Software like VistaSidebar for Win7 ???

BlackWizard

I'm looking for a piece of software that behaves like the Vista sidebar.

I want to run a resource monitor on it and NOT have my windows move ontop of it when I maximize them.

Any ideas? I had one before.. but I forget the damn name of it.

Just any type of widget thing which stops my windows from moving over them.

Fysh

There's a CPU meter desktop gadget that might suit your needs - once you've put it where you want it, just right-click and select "Always on top" and it won't be covered by other application windows. Any desktop gadget should be able to handle the "always visible" part of your requirements.

If the CPU Meter is a bit basic for your needs, have a look at this page for some other resource monitor gadgets that might be more in line with what you're after.

BlackWizard

But when I click always on top, other windows appear under it.

So I liked the Vista bar because it was a complete solid bar on the right hand side which nothing could go under or over.

Torqay

MooO System Monitor maybe? (free, available as installer "or portable")

BlackWizard

That's a nice monitor, but unfortunately when I maximise a window next to it, the window will appear under it.

Fysh

So you want to sacrifice a chunk of screen real estate in order to have an always-on-top resource meter that doesn't obscure other windows? Hmm. Not sure that's possible, I was under the impression that the Vista Sidebar was generally disliked in part for its default screenspace grab...

Fysh

There's a gadget for Windows 7 here that seems to do what you want; you can place other gadgets on top of it to get the desired effect.

BlackWizard

Thanks!!! Exactly what I wanted.

99% of the time I never see my desktop background. Everyone I know is the same so I don't understand when people get to see these windows 7 gadgets.

My second monitor is just for email and documents. My main window is for my IDE and anything I need lots of space for.

I attached an image of my desktop

Capt'n Midnight

slightly off topic

process explorer sysinternals has an always on top option but it will cover your window

However, it does put an active icon in the taskbar and a mouse hover will list the top two cpu hogs