Bring Back Classic Windows 7 Features in Windows 10

[Batu69]

If you're feeling nostalgic, check out our guide to find out how to add some Windows 7 features to Windows 10

Install Aero Glass on Windows 10

 

Because Microsoft changed most aspects about its OS in Windows 10, it naturally left out some Windows 7 features that many users are missing.

If you want to bring back the Aero effect, desktop gadgets and Windows 7 Calculator to Windows 10, check our this guide. We're showing you how to effortlessly do this using three apps: Aero Glass, 8GadgetPack and Old Calculator (WinAero). Scroll down this article to play our video guide and watch the three programs in action.

Aero Glass

Download the Aero Glass installation kit available for both Windows 10 and 8.1, and click Next until you have finished setup.

If you receive an Incompatibility issue error after installing Aero Glass, you can fix this by following these steps: download Windows Software Development Kit (External mirror - for Win 10), install only the Debugging Tools for Windows component, then create an empty text document (anywhere on the disk).

Copy and paste this code inside of the empty document:

rd /q /s C:AeroGlasssymbols

c:

cd %windir%system32

"C:Program Files (x86)Windows Kits10Debuggersx64symchk.exe" dwmcore.dll /s SRV*c:symbols*http://msdl.microsoft.com/download/symbols

"C:Program Files (x86)Windows Kits10Debuggersx64symchk.exe" udwm.dll /s SRV*c:symbols*http://msdl.microsoft.com/download/symbols

"C:Program Files (x86)Windows Kits10Debuggersx64symchk.exe" ApplicationFrame.dll /s SRV*c:symbols*http://msdl.microsoft.com/download/symbols

md C:AeroGlasssymbols

xcopy C:symbols* C:AeroGlasssymbols /s

rd /q /s C:symbols

Rename the file with the .bat extension, then run it.

8GadgetPack

8GadgetPack supports both 32-bit (x86) and 64-bit (x64) architecture types for Windows 10. After installation, it creates a sidebar on the desktop. To add widgets, right-click an empty area on the sidebar, click Add gadgets and explore the three pages with available widgets, such as Agenda (a calendar with notes), All CPU Meter (measures the CPU usage of all your computer's cores), App Launcher (creates shortcuts to favorite files or folders to quickly launch) and Clipboarder (shows current Clipboard contents as soon as you copy something new).

You can view the thumbnails of all opened windows in the sidebar by right-clicking and enabling Window-Manager (take the same steps to go back to the original state and view gadgets instead of thumbnails), as well as configure sidebar settings by selecting Options from the context menu.

For example, you can place 8GadgetPack's sidebar on the Left side of the screen instead of the Right, put it on another monitor connected to your PC, keep it on top of other windows (tick the Show sidebar always on top box), automatically hide it when it's not in focus (tick the Auto-hide the sidebar box), create an icon for 8GadgetPack in the taskbar for easy access (tick the Show icon in taskbar box), as well as Set a fixed width (move a slider to adjust it) instead of Determinining the width automatically. Click Close to apply settings and return to the sidebar.

Old Calculator

If you're not satisfied with the Windows 10 Calculator app with the flat interface and large buttons, you can get Old Calculator, which has full localization support, meaning that it will automatically adapt to your OS language. It supports both 32-bit (x86) and 64-bit (x64) architecture types of Windows 10.

After installation, the tool replaces the Windows 10 Calculator as default. To launch it, you can either press the Win key, type calculator and press Enter on the first search result, or open the Run command (Win+R), type calc and press Enter.

To get a visual rundown of these three utilities, play video guide below. You can also download Aero Glass, 8GadgetPack and Old Calculator.

Video:

Spoiler

Bring Back Classic Windows 7 Features in Windows 10

 

Article source

[dMog]

I USE START 8.1 FOR WIN 10 64 BIT

 

[PrEzi]

Just to add to it : OldNewExplorer:

http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/170375-oldnewexplorer-118/

 

[software182]

Or you can go back completely to Windows 7  

[VileTouch]

"old calculator": have you seen the new unit converter?it is far superior!.
 though, i can understand, if your universal apps are broken for some reason (but that would be like taking breath fresheners when you have tuberculosis, you REALLY want to stop dicking around and fix the underlying problem!)

 

there's also a character map app. "dvd player app" (of questionable usefulness), and all the classic windows games ported to UWP if you miss them.

 

all of the old desktop widgets exist as modern apps nowadays (with better performance) so you shouldn't be missing anything.

[TheMountain]

Gadgets have been discontinued

Gadgets are no longer available on our website because the Windows Sidebar platform in Windows 7 and Windows Vista has serious vulnerabilities. Microsoft has retired the feature in newer releases of Windows. Gadgets could be exploited to harm your computer, access your computer's files, show you objectionable content, or change their behavior at any time. An attacker could even use a gadget to take complete control of your PC. If you're concerned about the safety of gadgets you’ve downloaded, find out more about gadgets and steps you can take to protect your PC.

Source

 

---

 

I disable the 'Windows 7 Gadgets' feature. 

 

(Off topic, I don't believe Windows 8(.1) & 10 apps are more secure as Micro claims.)

[VileTouch]

3 hours ago, TheMountain said:

(Off topic, I don't believe Windows 8(.1) & 10 apps are more secure as Micro claims.)

 

they are. mostly because they each run in an isolated sandbox and it's not possible to escalate their permissions as with widgets. also you (the user) have more control over what information they are allowed to have. (that is, you can restrict them even more)