Greetings to you, dear visitor to the blog site.
What Windows 7 sidebar, in my opinion, is known mainly by all users of this operating system... Although those who have Windows Vista, they probably also place mini-, so-called, desktop gadgets on it. Yes, and our brother is a pensioner - a pensioner, I think this is no exception.
So in this article I would like to dwell in more detail on this very side Windows panels 7. Talk about these gadgets. Discuss the appropriateness of their application in light of the latest recommendations from the Microsoft Security Technology Center. And also offer a way to remove this seemingly useful thing from your computer, if, of course, you make such a decision.
Windows 7 sidebar - why you need it
Needless to say, this is a convenient thing, however. For example, I placed a CPU indicator on it. Sometimes I looked at these arrows when. Not a bad thing news feed, too often cast a glance. But most of all I liked the gadgets of the exchange rate, since I constantly monitor some of the exchange quotes. Conveniently, I turned on the computer and the information is in front of my eyes. So, what does it give us:
- fast access to information, it is in constant readiness;
- ease of use - no need to stop the main work with documents;
And this is perhaps all that can be said about it. But nevertheless, her popularity among was, at least until recently, rather high level... Moreover, new gadgets to your taste for the windows 7 sidebar could always be downloaded on the Internet. It was enough just to click on the button “Find gadgets on the Internet”:
Do you still remember this? Now, if you click on this link, you will be taken to a page where the inscription “Gadgets are no longer available” flaunts.
Windows 7 sidebar is no longer needed
You've probably noticed that from the beginning I wrote about this sidebar and gadgets in the past tense. And this is no coincidence. And all because Microsoft discovered serious vulnerabilities there. It turns out that cybercriminals have learned how to create that use the sidebar gadgets of Windows 7 and Windows Vista to gain absolute control over your computer.
And how does it feel for you? Is this convenience worth it, and even in their evil intentions? And surely these intentions will not bring you any benefit, but rather the opposite. As soon as I found out about this, I immediately got rid of this convenient thing once and for all. And I advise you to do the same.
By the way, how to do this is described on the page of the Microsoft Technical Security Center. It covers three ways to disable the Windows sidebar and gadgets. I will describe to you only one, and given that my main readers are pensioners - pensioners and teapots, I will do it in detail and with pictures.
Disable Windows Sidebar and Gadgets
We will do this with the help system registry... Of course, this is only recommended for advanced users and administrators. But any advanced user when that was also a teapot. So don't be afraid, just do it first backup registry before editing. So that in which case it was possible.
If someone is not confident in himself, it is better not to take it, since erroneous actions can, very much even, lead to problems, and quite serious ones. Sometimes, after such failures, you have to reinstall the operating system. Therefore, it is necessary necessarily! ! So let's get started.
Click "Start", "Run". Or press the Win + R keys and in the window that appears, type: regedit. Then we press “OK”, in the next also “Yes” and we get into the “Registry Editor” window. Here we act carefully and carefully. Left-click on the triangle next to the folder HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE:
The list in which you need to find the folder will expand SOFTWARE and also expand it with the left mouse button:
The following list will open, move the slider down and somewhere in the middle of the list we find the folder Microsoft... Expand:
We see the next list, again the slider down. Find the folder Windows... Expanding the list:
And at the very beginning we see the folder CurrentVersion, click on the triangle:
Slider down again. So we got to the subsection Policies... Right-click now directly on this inscription:
Select "Create", then "Section":
New section will appear in the list:
Do not touch anything, just type on the keyboard: Windows. Thus, we will enter the name of the file. This is how it will look:
Now right-click on the newly created subsection Windows and again select "Create" and "Section":
Appears new section... As in the first case, we now enter the file name: Sidebar. I will not show how it looks. Right-click on Sidebar, select “Create”, and then not “Section”, as we did before, but “DWORD parameter (32 bits)”:
Here's what we get after our manipulations:
Enter the file name: TurnOffSidebar and again right-click on this name and select "Change":
Enter the value "1" and click "OK":
As a result, it should look like this:
After making the changes, you need to reboot or close the sidebar.exe process.
Well, you yourself know how to reboot, but I will tell you how to close this process.
Goodbye to the Windows sidebar
In order to complete the process, you need to call the "Task Manager". Press Ctrl + Alt + Del, “Start Task Manager”. In the window that opens, click on “Processes”, find the sidebar.exe inscription, click on it and click on “End Process”:
In the next window, we confirm the seriousness of our intentions and the Windows sidebar will immediately disappear and will not appear the next time the computer is turned on.
And one more piece of advice. In order not to be mistaken when entering the newly created names of the subsections of the subsections and, it is best to copy them directly from the text of the article and paste where necessary. I think this will protect you from accidental mistakes, the consequences of which, as I wrote above, can be serious and unpleasant.
By the way, after removing this panel, I noticed that my laptop became quieter to work. At least, the periodic howling of the fan is not heard and the hang of the pages has become very rare. Not otherwise, the cybercriminals - the adversaries have lost control of the PC! Or maybe these are my glitches?
On this, let me take my leave. And do not regret that you have lost such a handy little thing. Not worth this Windows sidebar with all of her useful gadgets, in order to endanger your computer and even more so your personal data that is stored there. After all, it's still more important.
One of the innovations that Windows Vista brought with it was a sidebar with small visual gadget tools for various purposes. In the article below, we'll tell you if the Sidebar for Windows 7 can be restored and is worth doing.
Some users appreciated the convenience of this feature, but most did not like this option, and in Windows 7 the application "Side panel" Microsoft programmers have transformed into a set of gadgets that are located on "Desktop".
Alas, such an alteration did not help either - after a few years Microsoft discovered a vulnerability in this element, which caused its development to be completely discontinued, and in newest versions operating system, the Redmond corporation abandoned "Sidebar" and their gadget heirs.
However, many people liked both the gadgets and the sidebar: such an element expands the functionality of the OS or makes it more convenient to use. Therefore, independent developers stepped in: there are alternative options sidebar for Windows 7, as well as gadgets that can be used without the specified component through the corresponding item in the context menu "Desktop".
Returning the sidebar to Windows 7
Since it is no longer possible to obtain this component by the official method, you will have to use third party solution... The most functional of these is a free product called 7 Sidebar. The app is incredibly simple and easy to use - it's a gadget that includes sidebar functionality.
Step 1: Install 7 Sidebar
The download and installation instructions are as follows:
Step 2: Working with the 7 Sidebar
The sidebar presented by the 7 Sidebar gadget does not only copy appearance and the capabilities of this component in Windows Vista, but also adds many new features. They can be found in the context menu of the element: move the cursor over the panel and right-click. 
Now let's take a closer look at each point.
The program works great with both system and third-party gadgets. You can find out how to add a third-party gadget to Windows 7 from the article at the link below.
Step 3: 7 Sidebar settings
Setting item context menu sidebar contains tabs "Location", "Design" and "About the program"... The latter displays information about a component and is not very useful, whereas the first two include options for tweaking the appearance and behavior of the sidebar. 
Layout options allow you to select the monitor (if there are more than one), the side of the position and the width of the panel, and display on "Desktop" or on hover. 
Tab "Design" responsible for setting the grouping and snapping of gadgets, transparency and switching between multiple tabs with different groups of gadgets. 
Removing 7 Sidebar
If for some reason you needed to remove 7 Sidebars, you can do it like this:
The item will be deleted without any trace in the system.
Conclusion
As you can see, you can still return the sidebar to Windows 7, albeit with the help of a third-party tool.
Earlier in Opera, the sidebar was one of the killer features that made this browser so beloved by loyal users. With the help of the sidebar, you could get quick access to your bookmarks, downloads, mail or notes and work with them without closing the open in this moment pages. It was really handy.
New browser sidebar (opens with Ctrl keys+ Shift + S) largely repeats the functions of its predecessor, but they are implemented using special extensions. This gives us hope that the sidebar capabilities in Opera will increase over time as third-party developers create more and more extensions. Already now you can view your Twitter feed, RSS news, manage installed extensions, add notes and more. Below you will find a description of several Opera sidebar extensions that you can install right now.
V7 Bookmarks
Viewing your favorites is one of the most convenient and logical functions that you can implement in the sidebar of your browser. Thanks to it, you can quickly add and delete new bookmarks, move them between folders and, of course, open your favorite sites.
TweetDeck Sidebar
If you are a fan of the Twitter service and cannot live without the latest news and a minute (or have to keep track of them due to the nature of your work), then the TweetDeck Sidebar extension will come to your rescue. It allows you to open your TweetDeck feed right in the sidebar and watch with one eye for updates to your feeds.
SimpleExtManager
This simple extension manager will allow you to enable or disable needed extensions on the fly, as well as provide quick access to their settings. In addition, you can create groups of extensions that can be activated all together with one click of the mouse. Thus, you can create several groups, one of which can be used, for example, for work, the other - for games or multimedia, and switch between them as needed.
V7 Notes
The trademark of the Opera browser in a new reincarnation. It is worth noting that V7 Notes looks and works no worse than the old note-taking and is just as capable of helping you out in the situation when you need to quickly save a quote, link or text from the currently open page.
Google keep sidebar
The Google Keep service is deservedly loved by users for its versatility and cross-platform functionality. With it, you can create quick notes, lists, reminders and voice recordings right in the Opera sidebar, and then view them on the Web or on your mobile device.
The history panel
This is a simple bookmark manager for the sidebar. All elements in it are sorted by time of visit and domains, there is a search bar. Clicking on the desired site will open it in a new browser tab.
InoReader Sidebar
InoReader is one of the best online rss readers. If you are a user of it, then install a special extension for the sidebar, which will allow you to view new articles without having to open the main web interface.
Opera sidebar and the corresponding extensions for it are interesting novelty, which may well attract additional users to this browser. For example, I seriously thought about using Opera as my main browser. And you?
This article provides answers to the most common questions about Windows sidebar.
What is Windows Sidebar?
Using the sidebar, you can configure quick access to the information you need avoiding clutter in the workspace. The sidebar is located on and contains gadgets - customizable gadgets that show constantly updated information and allow you to perform many operations without opening. For example, you can show regularly updated weather forecasts, news headlines, and picture demonstrations.
Windows sidebar
How do I open the side panel? What gadgets come with this Windows version?
The gadgets that come with Windows include a calendar, clock, contacts, feed headers, slideshow, puzzle and notepad.
Can I install additional gadgets? How do gadgets work?
Any gadget can be added to the sidebar. A widget added to the dashboard can be used directly on it, or detached and placed on. If you close the sidebar, you can use the gadgets on your desktop.
One of the most interesting components of the desktop windows desktop Vista is a sidebar located vertically on the right side of the desktop. It contains windows of gadgets (aka mini-applications) that allow you to play various games, view the weather forecast and the latest news, search for data, and much more. Windows Vista ships with several gadgets for the sidebar.
Additional gadgets can be downloaded from the Internet. Right after Windows boot the sidebar will contain windows for gadgets such as Watch, Slideshow and News headlines... Each of these windows can be removed or moved as desired.
The sidebar and the gadget windows located on it can be organized in such a way as to get quick access to each application. Moreover, each widget window 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 receive the latest news or weather forecasts), you will need permanent connection to the Internet, for example via ADSL or cable modem. Of course, you can use a regular dial-up connection via a telephone line, but the speed of operation for such a connection will be low.
Windows Vista no longer has the Active Desktop feature that allows you to use your desktop to host interactive elements from the Internet. The sidebar is actually a further development of the ideas behind Active Desktop.
If the side panel is closed, there are several ways to open it.
- Select a team Start> All Programs> Accessories> Windows Sidebar.
- Click on the sidebar icon located in the notification area.
- Press the key combination
- Press the key combination
- Click on the button Start and in the field To start searching enter a word lateral and then select the link Windows sidebar.
In turn, to close the sidebar, right-click on it and select the command Close side panel... 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 quit it. To do this, right-click on the icon Windows sidebar and select the command Output... This will close the sidebar, the icon in the notification area, and shut down all gadgets.
If you simply close the sidebar, the gadgets will remain in random access memory and will continue their work. If you exit the sidebar, then all gadgets will be unloaded from RAM, which will free it up for other tasks.
Initially, such gadgets are available for the Windows Vista sidebar.
- Currency... Viewing currency quotes.
- Puzzle... A little game.
- News headlines... View news from the news Web site you specified.
- Notes... An analogue of paper sticky sheets on which you can make various notes, etc.
- CPU indicator... The indicator allows you to monitor the load level of the process and RAM.
- Calendar... Small and handy calendar. Unlike the Windows Calendar program, the Calendar gadget does not allow you to schedule events or appointments.
- Contacts... A small book of contacts.
- Weather... Using this gadget, you can receive an operational weather forecast from the Internet, as well as the current weather report.
- Slideshow... Displays images of your choice in a small window.
- Securities... Ability to view quotations of securities.
- Watch... An arrow clock for those who don't have enough hours in the notification area.
You can open the side pane options window as follows.
- Right-click in the sidebar and select the command Properties.
- Select a team Start> Control Panel> Appearance and Personalization> Windows Sidebar Properties.
In the window that opens, you can check the box Sidebar is always on top of other windows if you need the sidebar to be visible at all times. In addition, you can choose on which side of the screen the sidebar should be located, as well as view a list of open gadgets.
You can add several gadget windows to the side panel both from the list of already installed gadgets and downloaded from the Internet. In this case, the gadget window does not have to be "glued" to the side panel; you can easily move the sidebar to any place convenient for you.
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 gadgets... Second option: Click on the "+" sign at the top of the sidebar. This will open a window Gadgets collection.
Now double-click in the desired widget window or right-click on the gadget icon and select the command Add... There is also a third option, the simplest: drag the window of the gadget of your choice to the desktop or sidebar.
To download and install additional gadgets, open the window Gallery of widgets one of the methods described above and click on the link Find gadgets online... If you could not resist and downloaded a whole army of gadgets, then to find the program you need, you can use the jump buttons located at the top of the window Gadgets collection... Also, don't forget about the search box. Find all gadgets where you can enter the name of the gadget you want. Alternatively, click the arrow icon on the right side of the search box and choose Recently installed gadgets to find all gadgets installed in the last 30 days.
Each gadget can be installed in multiple copies. For example, multiple gadget windows can be placed on the desktop. Watch and for each of them indicate a different time. To delete a gadget window, in the window Gadgets collection use the right mouse button to select the required window and then the command Delete... If you uninstalled the gadgets that came with Windows, open the Side Pane Options window by right-clicking in the side pane and choosing Properties... In the window that opens, click on the button Repair gadgets installed by Windows.
It is very easy to place a gadget window on your desktop. Right click on the gadget window in the sidebar and select the command Detach from side panel... 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 the gadget window on top of the windows displayed by Windows, right-click on the gadget window that is disconnected from the side pane and select the command Over the rest of the windows... In turn, to return the gadget window to the sidebar, right-click on the window and select the command Attach to sidebar.
The parameters of each gadget can be changed. To do this, right-click on the window and select the command Options... Another option is to click on the wrench icon located on the right upper corner gadget windows. If you need to adjust the transparency level of the widget, right-click the application window and choose Opacity and then specify the required opacity, for example 80%.
Popular gadgets
Once you've gotten a taste of some of the Windows Vista gadgets, you're likely to kick up your appetite and start looking for new gadgets to help you with a wide variety of tasks. Let's take a look at some gadgets, some of which can be given a chance by installing on the sidebar. Nearly all of the gadgets described below (plus thousands of other gadgets) can be found on the website at http://gallery.live.com and http://gadgetsforvista.net.
What gadgets might you need?
- Quick start... Although Windows Vista, like other versions of Windows, has a panel quick launch, it is not always convenient to use it. Typically, the Quick Launch contains icons for commonly used programs such as Word, Excel, Outlook, etc. However, the working area of the Quick Launch is small. In turn, the Quick Launch gadget is a panel on which you can place icons for programs you frequently launch. Initially, this panel is small, but as new icons are added to it, the panel expands. It is enough to click once on the icon, and the selected program will be launched. In addition, folders can be added to the panel, just as links to all programs whose icons are located on the panel can be saved in text file... Quite a few users have switched to using this gadget instead of or in conjunction with the Quick Launch.
- ClipboardHistory... If you actively use the clipboard for text data, then you probably often encountered a problem when the fragment of text you need located in the clipboard was overwritten by a new fragment when using the keyboard shortcut
- MultiMeter... It is analogous to the CPU Indicator gadget, which is supported by default in Windows Vista. Unfortunately, the CPU Indicator only shows the total utilization of the processor or multiple processor cores, but what if you want to see how much each core is loaded? MultiMeter will help you with this, which also displays the amount of used RAM. More than 100 visual skins are also supported, allowing you to choose the look you like for MultiMeter.
- Google-bar and Wikipedia Search gadgets... There are dozens of gadgets for Windows Vista designed to search for a wide variety of data. Given the overpopularity of the search engine google systems and the Wikipedia encyclopedia, it is not surprising that the gadgets for these Web sites are receiving particular attention from users. The Google-bar and Wikipedia Search gadgets are simple text boxes where you enter your query. After entering the query and pressing the key
a default browser window will open with the results of your request. The Google-bar allows you to search for both text results and images. In turn, the Wikipedia Search gadget allows you to enter queries in several languages, including Russian. - Sphere Timer... The digital time indicator is one of the most useful and indispensable gadgets. The Sphere Timer gadget is more than just a digital clock, but also a stopwatch, alarm and alert. At the moment, Sphere Timer is one of the most popular digital indicators time.
- Panda cam... The collection of gadgets that comes by default with Windows Vista includes a gadget that lets you organize a slideshow of your photos, drawings, or background pictures Vista. If you want something more interesting, install the Panda Cam gadget. In the window of this application, there will be a video broadcast from the webcam at the zoo in the city of San Diego, where you can watch the pandas frolicking at the zoo. Of course, pandas won't necessarily pose in front of the camera, but this gadget will give you plenty of enjoyable moments.
Do not forget that gadgets use a certain amount of RAM and load the processor, so use gadgets wisely and do not install them 20 pieces in a row without understanding how much RAM and CPU time they require.
