Windows sidebar stopped working

[Qatsi]

Well I had problems with the "windows sidebar stopped working" messages
appearing on a regular basis. I have only windows stock gadgets in the
sidebar. A while ago I even removed one gadget at the time to see if it
would stop crashing but it didn't.

Yesterday I reformatted my computer because of another problem I had
and one of the first things that happened was "windows sidebar stopped
working". It happened again today. I still have almost only drivers and
windows updates installed so what can be causing this problem?

*_Specs_*
Asus P5N32-SLI Premium
Core 2 QUAD Q6600 2.4GHz
4GB RAM

Vista Business x64

_*_Here_is_one_of_the_problem_descriptions_I_got:*_

- Problem signature
Problem Event Name: APPCRASH
Application Name: sidebar.exe
Application Version: 6.0.6000.16615
Application Timestamp: 476507e0
Fault Module Name: ntdll.dll
Fault Module Version: 6.0.6000.16386
Fault Module Timestamp: 4549d372
Exception Code: c0150014
Exception Offset: 00000000000a718b
OS Version: 6.0.6000.2.0.0.256.6
Locale ID: 1053
Additional Information 1: 16a0
Additional Information 2: 761bd673c6586afbbd33df545a20222c
Additional Information 3: 5602
Additional Information 4: 9c6e1e3d8f2de62b7534e059686f4055

Extra information about the problem
Bucket ID: 924371-


Would be grateful for help. Seems like this problem comes with a stock
installation of Windows but that would be strange.

[Rick Rogers]

Hi,

Have you updated your display drivers?
What antivirus software are you using and was it installed after the
reimage?
--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com

Post by Qatsi
Well I had problems with the "windows sidebar stopped working" messages
appearing on a regular basis. I have only windows stock gadgets in the
sidebar. A while ago I even removed one gadget at the time to see if it
would stop crashing but it didn't.
Yesterday I reformatted my computer because of another problem I had
and one of the first things that happened was "windows sidebar stopped
working". It happened again today. I still have almost only drivers and
windows updates installed so what can be causing this problem?
*_Specs_*
Asus P5N32-SLI Premium
Core 2 QUAD Q6600 2.4GHz
4GB RAM
Vista Business x64
_*_Here_is_one_of_the_problem_descriptions_I_got:*_
- Problem signature
Problem Event Name: APPCRASH
Application Name: sidebar.exe
Application Version: 6.0.6000.16615
Application Timestamp: 476507e0
Fault Module Name: ntdll.dll
Fault Module Version: 6.0.6000.16386
Fault Module Timestamp: 4549d372
Exception Code: c0150014
Exception Offset: 00000000000a718b
OS Version: 6.0.6000.2.0.0.256.6
Locale ID: 1053
Additional Information 1: 16a0
Additional Information 2: 761bd673c6586afbbd33df545a20222c
Additional Information 3: 5602
Additional Information 4: 9c6e1e3d8f2de62b7534e059686f4055
Extra information about the problem
Bucket ID: 924371-
Would be grateful for help. Seems like this problem comes with a stock
installation of Windows but that would be strange.
--
Qatsi

[Qatsi]

Post by Rick Rogers
Hi,
Have you updated your display drivers?
What antivirus software are you using and was it installed after the
reimage?

Yes, I have the latest drivers for my Radeon 2900XT
I use AVG antivirus and Comodo firewall pro.

[Rick Rogers]

Hi Qatsi,

And you've reinstalled no other software yet? Something is causing the
sidebar to fail, and I've not seen that happen on a clean installation.
Usually, they are related to problematic gadgets, display drivers, or
conflicting software. How soon after setup did you install AVG and Comodo?
Have you tried running without either of them?
--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com

Post by Qatsi

Post by Rick Rogers
Hi,
Have you updated your display drivers?
What antivirus software are you using and was it installed after the
reimage?

Yes, I have the latest drivers for my Radeon 2900XT
I use AVG antivirus and Comodo firewall pro.
--
Qatsi

[Qatsi]

Comodo is not blocking the sidebar, also I had this problem long before
installing the Comodo firewall. I'll have to try running it without AVG
though, but I doubt that is causing the problem

[smackzippy]

I'm running Home Premium x64 and encountered the same problem after
installing a windows update.

I finally fixed it by doing the following:

1. Find the Windows sidebar folder (under User
Name\AppData\Microsoft\Windows Sidebar on my system)

2. Create a backup of 'Settings.ini'

3. Open 'Settings.ini', delete all the gadget info (everything below
[Hashes]) and save

4. Restart sidebar

Your issue may be different, since reinstalling vista did not help.
After opening 'Settings.ini' can you match any of the numbers in
Additional Info #2 & #4 with the gadget hashes?

[icebuck]

Post by smackzippy
I'm running Home Premium x64 and encountered the same problem after
installing a windows update.
1. Find the Windows sidebar folder (under User
Name\AppData\Microsoft\Windows Sidebar on my system)
2. Create a backup of 'Settings.ini'
3. Open 'Settings.ini', delete all the gadget info (everything below
[Hashes]) and save
4. Restart sidebar
Your issue may be different, since reinstalling vista did not help.
After opening 'Settings.ini' can you match any of the numbers in
Additional Info #2 & #4 with the gadget hashes?

YES, This Approach Works!!!!

Thats Great!

BTW, I also turned on UAC settings on Windows 7 ==> But still dint
work.

Your method works! ==> APPDATA is a Hidden File.

Codes:

[Root]
SettingsVersion="00.00.00.02"
ShowGalleryPrivacyStatementOnceComplete="true"
Section0="1"
Section1="2"
Section2="3"
Section3="4"
[Hashes]
*C:\Program Files\Windows
Sidebar\Gadgets\Calendar.Gadget="%7BABECAFA2-B17F-75B9-98CA-6C0821B72EB5%7D"
C:\Program Files\Windows
Sidebar\Gadgets\Clock.Gadget="%7B5BBAD02F-FA9D-F58C-0BC5-EE58A14379CB%7D"
C:\Program Files\Windows
Sidebar\Gadgets\RSSFeeds.Gadget="%7B40E25436-6DCD-6544-C0FC-9935E407D5AB%7D"
C:\Program Files\Windows
Sidebar\Gadgets\CPU.Gadget="%7B9E4E6E1F-E70D-8898-6FC8-333C16B27ECF%7D"
C:\Program Files\Windows
Sidebar\Gadgets\Weather.Gadget="%7B31CBD334-F3C6-C5BB-D503-6FA990D5B12F%7D"
[Section 1]
PrivateSetting_GadgetName="C:%5CProgram%20Files%5CWindows%20Sidebar%5CGadgets%5CClock.Gadget"
PrivateSetting_GadgetDropLocationX="1520"
PrivateSetting_GadgetDropLocationY="0"
PrivateSetting_GadgetSize="small"
[Section 2]
PrivateSetting_GadgetName="C:%5CProgram%20Files%5CWindows%20Sidebar%5CGadgets%5CRSSFeeds.Gadget"
PrivateSetting_GadgetDropLocationX="1520"
PrivateSetting_GadgetDropLocationY="234"
PrivateSetting_GadgetSize="small"
loadFirstTime="existingGadget"
[Section 3]
PrivateSetting_GadgetName="C:%5CProgram%20Files%5CWindows%20Sidebar%5CGadgets%5CCPU.Gadget"
PrivateSetting_GadgetDropLocationX="1520"
PrivateSetting_GadgetDropLocationY="417"
PrivateSetting_GadgetSize="small"
[Section 4]
PrivateSetting_GadgetName="C:%5CProgram%20Files%5CWindows%20Sidebar%5CGadgets%5CWeather.Gadget"*
LocationAPIAvailable="True"
CurrentState="6"
WeatherLocation="Ash%20Shāriqah%20International,%20ARE"
WeatherLocationCode="wc:AEXX0005"
DisplayDegreesIn="Celsius"
PrivateSetting_GadgetDropLocationX="1520"
PrivateSetting_GadgetDropLocationY="140"
PrivateSetting_GadgetSize="small"


Hence, I deleted all thats selected in BOLD.

Thanks!