Win 11 Widget Board all Black - asks to install Dependencies, but nothing happens...

Anonymous
2025-04-02T15:58:08+00:00

Just had to reinstall Windows 11, 2h24, on our Lenovo T15. Everything works fine but the Widget Board. When I click the Taskbar Icon (shows no activity) the Widget Board loads but is nothing but black. When clicking on it, a message says "Additional Dependencies are needed to download and install" But when I click the install button the circle starts turning around. On and on forever. Nothing happens.

How do I fix this issue to make the Widget Board work again?

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Performance and system failures

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  1. Anonymous
    2025-04-09T09:40:59+00:00

    Hi Ramesh,

    Think we did that before. More or less.

    But I will do these steps as soon as I can find the opportunity. It is my wife's Laptop so if you hear nothing from me it is because she killed me in the process :-) :-)

    Anyway - you will hear from me again when I have performed the steps in one of the nearest days. Please have patience with me and don't close this case.

    Best Regards,

    Anders

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  2. Ramesh Srinivasan 87,865 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2025-04-09T08:17:23+00:00

    Hi Anders,

    It seems Widgetboard was running already before the trace and shows it crashed for some reason.

    1. Please clean boot using msconfig.exe. A clean boot is the process of starting Windows without loading third-party apps and services. Please see this Microsoft article for more information.

    How to perform a clean boot in Windows - Microsoft Support:

    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/how-t...

    (Step 3 in the above link is very important. You need to first enable "Hide all Microsoft Services" before clicking "Disable all".)

    If that doesn't help:

    1. Create a new local admin account. Open admin Command Prompt and use the following command-line syntax: net user USERNAME PASSWORD /add net localgroup administrators USERNAME /add

    (Note: Replace the placeholder text "USERNAME" and "PASSWORD" with the new user name and password, respectively.)

    Login to the newly created account and open widgets.

    If it still crashes, you may try another repair installation.

    Launch Settings > System > Recovery. Under "Fix problems using Windows Update", select "Reinstall now."

    This does a repair installation, keeping your files, apps, and settings.

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  3. Anonymous
    2025-04-09T08:08:47+00:00

    Hi Ramesh,

    Ran ProcMon again as to your instructions.

    Please find a new zipped Logfile here:

    https://strandholm.dk/transit/test/Logfile_040925.zip

    Best Regards,

    Anders

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  4. Ramesh Srinivasan 87,865 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2025-04-09T03:35:33+00:00

    Hi Anders,

    If possible, please run another ProcMon trace. But start the trace after a fresh restart. After restarting Windows, don't click Widgets. Instead start Process Monitor an enable tracing. Now, click Widgets. If nothing appears in the Widgets board, stop tracing and share the fresh log..

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  5. Anonymous
    2025-04-09T01:34:06+00:00

    Hello Ramesh,

    This time I thought we were (almost) there....

    I ran the PowerShell command (no acknowledgement from PS on the result?? - weird).

    Reboot and reinstalled Windows Web Exp. Pack from your link. For the first time I could observe the installation process worked. Installed and checked dependencies. I was sure we hit Jackpot....

    After another reboot I activated Widgets in Taskbar Settings, waited a moment and launched the Widget Board.

    Disappointed - but no improvements or changes. One thing. The "One or more Dependencies needs to be download and installed" Msg Box does not show up anymore. I noticed that a couple of "Troubleshooting scenarios" ago. What made the change I don't know, as so much has been done on this annoying issue.

    Anyway, the "Feed" Icon to the upper left is still missing and no MS Feeds available. Note:

    I hope you do not give up on this, Ramesh.

    Best,

    Anders

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