Index: wp-includes/default-widgets.php
===================================================================
--- wp-includes/default-widgets.php	(revision 11685)
+++ wp-includes/default-widgets.php	(working copy)
@@ -605,14 +605,16 @@
 		$this->WP_Widget('recent-comments', __('Recent Comments'), $widget_ops);
 		$this->alt_option_name = 'widget_recent_comments';
 
-		if ( is_active_widget(false, false, $this->id_base) )
-			add_action( 'wp_head', array(&$this, 'recent_comments_style') );
+		add_action( 'wp_head', array(&$this, 'recent_comments_style') );
 
 		add_action( 'comment_post', array(&$this, 'flush_widget_cache') );
 		add_action( 'wp_set_comment_status', array(&$this, 'flush_widget_cache') );
 	}
 
-	function recent_comments_style() { ?>
+	function recent_comments_style() {
+		if ( !is_active_widget(false, false, $this->id_base) )
+			return;
+	?>
 	<style type="text/css">.recentcomments a{display:inline !important;padding:0 !important;margin:0 !important;}</style>
 <?php
 	}
Index: wp-includes/widgets.php
===================================================================
--- wp-includes/widgets.php	(revision 11685)
+++ wp-includes/widgets.php	(working copy)
@@ -962,12 +962,12 @@
 	// If loading from front page, consult $_wp_sidebars_widgets rather than options
 	// to see if wp_convert_widget_settings() has made manipulations in memory.
 	if ( is_admin() ) {
-		$sidebars_widgets = get_option('sidebars_widgets', array());
+		$sidebars_widgets = get_option('sidebars_widgets', array('array_version' => 3));
 	} else {
 		if ( empty($_wp_sidebars_widgets) )
-			$sidebars_widgets = get_option('sidebars_widgets', array());
-		else
-			$sidebars_widgets = &$_wp_sidebars_widgets;
+			$_wp_sidebars_widgets = get_option('sidebars_widgets', array('array_version' => 3));
+
+		$sidebars_widgets = $_wp_sidebars_widgets;
 	}
 	$_sidebars_widgets = array();
 
@@ -1024,20 +1024,29 @@
 					}
 				}
 
-				// Assign to each unmatched registered sidebar the first available orphan
-				unset( $sidebars_widgets[ 'array_version' ] );
-				while ( ( $sidebar = array_shift( $sidebars ) ) && $widgets = array_shift( $sidebars_widgets ) )
-					$_sidebars_widgets[ $sidebar ] = $widgets;
+				// move the rest to wp_inactive_widgets
+				if ( !isset($_sidebars_widgets['wp_inactive_widgets']) )
+					$_sidebars_widgets['wp_inactive_widgets'] = array();
+				
+				if ( !empty($sidebars_widgets) ) {
+					foreach ( $sidebars_widgets as $lost => $val ) {
+						if ( is_array($val) )
+							$_sidebars_widgets['wp_inactive_widgets'] = array_merge( (array) $_sidebars_widgets['wp_inactive_widgets'], $val );
+					}
+				}
 
-				$_sidebars_widgets['array_version'] = 3;
 				$sidebars_widgets = $_sidebars_widgets;
 				unset($_sidebars_widgets);
 			}
 
+			$sidebars_widgets['array_version'] = 3;
 			if ( $update && is_admin() )
 				update_option('sidebars_widgets', $sidebars_widgets);
 	}
 
+	if ( !is_admin() )
+		$_wp_sidebars_widgets = $sidebars_widgets;
+	
 	if ( isset($sidebars_widgets['array_version']) )
 		unset($sidebars_widgets['array_version']);
 
@@ -1086,9 +1095,8 @@
  * @return array
  */
 function wp_convert_widget_settings($base_name, $option_name, $settings) {
-	global $_wp_sidebars_widgets;
 	// This test may need expanding.
-	$single = false;
+	$single = $changed = false;
 	if ( empty($settings) ) {
 		$single = true;
 	} else {
@@ -1107,26 +1115,29 @@
 
 		// If loading from the front page, update sidebar in memory but don't save to options
 		if ( is_admin() ) {
-			$sidebars_widgets = get_option('sidebars_widgets');
+			$sidebars_widgets = get_option('sidebars_widgets', array('array_version' => 3));
 		} else {
 			if ( empty($GLOBALS['_wp_sidebars_widgets']) )
-				$GLOBALS['_wp_sidebars_widgets'] = get_option('sidebars_widgets');
+				$GLOBALS['_wp_sidebars_widgets'] = get_option('sidebars_widgets', array('array_version' => 3));
 			$sidebars_widgets = &$GLOBALS['_wp_sidebars_widgets'];
 		}
-
-		foreach ( (array) $sidebars_widgets as $index => $sidebar ) {
-			if ( is_array($sidebar) ) {
-				foreach ( $sidebar as $i => $name ) {
-					if ( $base_name == $name ) {
-						$sidebars_widgets[$index][$i] = "$name-2";
-						break 2;
+		
+		if ( isset($sidebars_widgets['array_version']) && $sidebars_widgets['array_version'] == 3 ) {
+			foreach ( (array) $sidebars_widgets as $index => $sidebar ) {
+				if ( is_array($sidebar) ) {
+					foreach ( $sidebar as $i => $name ) {
+						if ( $base_name == $name ) {
+							$sidebars_widgets[$index][$i] = "$name-2";
+							$changed = true;
+							break 2;
+						}
 					}
 				}
 			}
+			
+			if ( is_admin() && $changed )
+				update_option('sidebars_widgets', $sidebars_widgets);
 		}
-
-		if ( is_admin() )
-			update_option('sidebars_widgets', $sidebars_widgets);
 	}
 
 	$settings['_multiwidget'] = 1;