What is sidebar.exe? Is sidebar.exe spyware or a virus?
How to fix sidebar.exe related problems?
1. Run Security Task Manager to check your sidebar process
2. Run a Windows Repair Tool to fix sidebar.exe related PC problems
3. Run an Antivirus to find persistent malware
Process name: Windows Sidebar
Product: Windows Vista
Company: Microsoft
File: sidebar.exe
Security Rating:
The file implements the Windows Sidebar feature of Windows Desktop; it is found in the folder C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar\. It is part of Windows "gadgets" and is associated with Windows Vista.
Get more detailed information about sidebar.exe and all other running background processes with Security Task Manager.
Note: Any malware can be named anything - so you should check where the files of the running processes are located on your disk. If a "non-Microsoft" .exe file is located in the C:\Windows or C:\Windows\System32 folder, then there is a high risk for a virus, spyware, trojan or worm infection! Check it out!
Click to Run a Free Scan for sidebar.exe related Errors
Users Opinions
Average user rating of sidebar.exe: based on 70 votes. Read also the 45 reviews.
1433 users ask for this file. 33 users rated it as not dangerous. 6 users rated it as not so dangerous. 11 users rated it as neutral. 9 users rated it as little bit dangerous. 11 users rated it as dangerous. 8 users didn't rate it ("don't know").
| All comments about sidebar.exe: | |
|---|---|
| Desktop Sidebar is emulates the Windows Longhorn sidebar for XP/2000. Definitely not spyware/malware See also: Link ironcladlou | |
| Comes with windows Vista lordfirefox | |
| Windows Sidebar for XP anon | |
| Every time I log on it requires access to Internet and always appears in different folder in "User/Local Settings/Temp/". Although the autor of Vista Transformation Pack says there's no malware in his software, that's doubtful. Why does it change its folder every time? Johnny | |
| Vista system file for Sidebar JimboM | |
| Microsoft Sidebar Windows Vista Hansebanger | |
| sends the following message to everyone on your msn list: Hi, ich habe letztens ein paar Superheisse Urlaubsphotos von mir machen können. Die Bräute da waren einfach der Hammer! Wenn du es dir mal anschauen möchteste kannst du diese unter Folgendem Link Downloaden: [BEISPIELLINK]http://rs232.rapidshare.com/files/118877839/Meine_neuen_Urlaubspics.zip[/BEISPIELLINK] Es war halt wirklich der beste Urlaub meines Lebens Albatross | |
| Possible hiding name of a backdoor/trojan See also: Link Jumbo | |
| Sidebar-Uhr-einstellen | |
| sets abnormal ownership and permissions on C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar\ appears to be related to linkjacking in browser appeared after trojan flash installer | |
| While the sidebar in Vista may hog resources, it it not a virus See also: Link Chris | |
| It stop my virus scan dead in it's tracks and i want to know why... Everything else fine. Just sidebar exe. Sleepy Tiger | |
| Not usually dangerous but some trojans use this as a cover. Be concerned if you appear to have two sidebar.exe processes in task manager | |
| it has direct acces to my keyboard...may be some gadget in it is a keylogger...!! DOn | |
| It is invisible to my task manager but visible to "deep scan" software so I appears to be hiding itself. I think its malicious. Bman | |
| it is gadgets | |
| is part of the windows sidebar search to regedit nikos pappas | |
| Sidebar.exe that comes with vista/7 is not-malicious. But there are a few corrupted gadgets that run a second sidebar.exe that is. Always virus scan everything you download. That awesome guy, you know the one. | |
| sidebar.exe is used in conjunction with gadgets. It creates a HTTP connection to a server owned by microsoft.. I presume for updating the gadgets (or perhaps MS is gathering info about you and your use that you are not aware of?) run NETSTAT -b to verify. Stop the process and re-rum NETSTAT -b to see. Relatively "safe", but it is just another example of MS hiding what they do.... DGR | |
| Windows Vista/7 Sidebar for Gadgets like clock, weather, CPU Usage,... Weezy | |
| Scary, theres two of them, one starts on startup(not concerned about) and then the other starts after the first one, like its covering its tracks to get a harmless rating, the second, im sure, is a virus, and I would reccomend stopping it Weeve Ferrelaine | |
| Everytime I shut down, a message pops up. I can't quite see the message, but it says something about sidebar.exe not working. Sorry | |
| if the process is in folder "C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar" its not malicious and related to the windows 7 gadgets, the process starts when i open the gadget window or a gadget itself and automatically goes away when i close it (until a gadget is open, the process will not disappear) TommyTheNice | |
| its keeps my computer from restarting or shutting down when I ask it to.. saddletmp | |
| Can't find it - can't remove it. It also stops me from shutting down or sleeping and often stops winmail from opening and strops IE 9 dead in its tracks Tom Dombrosky | |
| this file is normally used as a backup for Trojans. there is a second one if there is a Trojan (in my case, a key logger). The Virus Killer | |
| if you find it, ( i found it by luck) and you delete it, it comes back. It stops your computer from shutting down unless you force close. Icefireninja | |
| I'm using the clock gadget that came with windows 7, which turned on the sidebar.exe Zee | |
| Sidebar.exe is a process that makes your Start menu work. But it can also be a malicious backdoor trojan. Usually safe, but virus scan everything you downloaded if feeling suspicious. John the Computer Nerd | |
| if the process is in folder "C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar" its not malicious and related to the windows 7 gadgets, the process starts when i open the gadget window or a gadget itself and automatically goes away when i close it (until a gadget is open, the process will not disappear) TommyTheNice tom | |
| Sidebar monitors what gadgets are running. entering "sidebar" in program search opens the monitor window, allowing you to deactivate running gadgets Atomsmasher | |
| This is Windows Gadgets for Windows Vista/7, but if you have XP and you have sidebar.exe, it's most likely to be a virus! eee | |
| Its not dangerous but it does cause severe system slowdown Max D | |
| High chance of being a trojan, but unable to confirm at this time. Don | |
| for universal ghost | |
| It slows your computer down to a crawl! if you are just using your computer and all of the sudden the entire OS seems sluggish go into your process manger and stop sidebar.exe Max | |
| If sidebar and gadgets were not dangerous, why would Microsoft have a fix to disable it. Apparently, gadgets can be used by hackers to introduce malicious code into your system. See also: Link Steve | |
| Standard windows start up program. | |
| it require lot of memory for what? the real function is not clear, turning it off from task manager nothing happens.. Luciano | |
| Should be a fine process, but has broken my machine. It is stopping shutdowns, corrupting files, and the sidebar has broken entirely Edwarr | |
| A remarkable software program...that I have included on my 10" notebook's desktop, with a black background (i.e., 18 slideshow windows to depict various film scences...while listening to a list of preselected music videos as theme music). My criticism, though, is the failure of the slideshow to enable the viewing of each pic 1 second (or less)...in order to simulate animation (e.g., copying and pasting each element of a gif...coding each element so these run in sequence...and joining various gif elements to form an animated storyboard). In fact, my view as why MS has removed this program, is that many have chosen to use this in place of its moviemaker...and, it is a program MS could not subvert! Bill | |
| This goes with Vista/7 gadgets. Like clock, and calendar. But, They'res two kind. If you see this running on XP or if you dont have gadgets, then its probably a virus. Scan it with probably either Spybot or McAfee | |
| Guys, This is for vista/7 windows 8 + and windows xp - is a virus so ya See also: Link POWER RANGER | |
| It runs Windows Gadgets. Hawk | |
| Task Manager showed sidebar.exe running at 46-52% of CPU all the time. I quit it and am much happier now. All the gadgets disappeared by life goes on. The Start Menu is not affected. Bryon | |
Show all 45 comments
More process information
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