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Question

Random gadget order in Vista Sidebar after installing SP2

Applies To:
Since upgrading Vista Ultimate 64 bit to SP2, gadgets in the sidebar appear in random order when the sidebar is restarted (starting app manually or logging off/on). Have tried deleting the .ini file and adding gadgets again but problem is solid. Reverted back to SP1 and order back to normal. Ideas?
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EnglishM45

EnglishM45

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Answer

Hello EnglishM45,

You may have to reinstall both Adobe Flash player and Java on your machine.

Download the latest version of Java using this link http://java.com/en/download/index.jsp

To download Adobe flash player, use this link http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/?promoid=BUIGP

Hope this information is helpful

David O
Microsoft Answers Support Engineer
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David_O - Support Engineer

David_O - Support Engineer
David O
Microsoft Answers Support Engineer
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Hello EnglishM45,

Thank you for posting.  Did you install SP2 through Windows update or download the stand alone version?  I'm thinking that it might have been a error in the install.  Let's try installing from the stand alone SP2 and see if the problem still happens.  I've included the links below to both the 32 bit and the 64 bit versions.

SP2 32 bit

SP2 64 bit

Please let me know if this helps you.
Zack
Microsoft Answers Support Engineer Visit our Microsoft Answers Feedback Forum and let us know what you think.
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Zack - Support Engineer

Zack - Support Engineer
Microsoft Answers Support Engineer

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I tried installing SP2 both ways, the first via windows update which I then backed out using System Restore (which corrected the problem) and most recently the stand alone version, which reintroduced the issue.

It's definitely an SP2 issue when closing the sidebar as something changes the SidebarDockedPartsOrder entry in the ini file. Also tried just using two of the standard gadgets and the same happens so it isn't gadget specific.

Any other suggestions?

Thanks!
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EnglishM45

EnglishM45

Was this helpful?

Answer

Hello EnglishM45,

You may have to reinstall both Adobe Flash player and Java on your machine.

Download the latest version of Java using this link http://java.com/en/download/index.jsp

To download Adobe flash player, use this link http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/?promoid=BUIGP

Hope this information is helpful

David O
Microsoft Answers Support Engineer
Visit our and let us know what you think.
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David_O - Support Engineer

David_O - Support Engineer
David O
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Just wanted to add that I have the same problem on Vista Home Premium x64 after upgrading to SP2 (through windows update)...I'll give the reinstall of java and flash a try....
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billybeer

billybeer

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I tried installing the latest flash player - no difference

I already had the latest Java installed (x64 version) but reinstalled anyway - no difference.

Maybe this is just an x64 issue as there are several similar problems reported on the web?
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EnglishM45

EnglishM45

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Same here. No difference.

Maybe it's a specific gadget?

I have the calender, weather, notepad, CPU usage, network meter and a stock ticker...those last two are 3rd party if I recall.
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billybeer

billybeer

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Same here. No difference.

Maybe it's a specific gadget?

I have the calender, weather, notepad, CPU usage, network meter and a stock ticker...those last two are 3rd party if I recall.

I'm having the same problem.  Each time the Sidebar is loaded, the SidebarDockedPartsOrder entry in the settings.ini file gets rewritten in whatever order the OS deems fit.  Any attempt to make the file read only fails.  Essentially Sidebar is doing whatever the ____ it wants with each load and it's massively frustrating.
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blueharv

blueharv

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It's not gadget specific. I have tried reducing to two and used a selection of standard ones - no difference. Must be an SP2 bug on x64 Vista. How can this get reported to someone that can reproduce in Microsoft?
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EnglishM45

EnglishM45

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I did a bit more digging into this issue and what I've found is that after installing Vista x64 SP2, quitting and restarting Sidebar instigates the random behavior.  I discovered this by rolling back to a disk image I have of my system from prior to the first appearance of the problem.  SP2 was already on my machine, but I had not quit and restarted Sidebar.  Everything looked good.  I then quit Sidebar and restarted it.  The fault appeared.

The problem occurred on my Vista Business x64 laptop.  I have an Ultimate x64 SP2 machine which thus far has not exhibited the fault.

Any suggestions from MS would be most welcome.
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blueharv

blueharv

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Just tried closing the taskbar, deleting the settings.ini file, and restarting the taskbar - no luck. Still random order after a reboot. So it seems that this isn't just some type of corruption of the settings.ini file. The sidebar program itself has gone nuts.
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billybeer

billybeer
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