Recycle bin gadget does not appear on start up. I have to add this manually every time i boot. It's a bit annoying.
What Recycle are you using? All I did to get gadgets working was went to win2008r2workstation.com/sidebar/ I then made a folder in windows/system32/ called "files" (well it keep telling me if could not find some script..so I put all files where it was looking.) took the files from the zip in the folder "files" to the new windows/system32/files and ran the install. Everything runs great Rebooted tried different gadgets.. still boots up all working.
Well I installed Windows 8 pro for the first time about a week ago. I tried copying both the Windows Sidebar and Vista Sidebar program files from Windows Vista and 7 onto 8. But sadly nether the sidebar or the gadgets would run. I thought the Windows 7 Gadgets would work on windows 8 if I copied the files from my Windows 7 other but no luck I am afraid. Though they did worked in Windows 8 RP but not now. It seems that Microsoft has blocked Windows 7 Gadgets from running on Windows 8.
There is no sidebar.exe for Win 8 by default, and as your files not associated to anything, why should they run. It´s not a task you start that simple. Only chance: use an Installer as Tito suggested .
I installed 8gadgetspack on surface pro with win8pro They worked fine! After the update to win8.1 pro via the store, just freeze! The same result after uninstall and new install again! A new clean install of win8.1pro, brought the same results! Any suggestions???