You may already know I have posted an article on gadgets problem (not working issue) and showed how to: solve settings.ini for gadgets, restore gadgets and registry fixing. But that article actually did not solve all the problems of gadgets because it was on not working issue for gadgets. There is another issue for gadgets problem which is called the damaged gadgets. Damaged gadgets problem will show your gadgets but doesn’t work properly. Such as: clock gadget with black background and have only a minute hand, calendar gadget won’t show you anything etc. So what we should do for solving it? Just repair? Just reinstall gadgets again? NO we have to be more aware to installing third party gadgets and should not blame on Microsoft as those gadgets are not given by them but from a trusted party.

windows 7 gadgets

Solve Your Damaged Gadgets :

Before starting to solve damaged gadgets,

1. End all running gadgets on your desktop. To do so

Click on start >search gadgets>select view list of running gadgets> remove running gadgets one by one

2. Select Sidebar icon in the system tray>choose Exit. (If sidebar remains on system tray)

A new window could come asking Exiting confirmation message and select Yes

3. Right-click on Taskbar>start task manager>select process tab> select sidebar.exe>end process and then close it. (If sidebar.exe remains on process).

sidebar.exe

select sidebar.exe & end process

Resetting the Sidebar :

Paste the following words in Run bar:

%localappdata%microsoftWindows Sidebar

Where you should see Settings.ini and a folder named gadgets.

  1. Rename both folder and file or create a backup those files elsewhere (My recommendation is to rename those such as: gadgets_old and settings_old.ini). do not close the this explorer.
  2. Now re-launch Sidebar.exe from Start Task Manager>Process tab>file>new task (run…)>type sidebar.exe>hit ok
  3. You’ll notice that sidebar.exe is running again in task manager.
  4. You’ll also notice that new Settings.ini and folder gadgets are created immediately.

rename the settings.ini and gadgets

If your problem is not fixed with Resetting the Sidebar then read the next part.

Registry Editing :

Please, before acting on this part backup your registry and do that whenever you are changing and editing Registry.

Do as follow

  1. Start > Run > Regedit

HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionInternet SettingsZones

  1. See carefully, is there any sub-key between Zones and sub-key 0. If so, delete it.
  2. Restart your computer and verify how your Gadgets are being displayed successfully.

Zone. (Sub-key “ . “ under Zone) Registry key deleting

  1. Stop the sidebar.exe process (as I explain in the very beginning of this article to stop sidebar.exe).

Delete this key: HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionInternet SettingsZones.

  1. Restart sidebar process

If your problem is not fixed with Registry changing and editing then read the next part.

Re-lunch msxml3.dll, scrrun.dll and jscript.dll by Dll Register Server :

Often by virus, system errors or using unsigned (not certified) program the Register of Dll forgets about some dll files. So in this part I will describe how can we remind the Dll-register that it has forgotten about some dll files which are needed for Gadgets.

1. Open an Admin Command Prompt window. Follow any of this one process.

  • Start>All Programs>Accessories>Command Prompt

Or

  • Start>run>type cmd>hit ok

2. In the Command Prompt window, type the following command and press ENTER:

regsvr32 msxml3.dll

3. Similarly, run these commands:

regsvr32 scrrun.dll

regsvr32 jscript.dll

You should see the DllRegisterServer in <filename> succeeded message for each command executed.

4..Restart your system or Logoff and login back to your user account and see if the Gadgets display correctly.

NB: Stop sidebar.exe before you acting on any of my following process and restart sidebar.exe after done each of my process.

Author: 

Sharif Ahmed is a Tech Geek from Dhaka. He loves teaching peoples on computer problems. Follow Sharif on Twitter
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