Gadgets not Displaying Correctly in Windows 7 - Fix

How to Fix Gadgets not Displaying Correctly in Windows 7​

   Information

If you have gadgets that are displaying on your Windows 7 desktop improperly as black, white, blank, or just messed up, then this will show you how to fix them.

You must be logged in as an administrator to be able to do this tutorial.

   Note

If you have a 3rd party firewall program installed, then also check to make sure that the gadgets are allowed in the firewall and are not being blocked in that program's exception settings.

EXAMPLE: Gadgets not displaying correctly

OPTION ONE

Automatically Using a BAT File Download

NOTE: This does the same thing as in OPTION TWO below, but automatically. 1. Click on the Download button below to download the file below. Reset_Gadgets.bat


Download


2. Click on Save (if prompted), and save the .bat file to your desktop.

3. Right click on the downloaded .bat file and click on Run as administrator.

4. If prompted by UAC, then click on Yes.

5. You will see a command prompt flash open and close as the .bat file runs.

6. When finished, restart the computer to apply.

7. Check to see if the gadgets on your desktop are displaying correctly now. If not, then try uninstalling and reinstalling any gadgets that are still not displaying properly, or do a System Restore using a restore point dated before the problem.

OPTION TWO

Manually in an Elevated Command Prompt

NOTE: This does the same thing as in OPTION ONE above, but manually. 1. Open an elevated command prompt (right click - Run as administrator)

2. In the elevated command prompt, copy and paste each command below and press Enter one t a time. After each time your press Enter, you will need to click on OK before doing the next command.

[LIST] 
[*]taskkill /im sidebar.exe /f
[*]regsvr32 msxml3.dll
[*]regsvr32 scrrun.dll
[*]regsvr32 jscript.dll
[*]regsvr32 atl.dll
[*]Regsvr32 "%ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\sbdrop.dll"
[*]Regsvr32 "%ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\wlsrvc.dll"
[*]reg delete "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Zones" /f
[*]"%ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\sidebar.exe"
[/LIST]

3. Restart the computer to apply.

4. Check to see if the gadgets on your desktop are displaying correctly now. If not, then try uninstalling and reinstalling the still bad gadget, or do a System Restore using a restore point dated before the problem.
That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Add or Remove Desktop Gadgets in Windows 7
• How to Reinstate the Vista Sidebar on Windows 7
• How to Hide or Show Desktop Gadgets in Windows 7
• How to Enable or Disable Gadgets in Windows 7
• How to Turn Windows 7 Gadgets Feature On or Off
• How to Allow or Prevent User Installed Gadgets in Windows 7
• How to Allow or Prevent Installation of Unsigned Gadgets in Windows 7
• How to Restore the Default Windows 7 Gadgets
• Trick to Moving Gadgets in Windows 7 Closer Together
• How to Customize Existing Windows 7 Gadgets
• How to Create a Gadgets Shortcut in Windows 7
• How to Change the "Get more gadgets online" Link in Windows 7
• How to Add or Remove "Gadgets" from Desktop Context Menu in Windows

 

[Brink]

I'm afraid that you may have to use the 2.0 version now since it appears to have fixed whatever issue the older version does't work for you.

Ok, thanks.

You're welcome. Sorry the old version will no longer work for you.

 

[goldencomet]

Thank u very much for this info..... it solved the problem.....

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Goldencomet.

 

[Deep Koradia]

Thanks a lot!!!

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Deep Koradia, and welcome to Seven Forums.

 

[rspitzer]

For those of you who these solutions did not work for here is what finally worked for me! I found that if I created a new user account the gadgets worked fine so I knew it was an issue with the account settings. I found the folder where Windows stores the individual sidebar settings and discovered a settings.ini file in \app data\local\microsoft\windows sidebar for the user account. This controls the startup of the sidebar for the user. I terminated sidebar.exe using task manager, moved the file to the desktop (just in case it was needed) and then restarted sidebar (right click desktop and choose gadgets). I had no initial gadgets but when I added gadgets now they worked just fine. I then deleted the settings.ini from my desktop.

 

[kikks]

does not work =(

this does not work for me. i have tried all the things that said on the microsoft website and also ran the batch file from this thread, but still my gadgets do not work (default ones disappear/black squares/little white squares, also avast gadget has a pink outline and does not do anything). any ideas?

 

[Brink]

Hello Kikks, and welcome to Seven Forums.

As a test, create a new user account, and see how gadgets work in it.

 

[kikks]

thanks,
i created a standard user account with no password on default settings, and the gadgets do not work on it either

 

[Brink]

If what rspitzer posted above doesn't help, then the only way to fix this may be with a reinstall.

 

[kikks]

while trying to fix a different problem i had with a bsod in a different thread, i uninstalled Avast antivirus and McAfee (which i had apparently nor uninstalled properly when i installed Avast) and they have started working again. hopefully my mistake can help others who have my same problem. thank you very much Brink =)

 

[Brink]

Ah, ok. Yeah, it's not a good idea to have two antivirus programs installed like that. Doing so can cause issues as you just found out.

I'm happy to hear that you got it sorted.

 

[babaganoosh]

worked 1st time perfectly!!
shoto

 

[Crazybear]

Well, I've read and tried quite a few of the 'fixes' and none are working for me. The gadgets just either don't work or don't display properly - or both. I'm at a loss......some are just extras, one or two are essential! help!

 

[Brink]

Hello Crazybear, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Is this with specific gadgets or all gadgets including the default ones? If specific, could you post a download page link to them, and I'll do some testing with them on my system.

Do you have a 3rd party firewall program installed? If so, then you might temporarily disable it as a test to see if the gadgets that require internet access may work afterwards.

You might also temporarily disable your antivirus program to see if it may be preventing them from working as well.

 

[Crazybear]

Hello Crazybear, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Is this with specific gadgets or all gadgets including the default ones? If specific, could you post a download page link to them, and I'll do some testing with them on my system.

Do you have a 3rd party firewall program installed? If so, then you might temporarily disable it as a test to see if the gadgets that require internet access may work afterwards.

You might also temporarily disable your antivirus program to see if it may be preventing them from working as well.

No, I think none of those will solve it. All gadgets for sure; one is totally not internet based and I have tried all of the above. I also lost use of skype about same time...not sure if any relationship. I really need two of the gadgets...the others are just nice if available. What do you mean by THIRD party firewall. I never use Windows firewall. Now it is Norton; I had just changed from another antivirus, but when norton is shut off [if it ever is all the way] there is no change I can note.

 

[Brink]

As a test, create a new administrator account to see how they work and if it may be some sort of issue with just your account or not.

 

[Crazybear]

As a test, create a new administrator account to see how they work and if it may be some sort of issue with just your account or not.

Hmmm....I'm not sure I know [rather I'm sure I don't know] how to make a new Administrator account. I imagine I can find it on the internet, but it sounds a tad dangerous to me....and whether creating and then removing will not create its own problems. I'm sure it is something with my account...so what would it prove. It will not solve the problems. There is ONLY one person who uses this computer = one account [me, the Administrator]. They all worked fine. One day I was doing many things and after a reboot they were not. I believe there are many viruses that like to attack gadgets ability to work, but is there not a fix..a way to re-install whatever part of the MS script handles them?!?!? I've done sfc /scannow many times, and tried all the reset bat things. Are there any registry entries that need to be checked. I think I did look at one and enabled what was disabled, with no effect.....it likely got set back again or is made irrelevant by something other. I now forget where that registry entry was located.

 

[Brink]

The tutorial below can help show you how to creat a new user account that you would select to be an administrator. This will help see if your issue is isolated in just your user account or in all user accounts.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/181024-user-account-create.html
If you still have the same issues while logged in the new account, then you can just log out, log back into your new account, and use the tutorial to delete the new account.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/181036-user-account-delete.html

 

[djudam]

Thanks a lot Shawn..You are a LIFE SAVER!!