No Windows 8 Desktop Gadgets? Try these two tools to get them back!
One of the features missing in Microsoft's latest operating system Windows 8 is desktop gadget support. Gadgets are programs that make their functionality directly available on the desktop. They were first introduced in Windows Vista limited to a sidebar area on the desktop, and then improved under Windows 7 where they can be placed anywhere on the screen. Microsoft recently released a security advisory that suggested to disable Windows Sidebar and Gadgets to protect the operating system against security vulnerabilities that exploit the feature.
Microsoft in addition has retired the official gadget directory on the Microsoft website, and removed options to install gadgets on its newest operating system Windows 8.
While there is no official option to add desktop gadget support back to the operating system, there are two unofficial ways to do so. Before you start to install one of the alternatives, I'd like to point out that you should scan the solutions with up to date antivirus software and create a backup of your system before you do so to avoid any issues. At least one solution adds the Windows 8 Release Preview gadgets system to the final version of Windows 8.
1. Windows Sidebar / Gadgets for Windows 8 RTM
The first solution was posted on the My Digital Life forum a few weeks ago. This uses the gadget files from the Windows 8 Release Preview to make the Windows Sidebar feature available under the final version of Windows 8. Just download the 32-bit or 64-bit version of the pack to your computer, extract them all to the Windows\system32\ folder and run the install.cmd file afterwards to install the desktop gadget support on the system again.
2. Windows 8 Desktop Gadgets
This second package comes with an installer that you can run on your system. I have found it referenced on Mike's blog, the download points directly to a file hosted on a Russian forum. I could not locate the actual forum thread the file was posted on, and would be very cautious before you install it on your system. One option would be to install it first in a virtual environment with detailed installation logging for a listing of all modifications that are made on the system.#
3. 8Gadget Pack
This one is brand new, has been released a few days ago. It ships with an installer that is compatible with 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows 8 as long as the interface language is Chinese, English, French, German or Japanese. The installer will re-add the original Microsoft gadget files and settings that have been part of the beta of Windows 8. In addition, it ships with about 20 different popular gadgets that you can install right away on the system without having to go gadget hunting on the web first.
You can alternatively install a desktop customization tool like Rainmeter which ships with a set of gadgets by default. While that won't give you support for native Windows desktop gadgets, it is something that may replace the gadgets that you ran under previous versions of Windows and want to have available at your disposal under Windows 8 as well.
What mental age of reader are you targeting with the first sentence? 10?
Why not write an article on how to *avoid* upgrading from W10 to W11. Analogous to those like me who avoided upgrading from 7 to 10 for as long as possible.
If your paymaster Microsoft permits it, of course.
5. Rufus
6. Ventoy
PS. I hate reading these “SEO optimized” articles.
I used Rufus to create an installer for a 6th gen intel i5 that had MBR. It upgraded using Setup. No issues except for Win 11 always prompting me to replace my local account. Still using Win 10 Pro on all my other PCs to avoid the bullying.
bit pointless to upgrade for the sake of upgrading as you never know when you’ll get locked out because ms might suddenly not provide updates to unsupported systems.
ps…. time travelling?
written. Jan 15, 2023
Updated • Jan 13, 2023
This happens when you schedule a post in WordPress and update it before setting the publication date.
Anyone willing to downgrade to this awful OS must like inflicting themselves with harm.
I have become convinced now that anybody who has no qualms with using Windows 11/10 must fit into one of the following brackets:
1) Too young to remember a time before W10 and W11 (doesn’t know better)
2) Wants to play the latest games on their PC above anything else (or deeply needs some software which already dropped W7 support)
3) Doesn’t know too much about how computers work, worried that they’d be absolutely lost and in trouble without the “”latest security””
4) Microsoft apologist that tries to justify that the latest “features” and “changes” are actually a good thing, that improve Windows
5) Uses their computer to do a bare minimum of like 3 different things, browse web, check emails, etc, so really doesn’t fuss
Obviously that doesn’t cover everyone, there’s also the category that:
6) Actually liked W7 more than 10, and held out as long as possible before switching, begrudgingly uses 10 now
Have I missed any group off this list?
You have missed in this group just about any professional user that uses business software like CAD programs or ERP Programs which are 99% of all professional users from this list.
Linux doesn’t help anyone who is not a linux kid and apple is just a fancy facebook machine.
Microsoft has removed KB5029351 update
only from windows update though
KB5029351 is still available from the ms update catalog site
1. This update is labaled as PREVIEW if it causes issues to unintelligent people, then they shouldn’t have allowed Preview updates ot install.
2. I have installed it in a 11 years old computer, and no problems at all.
3. Making a big drama over a bluescreen for an updated labeled as preview is ridiculous.
This is probably another BS internet drama where people ran programs and scripts that modified the registry until they broke Windows, just for removing stuff that they weren’t even using just for the sake of it.
Maybe people should stop playing geeks and actually either use Windows 10 or Windows 11, but don’t try to modify things just for the sake of it.
Sometimes removing or stopping things (like defender is a perfect example) only need intelligence, not scripts or 3rd party programs that might mess with windows.
Windows 11 was a pointless release, it was just created because some of the Windows team wanted to boost sales with some sort of new and improved Windows 10. Instead, Microsoft cannot support one version well let alone two.
Windows 11 is the worst ugly shame by Microsoft ever. They should release with every new W11 version a complete free version of Starallback inside just to make this sh** OS functionally again.
motherboard maker MSI has recently released a statement regarding the “unsupported processor” blue screen error for their boards using Intel 600/700 series chipsets & to avoid the KB5029351 Win11 update:
https://www.msi.com/news/detail/MSI-On–UNSUPPORTED-PROCESSOR–Error-Message-of-Windows-11-Update-KB5029351-Preview-142215
check out the following recent articles:
Neowin – Microsoft puts little blame on its Windows update after UNSUPPORTED PROCESSOR BSOD bug:
https://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-puts-little-blame-on-its-windows-update-after-unsupported-processor-bsod-bug/
BleepingComputer – Microsoft blames ‘unsupported processor’ blue screens on OEM vendors:
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-blames-unsupported-processor-blue-screens-on-oem-vendors/
While there may be changes or updates to the Windows 10 Store for Business and Education in the future, it is premature to conclude that it will be discontinued based solely on rumors.
My advice, I left win 15 years ago. Now I’m a happy linux user (linuxmint) but there is Centos, Fedora, Ubuntu depending on your needs.
motherboard maker MSI has recently released new BIOS/firmware updates for their Intel 600 & 700 series motherboards to fix the “UNSUPPORTED_PROCESSOR” problem (Sept. 6):
https://www.msi.com/news/detail/Updated-BIOS-fixes-Error-Message–UNSUPPORTED-PROCESSOR–caused-BSOD-on-MSI-s-Intel-700-and-600-Series-Motherboards-142277