Install the Vista Sidebar on Windows XP
Vista Sidebar XP is a little application for XP users that will give you a taste of one of the most coveted features of Microsoft Vista - the desktop sidebar.
Some time ago, Microsoft Windows XP was replaced by Vista. The new operating system brought about a bevy of changes, including a revamped desktop environment, designed not only to look good, but also to improve your productivity. One of the key new features was a sidebar, which replicates the dashboard in OS X and allows you easy access to certain tools, such as news, web searching and your digital photos.
If you haven’t got the money (or indeed, the inclination) to upgrade to Vista, then you can recreate the sidebar with Vista Sidebar XP. Despite a rather strange installation process, which fails to provide an auto-run function, the app can be set up and configured pretty quickly and comes with four useful preset ‘widgets’. The Vista Sidebar XP gadgets are a search function, image preview window, RSS feed and elegant analogue clock.
Visually, all the Vista Sidebar XP gadgets are pretty faithful to the Vista sidebar, although they lack the customization options that you get with Vista. For instance, Vista Sidebar XP's image tool doesn’t allow you to set the folder from which to display pictures, merely picking photos at random from your hard drive.
All the Vista Sidebar XP tools are locked within a transparent bar that runs down the right-hand side of your desktop, which gets annoying after a while as there’s no way to minimize it and it ends up squashing any application window you open.
Despite being a bit limited, Vista Sidebar XP represents an accurate taste of the instant-access functions you can expect in Vista.
User reviews about Vista Sidebar XP
by Anonymous
absolutely out of work.
doesn't works. I tried to intall it but the bar is not showed ..... i think it is not compatible with windows XP
by Anonymous
In case it did not go through.
bar not showing on desktop after installation and restart.Any ideas how to turn it on.
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Thanks. More
by Anonymous
Do You Know How Uninstall It???.
I want to uninstal it,but I don't know the way to uninstall it.. :(
Do you know how to uninstall it???
by Anonymous
Gadget Extractor failed to initialize with error..
What I did is I've installed Microsoft Encarta 2009 and it works! - Updating the Microsoft.net Framework.
- And other files installing it.
- Updated Quicktime for Windows.
- Flash Player and Plug-ins
- Updated DirectX 9.0.Hope it would help and the error would gone on Gadget extractor. Thanks and Goodluck!Greetings from Philippines
Armand M. Yano
armand.yano@yahoo.com
+639215742412 More
by Anonymous
Gadget installer problems..... EASY FIX..
Download and install ms DOT NET version 2.0.5 or above. For XP I recomend 3.0 or 3.5, not 4.0 beta.Reboot.In windows Explorer go to C:Program FilesVistaExperience.Org and there will be one file GadgetInstallerSetup.msi, right click it and choose install.Reboot.Right click the sidebar area, choose add Gadget.Lower left corner of gadget window select the get more gadgets link.Find a gadget you like, click download, and you will see an overlay with option to install or cancel, choose install.Depending on your default browser, you will get some sort of download dialogue box, on that choose to open rather than save. It will download, wait a few seconds, some gadgets are a few megs, some only a few K so it could be a minute or 2 depending on your connection speed. You will see another install dialogue box, with a check box for all users, I recommend checking it, in case you add a user or have other users, then hit the install button.Some cases you will need to close the ADD GADGET window, then reopen it to see the new gadget, in the upper left you will see page buttons, you can go through the pages to look for your gadget.This does work well in XP, I have written extensive instructions for it and other XP mods on my web site.I haven't looked at this install package to see who wrote it, but if it has the alky files its good.Enjoy... Muse ( it means learn, put an "A" in front and it means UN-learn ).Some people do not know how to use what they review. Pros:
Thooseje provides a good source program, it DOES NOT squash other windows.... Learn foreground and background windowing, or window focus, click the side bar, its in focus, click your window its in focus.... James wake up....
Cons:
Installation is manual, requiring several reboots, because each part needs a previous part installed so your OS will have what that part needs to properly install.You are building up, can't build the house if your foundation isn't ready. More
by Anonymous
Gadget Extractor is not working>>>>.
The Programme is amazing. I liked it a lot, Simply the true copy of the original Vista sidebar.
But When I tried to add more gadgets to my sidebar. The programme available known as Gadget Extractor is Showing Error."The Application failed to initialize properly (0xc0000135). Click OK to terminate the programme.I uninstalled the programme and re-installed it, But the problem is still there.
I just want to know what Did I do Wrong. I followed each and every step as stated in the Read me File.Please Help.
Pros:
True Copy of the Vista Sidebar and Gadgets.
Cons:
When I tried to add more gadgets to my sidebar. The programme available known as Gadget Extractor is Showing Error."The Application failed to initialize properly (0xc0000135). Click OK to terminate the programme. More