Tutorial: Make Vista Sidebar RTM work in XP

Here are two Apps that will make VistaSidebar RTM work in XP.

1. VAIOXP Build 2 (Author: Rafael and Zoronax)

download here.

2. RTM Sidebar Installer for VAIOXP build 2 (Author: Ricktendo64)

download here.

Instruction:
1.Before you install VAIOXP and RTM sidebar make sure you have the following applications installed in your xp:

• Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Redistributable Package

• Internet Explorer 7

• Wireless LAN API (KB918997)

• Windows Media Player 11

2. Install VAIOXP. No need for RTM key. Vista RTM sidebar will work without it.
3. Reboot or log out.
4. Install RTM Sidebar installer. it may take a little while to finish. be patient.
5. Reboot or log out. Enjoy your new sidebar.

How to install sidebar Gadget:
1. Download gadgets here: http://gallery.live.com/default.aspx?l=1
2. save the file with .zip extension (cpu.gadget.zip)
3. unzip or unrar the file.
4. put the gadget folder in your windows sidebar folder (e.g. programfiles\windows sidebar\gadgets). ENJOY!

Note:

I did an instruction before on how to used vista sidebar 5744 in your xp. Their are some minor bugs on that and the instruction are a bit complicated.

This instruction, however, is much easier because their is already an installer and thus you don't need to manually install vaioxp and vista sidebar. also, the vaioxp here is build 2 and has lot of bug fixes and thus a way better than the previous version. The vista sidebar here is also "Vista Sidebar RTM" and so a bit updated.

I like using sidebar now than before since if you look at the gallery gadgets at microsoft there are plenty of good additional gadgets!!! I particularly like the gadget where i can launch programs straight from my sidebar!

If you like to change the style of the sidebar you can use these patches. It has 18 skins for sidebar. just double click any style you want and it will patch sidebar.exe. after this copy and paste your new sidebar.exe to your windows sidebar folder in program files. enjoy.

Here is the look of Vista RTM sidebar on XP!

 

I give it a try.

But why does the sidebar look like a nuclear missile hit it? lol

 

IT's just a style of the calendar and cpu gadgets. YOu can change it if you want.LOL

 

Looks Great!! By the way what XP theme are you using for the task bar It looks awesome almost Vista like

 

Sweet Works great. Now I have sidebar on both XP & Vista.
It feels a little weird having it on XP tho.

Thanks for the apps & info.

This post should be a Sticky. :yes:

 

thanks for this. i hope this gets stickied as well..

Is the sidebar a big resource eater??

 

The theme is "vista perfection X4 RCX" by kaye Irene and Nethskie. You can download it here: http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/42710127/?qo=5&q=by:kayeirene&qh=sort:time+-in:scraps

You need windows blind for it to work.

 

no i don't think so. with 7 gadgets running it's only using 32mb.

 

Glad you like it!

 

I added a little instruction on how to change your sidebar style/skin. You can use patches that i uploaded.

PLease check the ORIGINAL POST.

 

Can the release version of Vista sidebar be used?

 

The installer will install the vista RTM sidebar. So basically it is the release version of vista sidebar that you will be able to use in your xp(RTM-release to market).

 

Ahh! Ok, I see, thanks!!!

 

Does anyone know where i can get the fonts? some text is showing up.. i got that gadget that shows your hard drive space but it just has the graphics and no text.. i dont think i have the font.

EDIT: Never mind found them.

 

How did you fix the font problem?

I'm also getting the hard drive space with no font.

 

Try to install segoe UI font. Download here. http://www.sendspace.com/file/ipvsw8

 

TO ALL: I uploaded a new screen of the vista rtm sidebar on my xp. I detached some of the gadgets in the sidebar! See how beautiful and useful it is.

LIVEFRMNYC
now it does not look like nuclear or something..LOL

 

Just want to share to everyone. I really like this "application launcher gadget." as i observe it, my applications loads faster when i used this gadget in launching my favorite applications.

You can download this gadget here: http://gallery.live.com/liveItemDetail.aspx?li=4ccdc564-3d94-48a5-82f6-4693940e4ab6&l=1

 

I installed the Segoe and Caligri (sp?) font.

 

qohelet, in your screenshot where did u get your weather gadget from? and that black cpu and ram meter??

 

black cpu and ram meter gadget you can download here: http://gallery.live.com/liveItemDetail.aspx?li=7bd5e1da-6dd5-443e-bafc-6cc75ffa0680&l=1

I think the weather gadget is already bundled on the installer. just search for it by clicking the add gadgets (i think on 3rd page of the gadgets). THe title of the gadgets is "weather."

if you cannot find you can choose from among these weather gadgets here:
http://gallery.live.com/results.aspx?c=8&l=1&ti=2

 

Where did you put the font files?

I put mines in C:/windows/fonts and I still don't see any fonts on the info hardware info gadgets.

 

Did you install calibri fonts too? IMO, you need it too.

 

Yup I did, I installed both Segoe and Caligri. I'll try to delete it and install again.

 

The word "Frankensteinian" comes to mind.:confused2:

 

i just went to control panel > appearance > and on the side theres the link to the font...
i just kinda dragged the fonts into that folder and they installed automatically afterwards i rebooted and it sorted itself out.

How do you install additional gadgets when i double click on the downloaded gadget nothing happens??

 

From the Microsoft Gadget page click install ......and SAVE it to a folder BUT put .ZIP after the name to save it as a .ZIP file. Then unzip it and put the unziped folder in Program files/Windows Sidebar

After that click on ADD GAGDET on your sidebar and you will see it.

NOTE: IF YOU CANNOT SEE YOUR GAGDET, you might have to type .GADGET after the folders file name if it isn't already done ......or else it will not show up.

 

check my first post.

 

thanks guys got it working.

 

is there anyway you can post the sidebar program files elsewhere. the ISP in this country uses a proxy and sendspace keeps tellin me either that Im downloading a file or ive reached my limit when I havent even downloaded anything off them yet!

 

ok... give me 15 minutes...

 

ok i uploaded the files in mediafire.com

i combined those files i posted in the 1st post. you need winrar because you need to unrar it first.

download here: http://www.mediafire.com/?c521mdmdigz

hope this one works. if not then wait for me again and i'll find another way later since i'm going to play tennis now.

 

Thanks! Downloaded and unrared. Now all i gotta do is install

 

glad it worked!!!

 

Yup it works fine although one media player gadget I used crashed the sidebar but thats cuz it was a bad gadget heh.

 

Do i really need to have all those? One thing is leading to another and im having to download all this other stuff, XML, etc.

 

yes you have to. VAIOXP and some gadgets won't work unless you have those.

 

Thanks. Im up and running.

 

hope you'll like it.

 

thanks qohelet for this sidebar!

anyways i would just like to share this link. try to look for the download of sidebar. The Silent Warrior compiled an easier way to get sidebar work in xp. and some additional gadget that i dont see it in qohelet sidebar. i don't know if im allowed to post it here though.

http://www.winmatrix.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=10829&st=30

 

You Rock,

I Come Out Whit This

 

Great work. Is there anyway to use the gagets that are
preinstalled on the lastest Vista?

 

All gadgets posted in microsoft sites will work. Just follow the instructions i have given on the first post.

 

hey guys i'm sorry for this but i don't get how to make the gadgets i download from microsoft work. whenever i rename and add .ZIP nothing happens. anyone knows how to make them associate with zip?

 

Just out of curiosity does this version of the gadgets take more space on your hard drive? I'm currently using Yahoo! widgets and I want the one that takes up less space and uses less mem usage. Thanks

 

Not bad! Not bad at all!

 

thanks
ive been looking for something like this but there are only sidebars that arnt as good as the vista sidebar.

 

Not happening here. On my XP machine I get this dialogue box:

Error.
Sorry. This application attempted to delay-load a library or function that does not exist. Instability may occur.

Then I click ok and it crashes.

Sidebar encountered a problem and needs to close.

No joy.

 

Ok. Well, apparently whatever was missing is there now. As you can see the error message was pretty cryptic. I ran the VAIOXP repair function then installed the C++ and KB files again and now it works.

gohelet, you Da Man!

 

I cannot get this to work. I followed the instructions, but I keep getting an error message on boot up about a delay-load failing. Any ideas?