1. Download the zip-package with files needed to use the Vista Sidebar. If you use the 32bit version of Server 2008, download Windows Sidebar.zip from rapidshare, Megaupload or 4shared. If you use the 64bit version of Server 2008 download Windows Sidebar x64.zip from rapidshare, megaupload or 4shared. The files inside this package are taken from a clean installation of Windows Server 2008 x86/x64 BETA 3 where the Windows Sidebar is still included when installing the Desktop Experience Feature. It is also possible to just copy the C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar\ folder from an other Vista SP1 installation.
2. Open Windows Sidebar (x64).zip and in the toolbar click Extract all files. Click the Browse button, expand Computer –> Local Disk (C:), and click Program Files. Select your destination by clicking OK.
3. Your Extract Compressed (Zipped) Folders window will now look like this. Click Extract to extract the files and folders of Windows Sidebar (x64).zip to your C:\Program Files directory.
4. After the extraction has completed, click Run in the Start menu and enter the following command: "C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar\sidebar.exe" /RegServer. You won’t see anything happen but in the background the SideBar is being installed. To enable the automatic installation of custom gadgets, also run the commands regsvr32 "C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar\sbdrop.dll" and regsvr32 "C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar\wlsrvc.dll".
5. Once again open the Run dialog by clicking Start –> Run, now enter: "C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar\sidebar.exe", and click OK. The taskbar will now show up! Let’s configure that it will automatically start with Windows Server 2008!
6. To configure it to automatically start with Windows right click the SideBar icon in the system tray and click Properties.
7. Check the box Start Sidebar when Windows starts, then click OK. Your taskbar is now fully functioning! You can add Gadgets by right clicking Add Gadgets in the systemtray icon menu or remove them by clicking Close Gadget in the contextmenu of a Gadget. To get help with installing gadgets go to the post Installing Custom Gadgets.
Troubleshooting
Question: I get a Open File- Security Warning message dialog every time I start Windows.
Answer: Follow these steps to remove this message.
1. Browse via My Computer to C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar\, right click sidebar.exe and click Properties.
2. In the General tab click Unblock, then click Apply and/or OK. Now you won’t see that message again! 
could anybody tell hw to execute add gadgets window by run command ? plz guzs help me
Arris: If you mean you can’t add gadgets by double-clicking them, you first have to execute all regsvr32 commands in step 4. Now the .gadget extension should automatically be opened with the Windows Sidebar.
I unblocked the sidebar.exe file and I still am geting the security message when I log on and launch sidebar.
I love this guide and it works a treat.
But I’m not comfortable with downloading sidebar, etc from a security point of view.
I’m not saying there’s anything ‘bad’ going on, but I think I can live without these ‘extras’ for piece of mind and just stick with the basic modifications.
Arris: You know where you can get these extra’s without downloading them from here!
Oops.
I followed the directions, it worked great, and I got sidebar up. Then I tried adding some from the net, and when I downloaded one, it came up with the window to ask which app is associated with this file (a .gadget file). So I manually pointed it at sidebar.exe.
I don’t think that’s correct, and now it’s permanently associated .gadget files with sidebar.exe. I can download the gadgets, but they don’t show up in the box of available gadgets or in the sidebar.
Is there some way to undo the association I made? I tried doing the regsvr32′s again, but that didn’t make any difference.
I haven’t rebooted because nowhere has anyone said that this is required. On a server, one doesn’t reboot unless explicitly told!
Arris: Maybe the method of Markus E will work for you?
Hi ,
I am not able to see the windows sidebar, I am trying in Windows 2003 Server . Can I follow the same steps.. or
Arris: Haven’t tested it in Windows Server 2003. Maybe you can try to find out which files/registry keys are missing using Sysinternals Process Monitor. For more info read this topic.
hi,sorry to ask a question,when i do as what you said,there are some priblems with the gadgets,they dont display currently.
could you tell me the solution please?
just get me an email
Arris: Ask your questions at the forum and you ‘ll probably get (the lead to) a solution!
Hi,
My Sidebar crash everytime i started, Looks like the DEP closed the program.
Some added info from my previous comment, I try to put the windows sidebar to DEP exception list, but I got info that windows sidebar need DEP to run.
Arris: Have you followed the Disable DEP tutorial in stead of adding the Sidebar to the list of exceptions?
Wow man it took some time but it is working great now. I found that it was only a matter of making sure that all the files in the main dir. where admin enabled and or unblocked. THANK-YOU it works great!
o one more helpful comment for those that need it if the gadgets are coming up black make sure that when you install the program that you go to the properties of the file …/sidebar.exe and give it admin rites by going to property => compatibility tab => at the bottom you SHOULD see the box to give admin permissions if you don’t do this as well as unblock the DLL files then you will only get the black Boxes.
Have FUN!
Arris: Thanks for your comment; hope this will help some people with their SideBar problems!
Can I have the zip installation file for a french windows 2008 x32 Server?
I got the Side bar to work and all Gadgets are also working
however on my Windows 2008 server 64 bit i am not able to set the Opacity for teh Side BAr..
Opacity option works for the individual gadget but not for the full side bar.. any pointers will be help full
To Leo
In the Sidebar properties, try to uncheck “Sidebar is always on top of other windows”.
Did this solve your problem?
This does not seem to work for Windows 2008 R2 64 bit RC
I am wondering why no one has asked how to get the sidebar icon to show up in the control panel as it should. I looked in the registry under: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{37efd44d-ef8d-41b1-940d-96973a50e9eo}\DefaultIcon, and of course it is not there (if it was, I would have it displaying properly in the CP…) The icon is stored in the .exe, but if you close the sidebar and exit the sidebar in the tool tray with the “start sidebar when windows starts” unchecked, you are left to crawl to %ROOT%\Program Files\Windows Sidebar.exe in order to reopen it.
This ought to be easy shouldn’t it??? I am most likely overlooking the obvious here… BTW it is NOT listed in the registry under the Control Panel \DoNotShow\ key; if it was, 1)I would merely delete it and it would appear and 2) Ah, I already covered it does not seem to be in the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID~ to begin with.
Tired of thinking; I’ll post a solution if no one else does and I feel like jerking around for 10 minutes more…
Your guide works well now that it has been updated with many of the corrections. (now there is a nice .exe to convert WS08 in minutes too! (I did it the old fashioned way prior and this guide was helpful!)
Thanks!
Arris: Do you already have a solution for the missing Sidebar icon in the Control Panel? Good to hear this guide was helpful for you!
Valeu Mano, (thanks Man).
Manbou bem… funcionou blz.
Works Fine..
Hug´s
I could install it just fine, and it comes up, but then it wants to connect all the time, but apparently doesn’t. And also when I change the location in the options, it never persists that. The moment I close and get in again, the location is gone again, and it constantly wants to connect. Any port I have to open for this? Any file permissions issue? This is on x64.
The Vista sidebar worked fine.
When Windows7 sidebar files were copied, it didn’t work. Sidebar.exe never starts successfully. I like Windows7 sidebar since it does not occupy the real estate on the right side.
Any suggestions on enabling Win7 sidebar in Win2008?
Like Gary, I tried windows7 64bits sidebar files, and sidebar.exe never starts… I can upload those files if someone else wanna try make it work.
vdwmapi.dll
hi to all:
please help,
i got problem executing……”C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar\sidebar.exe” /RegServer
error occured:
‘This application has failed to start because vdwmapi.dll was not found.
Re-installing the application may fix this problem.’
>> any help very much appreciated…thnx.
Works like a charm. I ran the /RegServer in an elevated command prompt and all of the gadgets work to. I copied the files like you said and everything is just like vista
Awesome!! Works perfectly on Win Server 2008r2!!!