When you run a full-screen application, such as a game, the Windows Sidebar may flash or appear on top of the application or game briefly.

This article documents the Windows Sidebar Protection update that was made to the Windows Sidebar for Windows Vista. The update was made to allow for the Windows Sidebar to perform the following actions:

• Generate unique identifiers for all gadgets that run in the Windows Sidebar
• Receive a list of known vulnerable gadgets from Microsoft by using Windows Update
• Stop a gadget from running in the Windows Sidebar if the gadget has been determined to be vulnerable
• Stop a gadget from being installed if the gadget has been determined to be vulnerable

The list of known vulnerable gadgets is released by Microsoft on the Windows Update Web page in the Windows Sidebar Protection update. The update prevents vulnerable gadgets from being installed or from running if the gadget is already installed.

You use the System Preparation (Sysprep) tool and an Autounattend.xml file to add a custom gadget to the Windows Sidebar in Windows Vista. When you run the SFC.exe /scannow command or the SFC.exe /verifyonly command, you receive error messages in the CBS.log file.

Description: The update to improve Windows Sidebar Protection enables Windows Sidebar to help block gadgets from running in Sidebar. This update enables Windows Sidebar to help protect against future potential security vulnerabilities in gadgets.
While this update does not address any critical security vulnerabilities, the update does increase the reliability and resiliency of Windows Sidebar. Keep reading →

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When you add the Windows Sidebar Calendar gadget to the desktop of a Windows Vista-based computer, you may notice that the date displays incorrectly in the Windows Sidebar Calendar gadget.

Note: Although the Windows Sidebar Calendar gadget shows the incorrect date, the system clock still shows the correct date.

This problem will occur if the following conditions are true:

• The computer is set to use a time zone in which the daylight saving time change starts at midnight, such as the (GMT-3:00) Brasilia time zone.
• In the Time Zone Settings dialog box, the Automatically adjust clock for Daylight Saving Time check box is selected.

The forth tip video from PCWizKid. Remove the Windows Vista sidebar from starting up every time you start windows. This tip is for those that find the sidebar crowds their desktop or just don’t have use for it. Kick it out with these simple steps…