Big green bar where my clock and task bar should be

[Alan]

The other day after I installed Paint Shop Pro 8 and a patch to PSP8, when I
returned to my desktop, this horrible, empty green bar had taken over the
bottom of my desktop. there is nothing on this bar except for the MS flag on
the left side. Clicking it allows me to reveal my programs menu,but I have
no idea what is open because nothing shows on this bar. I can neither move
the bar or see underneath it.

Can anyone give me some guidance as to how I can get back my normal task
bar.

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Do you get a menu if you right click this green bar?

What kind of menu?

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[Alan]

yes, I get the regular "all programs" menu, the run command, the help
option, etc.

 

[Alan]

Wesley,

I'm afraid I might have a bigger problem than just an oversized task bar.

I'm finding out that I can't click through on any urls either in OE or IE.
And one of my notepad apps refuses to close unless I give it the three
finger salute.

 

[Alan]

In diddling around, I find out that the big green thing is the START buttom.
Nothing I can do moves or changes it

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Hi Alan,

Hmm. I know nothing about Paint Shop Pro 8. Is it possible that Paint Shop
Pro 8 is somehow the culprit?

The taskbar can be sized to take up almost half the screen. It should be
able to be resized.

Try this.

Right click the taskbar then click to clear the Lock Taskbar option.

Move your cursor over the edge of the taskbar until it becomes a
double-headed arrow.

Left click and drag down to the single height.

Right click the taskbar then click Lock the Taskbar.

Now it can't be moved or resized unless the Lock Taskbar option is cleared
again.

Right click the Start button | Properties | Taskbar tab | Look at the
options, see if any do not look like what you have had in the past.

Do you have a restore point so you could do a System Restore to before the
installation of Paint Shop Pro 8?

I know that there are programs available to allow you to modify the start
button. Change name, resize, etc.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[Alan]

Wes,

I've tried all the resizing tricks I know including what you just suggested.
The cursor will not turn into a double headed arrow no matter which side of
the button I move it to. As of now, my printer driver has disappeared, none
of the irls I click will work. I feel like I'm going down for the third time
(glub, glub) so I'm just going to re-install XP after formatting my C disk.
I spent several hours last night backing up everything I could think of in
preparation. Glub

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Alan,

Update your antivirus software and antispyware apps and run full system
scans.

See what you can find. Good luck. ;-)

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[Guest]

Try the general fix taskibar utility from

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/taskbarplus!.htm