1} What are the top things to try first?

2} What platforms is the sidebar for?

3} I closed it! How do I get it back?

4} How do I change the side of the screen the bar is on?

5} How do I restart the sidebar?

6} How do I add gadgets to the sidebar?

7} What are the icons on the right side of the gadget for?

8} What are some other websites I should know about?

1. Re-Add the gadget: Simple fix for some issues.

2. Re-Boot your machine: This usually fixes issues where gadgets lock up or the sidebar decides to stop all internet traffic.

3. Restart the sidebar program itself: This sometimes fixes issues where gadgets lock up or the sidebar decides to stop all internet traffic.

4. Make sure you have the latest version: Double check the the site or re-download the program.

5. Look through relevant blog posts: Your problem may have already been solved.

6. Persistent settings fix: (Windows Vista Sidebar Only) For this, you have to locate the gadget data directory (Usually: C: -> users -> [Your Username] -> AppData -> BuildAGadget Content -> [Gadget Name]) then delete the .xml data file for the gadget you're using.

Vista sidebar is currently available for Windows Vista and a newer version has been confirmed for Windows 7, which should be released in 2009.

Google sidebar is bundled with Google Desktop and is available for Windows 2000, XP, and Vista. There are versions available for Linux and Mac as well. If you've recently bought a Dell computer, odds are that you already have Google Desktop installed. It's distinguishable from the Vista Sidebar by the Google search box on the bottom of the bar and the Google logo on the top.

If you hit "Close Sidebar" after right-clicking on it, it merely minimized to the system try. Look for the icon on the right hand lower part or your screen and click it to bring the sidebar back up. If you right-clicked that icon and hit "Exit", then you'll need to open the start menu and do a search for "Windows Sidebar" or "Google Desktop" then click the result of the same name to restart the program.

Vista Sidebar: Right-click the sidebar or the icon in the notification area of the task bar and select "Properties." Under arrangment, there are several options including putting the sidebar on top of other windows, changing from the right side of the screen to the left or vice-versa, and specifying which monitor to display the sidebar on (if you have multiple monitors).

Google Sidebar: Just click and drag the sidebar across the screen.

Right-click the icon in the notification area of the task bar and select "Exit", then go to the start menu and search for "Windows Sidebar" or "Google Desktop." Select the result of the same name and voila! You have restarted the sidebar. If this continues to be a problem, consider adding a shortcut to the program to your desktop or start menu.

In Windows 7, hit ctrl-alt-del and terminate the sidebar.exe service from the task manager. Then go to Computer -> C:\ -> Program Files -> Windows Sidebar -> sidebar.exe

You can bring up the Gadget Gallery panel by either clicking the plus sign on the top of the sidebar or by right-clicking the sidebar and selecting "Add Gadgets..." Once there, simply select the gadget you wish to add and either drag it onto the sidebar or double-click it. With Google sidebar, there will be an "Add" button below the gadget icon. If you're downloading a gadget, simply click "Open" to add it to the top of the sidebar immediately or save it and double-click it to do the same thing.

Vista Sidebar: On each gadget, on the top right hand corner when you mouse over the gadget for more than a second, appear three tiny icons. The top icon is an X and will close the gadget if clicked. The second is a spanner icon that will pop open the settings panel for the gadget (which can also be accessed by right-clicking the gadget and selecting "Options") and the last is a drag panel. The drag panel exists in case the gadget itself is not draggable, clicking and dragging on this tiny panel will allow you to move the gadget anywhere on the sidebar or your desktop.

There are a few other sites online for anyone looking to get the most out of their sidebar. These include: Windows Help and How-to: Customize Windows Sidebar, Windows Help and How-to: Frequently Asked Questions, Live Gallery, Google Desktop: Windows Help Center, Google Desktop: Getting Started, and Google Desktop Gadgets.