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Windows 7 Gadgets (Not working)


DarkSerge

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I recently decided to pay attention to my gadgets in Windows 7 and I noticed that some of them are missing. When I go to C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar\Gadgets I can see that many of the gadget files are still there (for example, the CPU usage gadget, and the Analog Clock gadget, both I believe come with Windows 7) but they don't show up on my list of Gadgets when I bring it up from the desktop.

 

How can this be fixed?

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Possibly, but most of the gadgets I have still work, including other gadgets that were provided with Windows 7. The article comments say the author got it wrong and that gadgets weren't disabled.

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Guest LilBambi

Here's the security advisory from July 2012, advising you to turn off sidebar and gadgets

http://technet.micro...dvisory/2719662

 

Very important to disable the Gadget Platform. It is a big security vulnerability.

 

Microsoft Security Advisory: Vulnerabilities in Gadgets could allow remote code execution

 

You can also turn off the Gadget Platform manually in Windows 7:

  • Go to Control Panel
  • Type features into the search box.
  • Go to Turn Windows features on or off
  • Go down to Gadget Platform and unclick it
  • Click OK button, and wait
  • When completed, Restart computer
  • Done

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I managed to find out how fix the gadgets in the Control Panel. Turns out, there's an option that simply restores the default gadgets that came with Windows 7. So I got them fixed. I see in the article it advises about possible malacious gadgets or third-party gadgets. I'm just using some basic gadgets that were included with Windows 7, like the analog clock and the calendar. Would they be at risk too?

 

I know where the .gadget files are on my comptuer (they function like folders it seems) but I didn't know how to get the .gadget folder to "install"

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Guest LilBambi

Microsoft fix kills Windows Gadgets, warns it could lead to PC hijacks - arstechnica

 

"An attacker who successfully exploited a Gadget vulnerability could run arbitrary code in the context of the current user," company officials said in an advisory issued Tuesday. "If the current user is logged on with administrative user rights, an attacker could take complete control of the affected system." To be successful, they added, "An attacker would have to convince a user to install and enable a vulnerable Gadget."

 

Microsoft added the Gadgets feature and an accompanying Sidebar to Windows Vista in hopes of matching the success Apple had with a similar feature called Dashboard, which is included in Mac OS X. It allows end users to add clocks, stock tickers, and other small apps to their desktops. A few weeks ago, Microsoft pulled the plug on its official Gadgets gallery. The page now includes a warning that says, "Gadgets installed from untrusted sources can harm your computer and can access your computer's files, show you objectionable content, or change their behavior at any time."

 

Someone hacked the gadgets on one guy's computers and turn them all black. If they could do that, they can do much more.

 

I would not trust the entire platform but that's up to you. Microsoft has ditched it.

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Hi -

 

Sidebar Gadgets FAQ - http://windows.micro...asked-questions

 

I agree with the others re: Security Issues

 

Several 3rd party gadgets that I've come upon in various forum threads were simply atrocious - gadgets poorly written; worst coding imaginable; plagued by unforeseen problems, including BSODs and memory leaks.

 

One such gadget that displayed summary info for CPU, RAM and networking info comes to mind (apologies -- I don't recall the gadget name) as initial RAM/CPU after boot-up was ~55k/1%. Within 4-6 hours, memory usage topped 1GB, with no end in sight -- typical memory leak.

 

I've seen similar issues with the gadgets native to Windows, specifically the temp gadget -

 

01-22-2013_gadgets.PNG

 

 

(It is cold here in New Jersey ATM, !!)

 

I know after initial boot earlier today, those 3 temp gadgets were using ~55 mb RAM; currently, the 3 gadgets are consuming 271 MB RAM + CPU flucuating between <0.001% - 5%.

 

No idea why RAM usage is so high.

 

Regards. . .

 

jcgriff2

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I am still using the Windows7 default calander, weather and process monitor gadgets. Interesting that the weather gadget still gets data updated regularly by microsoft.

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Thanks everyone! I disabled the gadgets. They really aren't that important to me to risk anything or to worry much about it. I figured it's best just not to worry about it. I had started to wonder about my gadgets because they upgraded our computers at work to Windows 7 and while doing a little customization to the desktop I turned on a gadget and remembered "oh yeah, gadgets, I remember these!"

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I agree about the weather gadgets still updating - rather interesting! I keep them on during extreme cold or heat usually; otherwise they're killed off.

 

I did not mean to imply the stock weather gadgets are a problem; they're not. The increase from 55-270MB RAM is really marginal and I've never seen 3-4 gadgets total consume > 300 MB RAM.

 

I also see a subtle RAM increase in Explorer (starts off ~55-60 MB; is at 92 MB right now after 9 hours uptime and rarely exceeds 100 MB). You have probably noticed one svchost in particular will climb to 125+ MB RAM -- the one that hosts SysMain (Superfetch) + TrkWks (Distributed Link Tracking Client).

 

If I'm ever in need of a quick 100+ MB RAM, I kill off SysMain & TrkWks; and re-start Explorer using SysInternals ProcExp running as Admin.

 

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896653

http://live.sysinternals.com/procexp.exe

Edited by jcgriff2
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Guest LilBambi

I hear ya John. For those who are more tech savvy that might work well. But...

 

For normal users, who don't have the time or inclination to do more than click on programs and use them, surf and check email, I have found that they don't want to do that sort of thing, and you can't expect them to do that sort of thing sadly. :(

 

So I just disable the whole Gadget Platform as discussed by Microsoft in their advisory.

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