DIGIT-ARC read-only archive · snapshot: July 23, 2026

Problem with Windows 7

18 posts · originally from https://geek.digit.in/community/threads/problem-with-windows-7.179826/

D
digik Original post #1
Dec 5, 2013 at 9:00 PM
I have windows 7 installed in my computer. I had three gadgets floating at right sidebar for long. They are Calendar, CPU usage and Kaspersky.

Last 2 days I am unable to find them. Trying to add them again doesnot work. I tried sfc.exe as suggested at microsoft support. But, it was of no use.

Can anybody help me to restore the gadgets and also provide insight to the facts that can have led to this situation?
G
Dec 5, 2013 at 9:54 PM
Microsoft had asked people not to use them...

now i think they brought a permanent fix i guess....

Microsoft Urges Users to Shut Down Windows Gadgets or Risk Attack | PCWorld
W
Dec 5, 2013 at 9:58 PM
how are you trying to add them?by using right click--gadgets & then double clicking a gadget or control panel--gadgets & then double clicking a gadget.
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digik #4
Dec 5, 2013 at 11:25 PM
how are you trying to add them?by using right click--gadgets & then double clicking a gadget or control panel--gadgets & then double clicking a gadget.

Both process not working.
harshilsharma63
Dec 7, 2013 at 10:50 AM
Microsoft disables the sidebar gadgets in one of the security updates because of... well... security reasons.

Microsoft® Releases Update to Disable Windows® Sidebar and Gadgets - Support.com
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digik #6
Dec 7, 2013 at 9:30 PM
Microsoft disables the sidebar gadgets in one of the security updates because of... well... security reasons.

Microsoft® Releases Update to Disable Windows® Sidebar and Gadgets - Support.com

Ur link leads to a dark screen!!!
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digik #8
Dec 8, 2013 at 11:49 AM
It opens perfectly in my Firefox 25. Let me google that for you

It did open a dark screen in my firefox 25 and white screen in my internet explorer. Can u help with a solution???
snap
snap #9
Dec 8, 2013 at 11:59 AM
the link opens fine for me :smile:
anandk
anandk #10
Dec 8, 2013 at 3:45 PM
Microsoft has recommended that Windows 7 and Windows Vista users, disable the Sidebar and Desktop Gadgets for security reasons - also released an update to do the needful automatically.

But should you wish to re-enable them you can do the following:

Go to Start and in Search, type in appwiz.cpl and hit Enter. This will open Programs and Features. Here Click on Turn Windows Features on or off. Check the Windows Gadget Platform box, and click on OK.

Hope it helps.
D
digik #11
Dec 10, 2013 at 8:14 PM
Microsoft has recommended that Windows 7 and Windows Vista users, disable the Sidebar and Desktop Gadgets for security reasons - also released an update to do the needful automatically.

But should you wish to re-enable them you can do the following:

Go to Start and in Search, type in appwiz.cpl and hit Enter. This will open Programs and Features. Here Click on Turn Windows Features on or off. Check the Windows Gadget Platform box, and click on OK.

Hope it helps.

Turn features ON/Off shows that gadget feature is enabled.
D
digik #12
Dec 17, 2013 at 10:04 PM
Microsoft disables the sidebar gadgets in one of the security updates because of... well... security reasons.

Microsoft® Releases Update to Disable Windows® Sidebar and Gadgets - Support.com

The link showed black page on my computer but showed properly in other computers. I have formatted my computer and now the link is showing properly.

Can you provide any reason for this???:)
gameranand
Dec 18, 2013 at 12:43 AM
Better to stop using them. Use any third party software for that if you really need to. :)
Prongs298
Prongs298 #14
Dec 18, 2013 at 4:03 AM
yes, use xwidget or rainmeter. but there are some gadgets like "system monitor II" and "battery monitor" which are unmatched, neither xwidget nor rainmeter has anything that comes close. but i use all three along with pnotes. and the security concern lies with a particular gadget not all of them.
harshilsharma63
Dec 18, 2013 at 10:20 AM
yes, use xwidget or rainmeter. but there are some gadgets like "system monitor II" and "battery monitor" which are unmatched, neither xwidget nor rainmeter has anything that comes close. but i use all three along with pnotes. and the security concern lies with a particular gadget not all of them.

It's not because of a particular widget, it's because of a possibility of gadgets being used to execute arbitrary code of host machine.