Windows Desktop Gadgets is giving me trouble

Just a few days ago my desktop gadgets have stopped working. When I start Windows they appear to function normally for a minute or so, then the error message "Windows desktop gadgets have stopped working" appears. Sometimes I attempt to launch the gadgets, but it fails in the same manner. Worryingly for the general robustness of Windows 7, performing a System Restore to a time before the problem arose did NOT fix the problem. Any help please?
