Windows Sidebar will not Start in Vista

How to Fix Windows Sidebar not Starting in Vista​

   Information

This will show you how to get Windows Sidebar to start again if it will not start for you.

STEP ONE

Double Checking

1. See if you have a sidebar.exe listed in Task Manager.​

A) If you do, then End Process it.​

NOTE: This will close the Windows Sidebar exe so hopefully you will be able to open another one if it was just not responding before.​

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B) Try doing step 3 now.​

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2. Make sure Windows Sidebar is Enabled.​

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3. Make sure Windows Sidebar is Turned On.​

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4. Check your Firewall or other Security programs to make sure that Windows Sidebar or sidebar.exe is not being blocked.​

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5. If Windows Sidebar will not start after this, then proceed to STEP TWO.​

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STEP TWO

Fix it Through a Elevated Command Prompt

   Tip

I would recommend to use Copy and Paste to make doing this easier.

   Note

Special thanks to meche94.

1. Open a elevated command prompt.​

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2. In the elevated command prompt, type: (See screenshot below)​

A) For 32 bit and 64 bit Vista:​

Regsvr32 -u "%ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\sbdrop.dll"​

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B) Also Type for 64 bit Vista Only:​

Regsvr32 -u "%ProgramFiles(x86)%\Windows Sidebar\sbdrop.dll"​

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C) Press Enter after A and/or B.​

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3. Click on OK. (See screenshot below)​

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4. In the elevated command prompt, type: (See screenshot below)​

A) For 32 bit and 64 bit Vista:​

Regsvr32 -u "%ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\wlsrvc.dll"​

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B) Also Type for 64 bit Vista Only:​

Regsvr32 -u "%ProgramFiles(x86)%\Windows Sidebar\wlsrvc.dll"​

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C) Press Enter after A and/or B.​

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5. Click on OK. (See screenshot below)​

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6. In the elevated command prompt, type Regsvr32 atl.dll and press Enter. (See screenshot below)​

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7. Click on OK. (See screeshot below)​

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8. In the elevated command prompt, type: (See screenshot below)​

A) For 32 bit and 64 bit Vista:​

Regsvr32 "%ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\sbdrop.dll"​

​

B) Also Type for 64 bit Vista Only:​

Regsvr32 "%ProgramFiles(x86)%\Windows Sidebar\sbdrop.dll"​

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C) Press Enter after A and/or B.​

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9. Click on OK. (See screenshot below)​

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10. In the elevated command prompt, type: (See screenshot below)​

A) For 32 bit and 64 bit Vista:​

Regsvr32 "%ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\wlsrvc.dll"​

​

B) Also type for 64 bit Vista Only:​

Regsvr32 "%ProgramFiles(x86)%\Windows Sidebar\wlsrvc.dll"​

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C) Press Enter after A and/or B.​

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11. Click on OK. (See screenshot below)​

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12. Close the elevated command prompt.​

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13. Restart the computer.​

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14. Now turn on Windows Sidebar to see if it will start up for you.​

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15. Your done. Windows Sidebar should start now.​

NOTE: If Windows Sidebar still does not start, then run a sfc/ scannow command to see if it can find and fix any bad system files that may be the cause. ​

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That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Change the Windows Sidebar Theme in Vista
• How to Enable or Disable Windows Sidebar in Vista
• How to Turn Windows Sidebar On or Off in Vista
• How to Fix the Windows Sidebar Gadget not Displaying Correctly in Vista

 

[Brink]

Hi Plokijey, and welcome to Vista Forums.

What is the error message that you get?

Go ahead and finish the rest of the commands to see if you area able to start Windows Sidebar afterwards. If not, then try doing the tutorial while in Safe Mode to see if you can do all of the commands without getting an error. This tutorial will show you how to if needed.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/123496-safe-mode.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[cheliksel]

Hey Brink.
This is really a tutorial first i want to say Thank you.
I had same problem and after reading this tut. i fixed this problem.
i did an action with sfc/scannow command before reregistering dll's. and i dont know which action did fix my problem but i guess just scanning ( scannow) isn't enough for fixing. I think it fixed after reregistering dlls. Anyway thank you very much for this tutorial. I want to say again. This is really a tutorial.
I will tell everyone that need help for this situation and show them this Site's url

Thank you Thank you Thank you
Again Thank you

 

[Brink]

Your welcome Cheliksel, and welcome to Vista Forums.

Sometimes the sfc /scannow may help, but usually it is the re-registering of the dll files that fixes the problem as you stated.

Shawn

 

[cheliksel]

i learned now with this shortly reading again thanks so much

 

[Righteous]

Step Two worked for me!
...oh, and by the way, Brink is single-handedly better than Microsoft Support. That means all online and over-the-phone help.
WIN!

 

[Brink]

Thank you Righteous, and welcome to Vista Forums. I'm happy to hear that it is working for you now.

Shawn

 

[mtooley]

This was great. I needed to run from the command prompt, but windows sidebar is now running and visible.

 

[Brink]

Your welcome Mtooley, and welcome to Vista Forums. Thank you for posting back your results.

Shawn

 

[d4rkd4ze]

Hi, i was wondering if someone here can point me in the rght direction to solve my windows sidebar problem.

All i did was install IE 8 Beta 2, and by the way i love it. So i wont take it off. I have allready tried the step number 2 but did nothing to fix the problem.Every time i restat my pc or turn it on the sidebar tries to open but it errors out and windows cant find a solution for it so the only thing it does is gathers info and sends it for a future fix.

Can some one help me???

 

[Brink]

Hi d4rkd3ze, and welcome to Vista Forums.

As a test, uninstall IE8 Beta 2 to see if your Windows Sidebar will work properly afterwards. You may also have a gadget that is not compatible with IE8. If you have installed any gadgets other than the default Vista ones, then you might try removing them one by one to see.

To uninstall this beta version of Internet Explorer 8, you just need to select Windows Internet Explorer 8 Beta 2 listed in the Programs and Features View Installed Updates link. For how, see: Windows Update - Uninstall

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[mr raptor]

mine still wont start and i did both of the things and the scan and it when i run windows sidebar it shows up but when i go to gadgets there is nothing there and when i download gadgets it wont work with the sidebar and it doesnt show up in my task manger application when i open it is there any solutions for this pls and i when i right click on my desktop and go to personalize it doesnt works my computer is messed up i need help plz

 

[Brink]

Hello Mr. Raptor, and welcome to Vista Forums.

It sounds like you may have been infected by some form of malware. I would recommend that you run a very thorough antivirus and spyware scan to help make sure that your computer is clean.

Afterwards, you can see if doing a System Restore using a restore point dated before this problem can fix it for you.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[mr raptor]

Re: System Restore - How to

it wont go back enough to solve my problem of the sidebar

 

[Brink]

Mr Raptor,

With all of the problems you described, I would recommend that you backup what you do not want to lose and format to do a clean reinstall of Vista.

Sorry,
Shawn

 

[mr raptor]

ya but how do u do that

 

[Brink]

It's your choice of course, but I suppose you could copy any files that you do not want to lose to DVD or some other external media. Afterwards, depending on what type of Vista installation DVD you have, format and reinstall Vista.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/68767-clean-install-upgrade-vista.html

or

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/117366-clean-install-full-version-vista.html


If you have a Recovery DVD, then it will only be similar to the above tutorials instead of exactly like them since each OEM has their own way of doing things.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[BobCrabtree]

I do realise that I'm responding long after this tutorial was created - and meche94 wrote his definitive posting - but I just wanted to say thanks for this great info, it got me out of a big hole today.

Cheers

Bob Crabtree

 

[Brink]

You're welcome Bob, and welcome to Vista Forums.

Shawn

 

[BobCrabtree]

Shawn,



Cheers

Bob

 

[KJariwala]

Mate, I tried ur cmd's but wen I come to "Regsvr32 atl.dll" I get an error code "0x8002801c"????????????

can you please help me further...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

everytime I start mi pc I comeup wit a message tat "Windows Sidebar Stopped Working"?????????????????????

Please help...

Thanks.