Add mini apps..."will open access to a familiar panel with all available gadgets. The same effect can be achieved by clicking on the plus button at the top of the sidebar.
Managing a collection of gadgets with this method is no different from working in Windows 7, you can drag, delete, go into the settings of each of them. The sidebar is easily hidden using the context menu that appears when you right-click at the top of the sidebar itself, and the "Close Sidebar" item. For most users of the "seven", of course, the free positioning of gadgets on the Windows Desktop is more familiar, not limited to a vertical column.
Installing new gadgets
By analogy with the reference material about Windows 8, we cannot but talk about the procedure for adding new gadgets. In this case, the process is somewhat complicated by adding manual actions. So, go to and download two random gadgets, let them be - VAtch and Yandex Weather. Each of them is a zip archive with auxiliary files and the gadget file itself, recognizable by the *.gadget extension. Let's take a look at adding a new gadget to Windows XP point by point using the Vatch gadget as an example:
- Rename the VAtch.gadget file to VAtch.zip
- Unpack the resulting archive, get the Vatch folder
- Rename the VAtch folder to VAtch.Gadget
- We go to " C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar\Gadgets» and copy VAtch.Gadget here
- Opening the Widget Collection using the tray icon
- On the second page, the Vatch gadget became available for use
- We do the same with the second test subject, then drag both of them to the Desktop. Checking everything is ok!
Last fly in the ointment
It should be noted that this way of working with gadgets in Windows XP has its drawbacks. Firstly, this is the unfortunate lack of a zoom button on each of the gadgets, and secondly, as many people say, not all new widgets are able to work with the ported panel. During testing, we did not notice this, but there are too many comments on this subject in Runet. In the end, Windows XP has already become obsolete for the last 1-2 years, now it has caught up in popularity with Windows 8 and is gradually slowing down, so the hour is not even when this manual is no longer needed. We are all for! If our users have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments, we will deal with the problems that have arisen together.
A simple and pleasant alternative
We recommend our guests, and especially owners of Windows XP and 8-ki, to work with gadgets xWidget program. It supports all versions of Windows, is devoid of many of the problems of the standard version, and is being actively developed not only thanks to developers, but also to third-party users. For this tool, a separate category has been created on the site, in which the most interesting widgets are published.
Now more and more people are finding it interesting to use the sidebar for Windows XP. Thanks to this program, you can install various gadgets that look very colorful, making your desktop more comfortable and less dry. In addition, most of these gadgets are functional applications and make it easier for you to work on your PC by bringing various functions to the sidebar (for example, a countdown, a convenient volume control, and so on).
But the sidebar is not built into Windows. In order to use all these gadgets, we need to install the Widows Sidebar program. Please note that this program is a development of the company Microsoft, thanks to which the question of the security of your computer disappears.
So, in this article we will look at the installation process of the program Widows Sidebar. First you need to download the installation file of the original version of this program. The link to the file is at the end of the article.. Do not worry about the security of your computer - on our site all the proposed files have been checked and rechecked by antiviruses. After finding and downloading the installation file, you need to open it, after which you will see the following window:
It is not necessary to close all applications, since after the installation process is completed, the program will most likely still ask you to restart the computer. Feel free to press the " Further ”, after which this window will appear before our eyes:
Unfortunately, it is impossible to change the installation directory of this program, so here we are forced to dutifully agree with the proposed folder and click " Install ". Next comes the quick installation process, which takes an average of half a minute to two or three minutes, depending on the characteristics of the PC. After installation, the last installation window appears in front of us, having the following form:
One of the most interesting components of the Windows Vista desktop is the sidebar, located vertically on the right side of the desktop. It contains windows gadgets (aka mini-applications) that allow you to play various games, view the weather and the latest news, search for data, and much more. In Windows Vista, the Sidebar ships with several gadgets out of the box.
Additional gadgets can be downloaded from the Internet. Immediately after Windows loads, the sidebar will contain windows for gadgets such as Watch, slide show and news headlines. Each of these windows can be deleted or moved as desired.
The sidebar and the gadget windows on it can be organized to give you quick access to each application. Moreover, the window of each widget can be dragged from the sidebar to any free space on the desktop. As a result, even if the sidebar is closed, the gadget window will remain in front of you.
To download or update gadgets (for example, to get the latest news or weather forecasts), you will need a permanent Internet connection, such as ADSL or cable modem. Of course, you can also use a regular dial-up connection via a telephone line, but the speed for such a connection will be low.
Windows Vista no longer has the Active Desktop feature, which allows you to use your desktop to host interactive items from the web. The sidebar is actually a further development of the ideas embodied in Active Desktop.
If the sidebar appears to be closed, there are several ways to open it.
- Choose a team Start>All Programs>Accessories>Windows Sidebar.
- Click the sidebar icon located in the notification area.
- Press key combination
- Press key combination
- Click the button Start and in the field To start searching enter a word lateral, then select the link Windows Sidebar.
In turn, to close the sidebar, right-click on it and select the command Close sidebar. At the same time, closing the panel will not terminate the work of those gadgets whose windows were previously detached from the panel and placed on the desktop. If you don't need the sidebar at all, you can close it. To do this, right-click on the icon Windows Sidebar and select command Exit. This closes the sidebar, the icon in the notification area, and shuts down all gadgets.
If you simply close the sidebar, then the gadgets will remain in RAM and will continue to work. If you close the sidebar, then all gadgets will be unloaded from RAM, which will free it for other tasks.
These gadgets are initially available for the Windows Vista Sidebar.
- Currency. View currency quotes.
- Puzzle. Small game.
- news headlines. View news from a news Web site you specify.
- Notes. An analogue of paper adhesive sheets on which you can make various notes, etc.
- CPU indicator. The indicator allows you to monitor the level of loading of the process and RAM.
- Calendar. Small and handy calendar. Unlike Windows Calendar, the Calendar gadget does not allow you to schedule events or appointments.
- Contacts. Small contact book.
- Weather. Using this gadget, you can receive a real-time weather forecast from the Internet, as well as the current weather report.
- slide show. Display in a small window the images you have selected.
- Securities. Possibility of viewing quotations of securities.
- Watch. A clock with arrows for those who don't have enough clock in the notification area.
You can open the sidebar options window as follows.
- Right click on the sidebar and select command Properties.
- Choose a team Start>Control Panel>Appearance and Personalization>Windows Sidebar Properties.
In the window that opens, you can check the box Sidebar always on top of other windows if you want the sidebar to be always visible. In addition, you can choose which side of the screen the sidebar should be located on, as well as view a list of open gadgets.
You can add several gadget windows to the sidebar, both from the list of already installed gadgets and those downloaded from the Internet. In this case, the gadget window does not have to be "glued" to the sidebar; you can easily move the sidebar to any place you like.
There are several ways to add a gadget to the sidebar. Right-click on the sidebar icon located in the notification area and select the command Add Widgets. Second option: Click on the plus sign at the top of the sidebar. This will open a window Collection of Widgets.
Now double-click in the window of the desired widget or right-click on the gadget icon and select command Add. There is a third option, the easiest one: drag the window of the gadget of your choice to the desktop or sidebar.
To download and install additional gadgets, open the window Widget Gallery one of the methods described above and click on the link Find Widgets on the Web. If you could not resist and downloaded a whole army of gadgets, then you can use the transition buttons located at the top of the window to find the program you need. Collection of Widgets. Also, don't forget about the search field. Find All Widgets, where you can enter the widget name you want. You can also click the arrow icon located on the right side of the search box and select Recently Installed Widgets to find all gadgets installed in the last 30 days.
Each gadget can be installed in multiple instances. For example, you can place multiple gadget windows on the desktop Watch and for each of them specify a different time. To remove a gadget window, in the window Collection of Widgets using the right mouse button, select the desired window and then the command Delete. If you uninstalled the gadgets that came with Windows, open the Sidebar Options window by right-clicking on the Sidebar and selecting Properties. In the window that opens, click on the button Restore Widgets Installed by Windows.
Putting a gadget window on your desktop is very easy. Right-click on the gadget window in the sidebar and select command Detach from sidebar. In addition, you can simply drag the gadget window you need to the desktop by clicking on it with the left mouse button and holding the button down, moving the window to a new location. To always display a gadget window on top of windows displayed by Windows, right-click the detached gadget window from the sidebar and select On top of other windows. In turn, to return the gadget window to the sidebar, right-click on the window and select the command Attach to Sidebar.
You can change the settings for each gadget. To do this, right-click on the window and select the command Options. Another option is to click on the wrench icon located in the upper right corner of the widget window. If you need to adjust the widget's transparency level, right-click the widget's window and choose Opacity, then specify the desired opacity, such as 80%.
Popular Gadgets
Once you've "tasted" some of the gadgets in Windows Vista, you'll probably have an appetite, and you'll be happy to start looking for new gadgets to help you with a variety of tasks. Let's look at some gadgets, some of which can be given a chance by installing in the sidebar. Almost all of the gadgets described below (as well as thousands of other gadgets) can be found on the Web site at http://gallery.live.com and http://gadgetsforvista.net.
What gadgets can you use?
- Quick launch. Although Windows Vista, like other versions of Windows, has a Quick Launch bar, it is not always convenient to use it. Typically, the Quick Launch bar contains icons for commonly used programs such as Word, Excel, Outlook, and so on. However, the working area of the Quick Launch bar is small. In turn, the Quick Launch gadget is a panel on which you can place icons for the programs you frequently launch. Initially, this panel is small, but as new icons are added to it, the panel expands. Just click once on the icon and the selected program will be launched. In addition, folders can be added to the panel, as well as links to all programs whose icons are located on the panel can be saved to a text file. Many users have switched to using this gadget instead of or in conjunction with the quick launch bar.
- ClipboardHistory. If you actively use the clipboard for text data, then you probably often encountered a problem when the text fragment you needed, located on the clipboard, was overwritten by a new fragment when using a key combination
- MultiMeter. This is similar to the CPU Gauge gadget that is supported by default in Windows Vista. Unfortunately, the CPU Gauge only shows the overall CPU usage or multiple CPU cores, but what if you want to see how busy each core is? This will help you MultiMeter, which also displays the amount of occupied RAM. More than 100 visual skins are also supported, allowing you to choose the appearance of MultiMeter that you like.
- Google-bar and Wikipedia Search Widgets. There are several dozen gadgets for Windows Vista designed to search for a wide variety of data. Given the super-popularity of the Google search engine and the Wikipedia encyclopedia, it's not surprising that the gadgets for these Web sites are getting a lot of attention from users. The Google-bar and Wikipedia Search gadgets are simple text fields where you enter your query. After entering the query and pressing the key
the default browser window will open with the results of your request. The Google-bar allows you to search both text results and images. In turn, the Wikipedia Search mini-application allows you to enter queries in several languages, including Russian. - Sphere Timer. The digital time indicator is one of the most useful and indispensable mini-applications. The Sphere Timer widget is not just a digital clock, but also a stopwatch, alarm clock and notification tool. At the moment, Sphere Timer is one of the most popular digital time indicators.
- panda cam. The Widgets Gallery that ships by default with Windows Vista includes a widget that lets you organize a slideshow of your Vista photos, pictures, or wallpapers in a small application window. If you want something more interesting, install the Panda Cam gadget. The window of this application will be a video broadcast from the webcam at the San Diego Zoo, where you can see the pandas frolicking in the zoo. Of course, pandas won't necessarily pose for the camera, but this mini-app will allow you to experience many pleasant moments.
Keep in mind that gadgets use a certain amount of RAM and load the processor, so use gadgets wisely and do not install them 20 in a row without understanding how much RAM and CPU time they need.
If you still remember the Sidebar from Windows Vista and want to bring it back, then we have good news - you can download the sidebar for Windows 10 and end up with exactly the same sidebar as in earlier versions of the OS.
Peculiarities
Windows 10 does not include the ability to create a sidebar. However, you can add such functionality. It is enough to download Sidebar for Windows 10, and you will get a convenient and functional panel. Along with it, you will receive 45 different gadgets, among them:- Calendar;
- Currency informer;
If you want to turn your copy of Windows 10 visually into Windows 8, you can download separately, as well as to make the OS look like an earlier version. All this, like the sidebar, is available not only for computers, but also for laptops with tablets. All applications are absolutely free. They do not make changes to the operation of the OS, and are only decorations that affect the design of the system. The installer is packaged in an archive, so download
If you remember and love the sidebar from Windows 7/8, then we have good news for you. You can get it in 10 as well. And this is not just some new panel, but this is the same element that you already had installed earlier. You can install it along with any set of gadgets. You can install it on any version of Windows 10. It is distributed as part of the 8Gadgets gadget package.
Is it possible to return the sidebar to Windows 10
Most users who want to return the old look to Windows 10 do not even know if this can be done. You can get an analogue in the new OS only if you download additional software. Initially, Windows 10 does not and never had such functionality. We suspect that it won't. Therefore, a special utility is the only option. The 8Gadgets package includes:- A set of all gadgets;
- Panel;
- Unique Sidebar;
The second name of the element you need is Sidebar, it was ported from Windows 8. Although this is an unofficial development, it allows you to return the familiar look to Windows 10. If you work on a computer, then this is what you need. If you didn’t even use it on Windows 8, then you still need it. Installing the package is as simple as possible, but if you have a powerful antivirus installed, as, for example, then it will most likely block the work of this utility. After all, it is registered in the startup area and partially changes the system. We scanned Sidebar for viruses and found no suspicious code.
