What is the startup program "Microsoft Windows Operating System - Sidebar.exe" on my Windows 7 computer?

"Microsoft Windows Operating System - Sidebar.exe" is installed as part of the system installation.

You will see the "Sidebar.exe" listed on the Startup tab of msconfig.exe screen as:

Startup item: Microsoft Windows Operating System (or Sidebar)
Manufacture: Microsoft Corporation
Command: %ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\Sidebar.exe /autoRun
Location: HKU\S-1-5-...\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run 

Program file information about "Sidebar.exe":

File name: sidebar.exe
File path: C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar\sidebar.exe
File size: 1475584 bytes
Last modified time: 11/20/2010 10:24:51 PM
File description: Windows Desktop Gadgets
File version: 6.1.7600.16385 (win7_rtm.090713-1255)
Company name: 

"sidebar.exe" is part of the Windows Desktop Gadgets.

It is recommended to disable "Microsoft Windows Operating System - Sidebar.exe" as a startup program and keep its configuration in the registry. You don't really need any desktop gadgets.

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⇑ System Startup Programs on Windows 7

⇑⇑ Windows 7 Startup Programs