On my system the place plugin crashes randomly. Although usually it has no effect on the xfce4-panel (other than the disappearing icon), this week this was also accompanied with the panel crashing. When trying to restart the panel a first time, it failed with this message (see below). At third or fourth attempt the panel started fine. For system info, please see below. 

I couldn't notice any specific strange operation around the moment of crashes. For example, I never used it when crashes occurred. 


### Error code ### 
liviu@localhost ~/Desktop $ xfce4-panel

(xfce4-panel:7100): xfce4-panel-WARNING **: Internal plugins need the "X-XFCE-Module-Path" entry to work properly.

(xfce4-panel:7100): xfce4-panel-WARNING **: Failed to create plugin "smartbookmark"

(xfce4-panel:7100): xfce4-panel-WARNING **: Internal plugins need the "X-XFCE-Module-Path" entry to work properly.

(xfce4-panel:7100): xfce4-panel-WARNING **: Failed to create plugin "quicklauncher"

(xfce4-menu-plugin:7107): Gdk-WARNING **: GdkWindow 0x2600003 unexpectedly destroyed

(xfce4-places-plugin:7108): Gdk-WARNING **: GdkWindow 0x2800003 unexpectedly destroyed
The program 'xfce4-menu-plugin' received an X Window System error.
This probably reflects a bug in the program.
The error was 'BadWindow (invalid Window parameter)'.
 (Details: serial 162 error_code 3 request_code 18 minor_code 0)
 (Note to programmers: normally, X errors are reported asynchronously;
  that is, you will receive the error a while after causing it.
  To debug your program, run it with the --sync command line
  option to change this behavior. You can then get a meaningful
  backtrace from your debugger if you break on the gdk_x_error() function.)
The program 'xfce4-places-plugin' received an X Window System error.
This probably reflects a bug in the program.
The error was 'BadWindow (invalid Window parameter)'.
 (Details: serial 162 error_code 3 request_code 18 minor_code 0)
 (Note to programmers: normally, X errors are reported asynchronously;
  that is, you will receive the error a while after causing it.
  To debug your program, run it with the --sync command line
  option to change this behavior. You can then get a meaningful
  backtrace from your debugger if you break on the gdk_x_error() function.)

(orageclock:7120): Gdk-WARNING **: GdkWindow 0x2e00003 unexpectedly destroyed

(xfce4-battery-plugin:7119): Gdk-WARNING **: GdkWindow 0x3000003 unexpectedly destroyed
The program 'xfce4-battery-plugin' received an X Window System error.
This probably reflects a bug in the program.
The error was 'BadWindow (invalid Window parameter)'.
 (Details: serial 162 error_code 3 request_code 18 minor_code 0)
 (Note to programmers: normally, X errors are reported asynchronously;
  that is, you will receive the error a while after causing it.
  To debug your program, run it with the --sync command line
  option to change this behavior. You can then get a meaningful
  backtrace from your debugger if you break on the gdk_x_error() function.)
Segmentation fault
liviu@localhost ~/Desktop $ The program 'orageclock' received an X Window System error.
This probably reflects a bug in the program.
The error was 'BadWindow (invalid Window parameter)'.
 (Details: serial 162 error_code 3 request_code 18 minor_code 0)
 (Note to programmers: normally, X errors are reported asynchronously;
  that is, you will receive the error a while after causing it.
  To debug your program, run it with the --sync command line
  option to change this behavior. You can then get a meaningful
  backtrace from your debugger if you break on the gdk_x_error() function.)
### End of Error code ###

Original thread:
http://www.nabble.com/xfce4-places-crashes-xfce4-panel-tt23683103.html

System info:
liviu@localhost ~/inst/documentation_R/robust $ uname -a
Linux localhost 2.6.22-gentoo-r5-0.5 #3 Sat Mar 14 12:22:37 CET 2009 i686 Intel(R) Pentium(R) M processor 1.60GHz GenuineIntel GNU/Linux
liviu@localhost ~/inst/documentation_R/robust $ eix -e xfce4
     Installed versions:  4.6.0(18:16:34 11/03/09)(alsa cups xscreensaver -minimal -oss)
liviu@localhost ~/inst/documentation_R/robust $ eix -e xfce4-panel
     Installed versions:  4.6.0(17:46:22 11/03/09)(startup-notification -debug -doc)
liviu@localhost ~/inst/documentation_R/robust $ eix -e xfce4-places
     Installed versions:  1.1.0(13:12:10 21/09/08)(-debug)
liviu@localhost ~/inst/documentation_R/robust $ eix -e thunar
     Installed versions:  1.0.0(17:49:24 11/03/09)(X dbus exif hal pcre startup-notification trash-plugin -debug -doc -gnome)
liviu@localhost ~/inst/documentation_R/robust $ eix thunar
     Installed versions:  1.0.0(17:49:24 11/03/09)(X dbus exif hal pcre startup-notification trash-plugin -debug -doc -gnome)
liviu@localhost ~/inst/documentation_R/robust $ eix -e gtk+
     Installed versions:  2.14.7-r2(2)(12:05:59 22/04/09)(X cups jpeg jpeg2k tiff -debug -doc -vim-syntax -xinerama)