BleepingComputer.com: Win 7 Taskbar For Vista

WARNING! This Tip Involves Editing The Windows Registry! Improper Changes To The Registry Can Render Windows Inoperable. Make A Backup Of The Registry Before Proceeding!

How to make Vista's taskbar look and act like Win 7's.
This does not include or add "Pin To Taskbar Function" which is not really needed due to the "Quick Launch Feature"

1. Open "Regedit" and navigate to "HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Control Panel/Desktop(Expand) and click on "Window Metrics"
2. Right click on empty space and create a new "String" and name it "MinWidth" and give it a value of "-285"
3. Close Regedit.

4. Right click "Taskbar" and unlock
5. Right click "Taskbar" again, hover over "Toolbars" and enable "Quick Launch" if it isn't already.
6. Using your mouse, expand the Quick Launch area to show all Icons.
7. Right click an area in the Quick Launch and hover over "View" and select "Large Icons"
8. Right click "Taskbar" again and select "Properties", click the "Taskbar Tab" and select all except "Auto-Hide The Taskbar"
9. Done.

To add an item/program, just right click the program and "Add To Quick Launch"

http://i48.tinypic.com/2nrhwfr.jpg

This post has been edited by Amazing Andrew: 04 December 2009 - 03:30 AM
Reason for edit: Mod Edit: Added Registry Warning - AA

Adamsappleone, on Nov 26 2009, 03:59 PM, said:

EDIT: This method also works for Windows XP and since XP does not have the "Add To Quick Launch" in the right click context you can easily add it to the "Quick Launch" by simply dragging the program Icon to the taskbar.