Blue column on desktop

[Guest]

I cannot figure out how to get rid of this blue column that takes up 1/4 of
my desktop. I've tried editing the desktop properties, which doesn't even
show it. I know it sounds simple, but I hate it!

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I cannot figure out how to get rid of this blue column that takes up
1/4 of my desktop. I've tried editing the desktop properties, which
doesn't even show it. I know it sounds simple, but I hate it!

Do you mean the "Common Tasks Bar."

To get rid of it, go to Doug Knox's site, http://www.dougknox.com. On the
left, click Win XP Fixes, then Remove Common Tasks from Desktop.

 

[Guest]

That helped, it got rid of the common tasks thing, BUT it put a strange huge
burgundy and gold graphic on the right side of the screen. Any ideas?

 

[Malke]

That helped, it got rid of the common tasks thing, BUT it put a strange huge
burgundy and gold graphic on the right side of the screen. Any ideas?

I don't believe this "strange huge" graphic comes from Windows. Turning
off Common Tasks on the hundreds of machines where I've done this has
never produced that result.

Go to the Display applet in Control Panel and look on the Desktop tab.
Click on Customize Desktop, and then click on the Web tab. You will see
that there are checkmarks next to "My Current Home Page" and probably
"Lock Desktop Items". Uncheck these, Apply/OK out.

You might also use the Display applet to change your Desktop wall paper
to nothing or another picture to see if that helps.


Malke

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

That helped, it got rid of the common tasks thing,

Good, glad to hear it.

BUT it put a
strange huge burgundy and gold graphic on the right side of the
screen. Any ideas?

I have no idea what the graphic you're talking about it is. Can you describe
it in more detail? But I can assure you that Doug's fix didn't put it
there.

--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup

 

[Guest]

Thank you very much. Neither of the two boxes you mentioned were checked,
HOWEVER a box listing some strange website was checked. I unchecked it and
that solved the problem! Great advice, thank you. M

 

[Malke]

Thank you very much. Neither of the two boxes you mentioned were checked,
HOWEVER a box listing some strange website was checked. I unchecked it and
that solved the problem! Great advice, thank you. M

I'm glad that worked for you. Since a "strange website" was checked, it
would be smart to do at least some general maintenance and malware
scanning if you don't do this as a matter of course.

http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Removing_Malware


Malke