Task bar problem

[Jonzjob]

Not that I normally have a problem with bars (boozy type) but I have a problem that has appeared, seemingly, from nowhere? At the bottom of my laptop screen I now have a double layer task bar? Normally there is just a single blue line across the bottom of the screen with the  Start button, all the short cuts, the space for the jobs that are running and on the right hand side the quick links and the clock.

Now I have 2 lines with the Start button and short cuts. Then the space for jobs on the next line down. How on earth can I put it back to a single line again. Very nice to have all the short cuts, but I really would like to be in control of this bruddy thing and say what I want! rather than what it thinks I want?

I have tried unlocking the task bar and simply moving it back to a sigle line. It will let me have a triple line or none at all, but not a single line.

Thinking back to aother thread I think that I like wallpaper much more!!?? Oh how I hate Bill Gates and his blasted PCs!!!!!!!

[AnOther]

Just position your mouse pointer over the top of the bar until it turns into a double headed arrow then drag the bar down.

Edited: Note to self, read post properly BEFORE replying !

[AnOther]

Can you post a screenshot of exactly what you have.

If the bar is locked it should not move and I cannot think of any reason at all why you can have a triple bar or none, it simply does not make sense.

[Jonzjob]

After what seems like the scenic route??/

[IMG]http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f180/Jonzjob/Taskbarproblem.jpg[/IMG]

I don't see any logic either, but I will always say that i would always prefer to spend a week working on a mainfraim problem than 5 mins on a blasted pee cee!!!!

[Clair]

I have reproduced the above picture on my laptop by doing the following:

right-click on the taskbar

unlock the taskbar

bring the mouse arrow to the uppermost edge of the taskbar and when it changes to an up/down arrow, move the arrow upwards

to undo and return to a sigle line taskbar:

unlock the taskbar as above

bring the mouse arrow to the uppermost edge of the taskbar and and move down when it changes to an up/down arrow

right-click on the taskbar and lock the task bar

[AnOther]

It looks to me as if you've got the Desktop as a Toolbar, and perhaps someting elase too.

If you right click anywhere on the Toolbar the go to the top of the pop up menu where it says Toolbars in the pop out menu does it have a tick against Desktop. If so untick it.

Also, unless you do need it, I'd also get rid of the Language bar.

Basically the only one you need ticked is the Quick Launch Bar.

Post back when you've done that.

Claire: I think Jonzjob has already tried this because he says he can have a triple bar or none. 

[Clair]

Note to self: read all posts twice before replying...

[AnOther]

Crikes, even mods aren't perfect then.............[6] [blink]

[AnOther]

Apart from the Language bar I've just recreated exacly what you have so the Desktop Toolbar is definately yor problem.

[IMG]http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p123/biskitboyo/Toolbar.jpg[/IMG]

[Clair]

[quote user="ErnieY"]Crikes, even mods aren't perfect then.............[6] [blink][/quote]

I can't speak for all of them, but I'm just a normal person with ordinary flaws![:)]

I hear some have superpowers, but I believe these are just rumours![:P]

[Jonzjob]

Cracked it Ernie!!! You are a genuniues er genuiuessis. Oh sod it you cracked it. If I right click the tool bar, select Toolbars and make sure that 'Quick Launch' is not selected all returns to as was. So now at least I feel as if I can have some say in what this damnable machine does! For now at least?

Thank you all for your help!!

P.S. I think that I will press the # key???[6]

[AnOther]

So you've got your Desktop as your Toolbar..........why on earth would you want that ?

 

 

[Jonzjob]

[quote user="Clair"][quote user="ErnieY"]Crikes, even mods aren't perfect then.............[6] [blink][/quote]
I can't speak for all of them, but I'm just a normal person with ordinary flaws![:)]
I hear some have superpowers, but I believe these are just rumours![:P]
[/quote]

At school I was always the ink monitor. I always had to stay behind an fill all the ink wells because I had a weak bladder [8-)]! So I never made it to the dizzy heights of a milk monitor...[:(]

I did know someone who could jump tall buildings though?

[Jonzjob]

[quote user="ErnieY"]

So you've got your Desktop as your Toolbar..........why on earth would you want that ?

[/quote]

Not sure what you mean Ernie? What I got now is a normal desktop with a single line taskbar across the bottom.

"I think that we may have a word description problem here Huston" [:-))][8-)]

All is as it should be thanks to your tender ministrations...

[AnOther]

You said"[quote user="Jonzjob"]If I right click the tool bar, select Toolbars and make sure that 'Quick Launch' is not selected all returns to as was[/quote]Am I now to read that as "if Desktop is not selected".

[Jonzjob]

Right, square one, start again from scratch (I hope?)

What I should have said was --- right click 'Task bar', select 'Toolbars' and make sure that the 'Quick launch' option is not selected.

Quite what quick launch does I am not sure, apart from confuse me, which is definately not difficult!!![8-)]

[AnOther]

[quote user="Jonzjob"]

Right, square one, start again from scratch (I hope?)

[/quote]Exactly....!

You say you're happy now so I don't want to labour the point but you have got me a bit confused I'm afraid Jonzjob [8-)]

Your screenshot showed that you had the Quick Launch Bar (the row of icons next to the Start Button), the Desktop as a Toolbar (where it says Desktop) and the Language Bar (EN). These 3 would all have been ticked in Toolbar properties menu.

[IMG]http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p123/biskitboyo/Taskbarproblem_Edit.jpg[/IMG]

You then said you unticked the Quick Launch Bar which leaves you with the Desktop and Language bars which means you are using the Desktop as a ToolBar which, IMHO, is utterly pointless as it simply mirrors the Icons actually on your screen.

The Quick Launch Toolbar is by far the most useful as it gives you instant access to the Desktop plus your frequently used programmes such as IE, Word (which I see you have) and others which I can't quite make out from your piccy. You can drag the shortcut from any programme or document or WHY to it for instant access.

Post another screenshot of what you have now that you are happy with, perhaps including the pop up menu showing exactly what is and is not ticked.

[Jonzjob]

No sooner done than said (?[8-)]) Ernie...

[IMG]http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f180/Jonzjob/desktop3.jpg[/IMG]

I have also been trying to get rid of some of the icons on the bottom right by the clock. I think that they are controlled by the start menu, but I can't find how??? Talk about thick! I use the classic start menu. When I go to 'Taskbar and Sart Menu Properties' - 'Customise Classic Start Menu' - 'Advanced' - 'Remove Shortcuts/Folders' if I select a folder to remove it threatens to remove the folder and all it's contents to the recycle bin! I only want to remove it from the right hand side? Oh how I hate PCs!

Edit:-  It is much better if I actually show the toolbar selections as well! Twit!!!

[AnOther]

So you were fibbing, the Quick Launch Tioolbar is ticked...!

Regarding the tray Icons, first place to look is Start-Programs-Startup and then right click/delete anything you don't want there.

 

Next head over to http://www.mlin.net/StartupCPL.shtml and download and install the programme. While you're there grab the Startup Monitor as well, I'll come onto that in a mo.

 

When you've installed the Startup Monitor go to the Control Panel where you will find a new item called Startup so double click to run it.You will be rewarded with this:

 

 [IMG]http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p123/biskitboyo/Startup.jpg[/IMG]

 

Now you can see everything which is starting up with tyour PC and enable or disable it at will.

 

You have to use a little common sense but ultimately you can't do any harm and if you do disable something you find you actually want the just go back and re-enable it.

 

The second programme is also a little gem because once you've installed it it sits quietly in the backgroung waiting until something tries to put itself into the startup group and then pops up to ask if you want to allow this or not. Genreally, apart from stuff like your anti virus programme and/or firewall you want to be running but most other things just like to put themselves there for no real purpose but to irritate and consume some of the machines resources.

[Cat]

To remove icons from the bottom right (by the clock)

   right click in the area of the icons (but not directly on an icon)

   select Properties

   select Customise button at bottom RHS

   select the item you want to remove and change the behaviour to Always Hide

   

[AnOther]

Good tip Cat and one I had forgotten about.

It does address the proliferation of Icons in the Taskbar but AFAIK only does exactly as it says, hides the Icons.

Using the Startup Manager kills the application behind the Icon and releases the resources it was using.

Of course one can also use MSCONFIG (Start/Run Type in MSCONFIG/OK) to disable unwanted applications but I personally find the Startup Manager more useful because I can see exactly where in the Startup or Registry items are being called up from.