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.​

​

B) Try doing step 3 now.​

​

2. Make sure Windows Sidebar is Enabled.​

​

3. Make sure Windows Sidebar is Turned On.​

​

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

​

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

​

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.​

​

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"​

​

B) Also Type for 64 bit Vista Only:​

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

​

C) Press Enter after A and/or B.​

​

​

​

​

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

​

​

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"​

​

B) Also Type for 64 bit Vista Only:​

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

​

C) Press Enter after A and/or B.​

​

​

​

​

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

​

​

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

​

​

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

​

​

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"​

​

C) Press Enter after A and/or B.​

​

​

​

​

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

​

​

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"​

​

C) Press Enter after A and/or B.​

​

​

​

​

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

​

​

12. Close the elevated command prompt.​

​

13. Restart the computer.​

​

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

​

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. ​

​

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]

Hello KJariwala, and welcome to Vista Forums.

You might try a System Restore using a restore point dated before this error to see if it can fix it for you.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[darthcornel]

Hi there my side bar wont work... I tried the reseting of the dll's throuh the cmd and the sfc/ scannow
with no luck
This is the error report:
Problem signature:
Problem Event Name: BEX64
Application Name: sidebar.exe
Application Version: 6.0.6001.18000
Application Timestamp: 4791a245
Fault Module Name: StackHash_8ef9
Fault Module Version: 0.0.0.0
Fault Module Timestamp: 00000000
Exception Offset: 00000001720dd990
Exception Code: c0000005
Exception Data: 0000000000000008
OS Version: 6.0.6001.2.1.0.256.1
Locale ID: 1033
Additional Information 1: 8ef9
Additional Information 2: 6deb3fe8c6290d77be122bd2078585e1
Additional Information 3: 9456
Additional Information 4: 9c5ad20536fad094865e964b18bc34ce
This all started when i dragged the notes gaget from the gaged gallary to the sidebar.

Im on Vista Ultimate 64 SP1

 

[Brink]

Hello DarkCornel, and welcome to Vista Forums.

Since this did not help you, you might try a System Restore using a restore point dated when you know Sidebar did work to see if it can fix it for you.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[darthcornel]

i tried the system restor also and still nothing... the sidebar keeps crashing. Would there be any other solution then the clean install ?

 

[Brink]

Other than trying a older restore point, you can try a repair install instead of a clean install.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[dimikxx]

I have two program files\windows sidebar directories...i have a regular c:\program files\windows sidebar as well as c:\program files (x86)\windows sidebar

i am using vista home premium 64 bit. so, when i try to start the regular sidebar (not the x86), i get an error message. same thing happens on start up. but if i double click on the sidebar.exe thats found in the c:\program files (x86)\windows sidebar, it works perfectly.

it appears that windows at startup is running the wrong sidebar app. how do i make vista load the sidebar.exe that is found in a dif folder? should i just erase the folder? registry editor?

HELP!

thx

 

[Brink]

Hello Dimikxx, and welcome to Vista Forums.

Did you already do the tutorial following the steps for the 64-bit Vista to re-register Windows Sidebar?

 

[p214222]

Hi,
Had the same problem tried everything, nothing worked . . . uninstalled mcafee security,sidebar back to normal?

 

[Photoman52]

I had the issue with the Vista sidebar working but I wasn not able to add new gadgets. I finally got it to work using the cmd registration process but here are some clarifications that will make it easier.

First, go to Start > All Programs > Accessories > click "Run as Administrator" if you see it.

2) To get the command box either type cmd into the Start > Search box or findnit in the Accessories folder.

3) If you have vista X64 use all the steps listed which includes two registrations for some of the steps.

4) To copy/Paste, carefully highlight the bold line, right click then Copy. To Paste, click on the black cmd window, right click and Paste. Ctrl V may not work.

I hope this makes some steps easier. One more comment. It is not clear how to install new gadgets. After right clicking on the sidebar > Add New Gadgets. Click on Get More Gadgets to open the gadget web site. Click on a the gadget, click Install, click Open, you should get another request to Install, click it and it should show up in your sidebar. You can remove it later.

 

[Vik]

Dear Friends,

My Windows sidebar does not work,
Black/Blank clock aprears .
I have tried everything, I have followed all steps with C:\ command.
Still nothing.

I can not restore this any more as this proble started way long about two months now.

My PC is 32 bit.

Can you please help?

I like my side bar and really want it back .

Thanks for your help.

 

[Brink]

Hello Vik, and welcome to Vista Forums.

Please try this instead.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/161046-windows-sidebar-gadget-not-displayed-correctly.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Vik]

Hi Shawn,
It is working now, resetting of sidebar made it.

I really want to thank you friend, I wasted so much time just searching as how can I fix this, but with your help it took five min.

Thanks you.
Have a great day.

Regards,
Vik

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Vik. I'm happy to hear that it's working again.