# Windows sidebar disappeared



## itsnotmytree777 (May 30, 2005)

Hi all,

About a month ago, I noticed that my Windows Sidebar no longer appeared. I tried restarting my computer several times to no avail. I go to my programs and click the Windows Sidebar, and an icon shows up in the system tray. Now, the weird part...when I hover the mouse over the icon in the system tray, it disappears. I can repeat this over and over, and each time it disappears when the mouse hovers over it.

Also, when I restart my computer, two or three of the sidebar icons appear in the system tray. They all disappear when my mouse hovers over them. 

I didn't really try to fix anything for a while, but now that I'm back at school I've noticed that I used it quite a bit and would like it back. If anyone has any ideas, I'd appreciate any help.

Thank you! 


Specs (I dont really know what to put here, let me know if you need further info):

Windows Vista Home Premium 1.60 GHz
HP Pavilion dv2315nr 
AMD Turion 64 X2 
32-bit operating system


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## itsnotmytree777 (May 30, 2005)

Also, I have tried several tutorials involving editing the registry and they haven't worked either. I have cleaned up my hard drives, scanned for viruses and spyware. Nothing has turned up. I also defragmented.


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## bhahar84 (Jan 7, 2008)

Hi itsnotmytree777!! :wave:

Try doing this: 

*Windows Sidebar Repair & Reinstall*


Click Start, All Programs, Accessories, right-click Command Prompt and
select "Run as administrator".

Type these commands one by one, press Enter after each line:

Regsvr32 atl.dll
Regsvr32 "%ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\sbdrop.dll"
Regsvr32 "%ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\wlsrvc.dll"


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## itsnotmytree777 (May 30, 2005)

Thanks for the idea but it didn't work :sigh: I've tried soo many things! I'm not sure what's wrong with this thing.


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## bhahar84 (Jan 7, 2008)

Emm...it seems like maybe this need much further troubleshooting here. I'll try to contact my colleagues here to help you out on this, ok :grin:


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## OldGrayGary (Jun 29, 2006)

Hi all


If you haven't installed any major programs in the month since the SideBar last worked, you can try System Restore - using a restore point from prior to the SideBar's disappearance. Try that, and test for a workable SideBar.

Should the SideBar now work, visit Windows Update, and renew any patches that might need reinstalling. Let us know if the SideBar disappears immediately after a particular set of updates.
_______________

Should the restore not help - one more little trick to try:

Let's re-register a few more little files. The procedure is very much the same as you tried for the other files:
1) Click *Start*, *All Programs*, *Accessories*, right-click *Command Prompt* and
select "*Run as administrator*".
2) From the elevated command prompt, type: 
*regsvr32 msxml3.dll* and press *Enter*
*regsvr32 scrrun.dll* and press *Enter*
*regsvr32 jscript.dll* and press *Enter*
_______________

Should neither the restore nor the nifty little re-registering help, it's time to troubleshoot: 

Check the Event Viewer logs for errors that coincide with the SideBars disappearances. You can simply type Event Viewer in the Start Search box on the Vista Start Menu, and press Enter.

Think back to any programs that may have been installed about the same time as the SideBar's disappearance.
_______________

I'm guessing the System Restore will work. But there's no guarantee that the SideBar won't disappear in the future! (... until we figure out what made it disappear in the first place ... a problematic update might do it, or a problematic "gadget" ...)

Best of luck!
. . . Gary


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## itsnotmytree777 (May 30, 2005)

Hey, I was going to do a system restore a few days ago, but apparently they only save restore points from up to 10 days ago. So I dont have any restore points from when the sidebar was working  Is there a way to to find one or am I looking in the wrong place? Thanks for your help!


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## OldGrayGary (Jun 29, 2006)

Hi again --

Vista's System Restore can store as many restore points as the space allotted will allow --- which for most systems, is plenty of restore points. Restore points are not time-limited, but space limited. If the folder that holds the restore points reaches its maximum size, Vista will automatically delete the oldest restore point to make room for the newest.

When you opened System Restore, you should have seen two options to choose from: the first option is a "recomended restore" point, and the second option is to "choose a different restore point". If you chose the second option, and only saw one restore point (from ten days ago) listed . . . then you likely ran a cleaning program that deleted the older restore points. The built-in "Disk CleanUp" utility has the option to erase all but the latest restore point. 

If you've only that one restore point: never mind try to use System Restore to help with this issue. Instead, try re-registering the files in my last reply. And check in the EventViewer logs. 

Best of luck
. . . Gary


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## gvntckts (Jul 14, 2008)

Well, better late than never....

If you have not found out what happened to it I just did.

I spent almost an hour with the Dell on-line tech support.

I ran a few command functions only to have it NOT return.

I got it on my own by accident...

Go to the bottom tray - over to the right by the clock.

Roll your mouse pointer over each icon in the tray. Mine was a very small outlined box with no description. I clicked on this mysterious box and holy crap....my sidebar returned. 

You may have (or anyone else out there) minimized that sidebar screen and there it is, sitting in the tray. If this doesn't help, good luck and maybe you'll find it another way by accident.


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## Sheltonius (Apr 28, 2010)

bhahar84 said:


> Hi itsnotmytree777!! :wave:
> 
> Try doing this:
> 
> ...


This one worked for me. tyvm!


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