Help restoring some Vista familiarities to 7.

So finally I got myself a copy of Windows 7. I've been so broke that I've just stuck to Windows Vista Home Premium x64. My parents just surprised me with a copy of Windows 7 Professional and I'm losing my mind trying to restore some of my favorite functions of Vista.

OK, number one. I want to be able to use the Sort By toolbar in any view. Right now 7 only lets me use it in the Details view while Vista let use it in any view.

Vista Example (note how it's in Large Icon view but still gives the Sort By toolbar):



7 Examples (the toolbar is there in Details view but not in Large Icon, or any other for that matter):





Next, this Libraries thing is driving me nuts. In Vista, the links on the Start Menu to Documents, Pictures, etc. were just that. Direct links to the folders (which on my desktop, are actually located on a second hard drive). But in 7, it links to Libraries of the folders or whatever and any kind of sorting I apply to one folder gets applied to all while in Libraries. I don't want that. I just want them to do a direct link to where a change in sorting to one folder doesn't affect another (I like to keep some folders sorted by file name and others by Date modified). If I enter these folders through the User link or through Computer > Local Disk ( D: ), then I don't have a problem. That makes those other links useless though.

Finally, often when I open a file (like a picture) in 7, it doesn't open on top, but instead opens behind Windows Explorer. I just want stuff to open top is all.

I pretty much got everything else to my liking so far. These are the only things that bother me and I can't quite figure them out so any help is appreciated. Thanks!