Minimized windows stacking on top of each other. WHY?

[Guest]

I have Windows XP and when I minimize 2 or more open windows they go to the
bottom of the screen as they should, but they stack on top of each other now,
which is something that did not happen before. Does anyone know how to make
them line up side by side as they used to do instead of stacking on top of
each other? This is really annoying!!!

Thanks for your assistance.

 

[R. McCarty]

It's a Taskbar function/option. Right Click the Start Button, Left Click
Properties. Click Taskbar (TAB) - Uncheck "Group Similar Taskbar
Buttons", Apply, OK.

 

[Guest]

I did that a while back as that seemed to apply to the little icons on the
task bar, which it did beasue they were not staying where I put them. Maybe
I will put a check mark in the box again to see if that makes the minimized
windows stop stacking on top of each other! Maybe there is a flaw in the
programming.

 

[frogspawn]

Just to get things straight, what do you mean by "stack up"? Do you mean
that if you have 2 or more identical programs running, like IE for example,
that only one button shows in the taskbar? Or is something else happening?

 

[Guest]

Hi,

When you minimize a window you get that rectanglar minimized window at the
bottom of the screen, but just above the taskbar. Well, if I opened several
windows (say, 4) and then minimize 3, instead of the 3 that were minimized
lining up next to each other horizontally as I have always been accustomed
to, you see only one retangular minimized window at the bottom above the task
bar; however, the others are beneath it. They line up prerfectly so one
cannot see that they are there. If you move the top one you will see another
one beneath it, and if you move that one there will be another beneath it,
etc. This is REALLY annoying because if you minimize a window and then go to
maximize it later, you do know if you have minimized it or closed it
accidentally because you cannot see it as it is hidden beneath another
minimize window. (or, when you minimize a window, since you cannot see it as
it is hidden beneath another minimized window, you are left wondering whether
you actually minimized it or accidentally closed it!)

Hope this explains what I mean.

gman

 

[Guest]

Hi, again,

For clarification, I think I should state that I am referring to web pages
being minimized while online. Sorry, didin't think about mentioning this
before.

gman

 

[frogspawn]

If the solution offered by R. McCarty did not work or does not pertain (if
you cannot click on the one button on top and get a llist of the other
buttons to show, for example) you could probably get relief through System
Restore, assuming that your problem is less than 90 days old. I assume it is
not that old, because it would have driven you mad.

Start / Programs / Accessories / System Tools / System Restore
It is pretty benign, spares your data, and is reversible. If this is not an
option, post again.

 

[Anna]

Hey Rick....Quick question.

I've never used windows to format, it actually forces NTFS after 32?
Just curious, if you know, why would XP do that when other partitioning
software allows FAT32 for an entire drive like that? Is it just a
limitation from "within" windows or is it something just designed that's
done for simplicity for the average user in mind?

ByTor:
To my knowledge there has never been a clear explanation from Microsoft as
to why they've imposed that 32 GB FAT32 partitioning/formatting limitation
in Windows XP. As far as I'm aware, there's no fundamental technical
restriction in the basic construction of XP that would prevent that OS from
overcoming that 32 GB barrier. It would seem that this was simply a built-in
limitation imposed on that OS by design. Perhaps it was Microsoft's way to
discourage the use of the FAT32 file system rather than the NTFS file
system.

As you know, one can still use a Win9x/Me Startup Disk or other bootable DOS
floppy disk or CD containing the FDISK/FORMAT commands to partition/format a
drive of any size in FAT32. And there's even a simple way that I learned a
few months ago to do this from *within* the XP environment! If you, or
anyone is interested in this, please so indicate.
Anna


ByTor responds...
Thank You Anna, very well put....just about what I was seeking,
especially the last sentence in your 1st paragraph....Makes sense. Ever
since XP came out I assume all proprietery machines are pre-imaged with
NTFS anyway so why not keep it consistent.........

I have PartitionMagic on all my machines so basically I can manipulate
PT's any way I like from XP, 2K, anywhere just about.....But I'd still
like to know your little secret..... ;0)




ByTor:
It's not my "little secret". Actually, it was brought to my attention by a
posting to this newsgroup some months ago. I failed to record the poster's
name. But it just occurred to me that this program's primary use (which I
failed to make clear in my last posting) is formatting an *external hard
drive* of any size in FAT32 from within the XP environment. As you know,
XP's 32 GB barrier prevents formatting a EHD > 32 GB and you can't use the
FDISK/FORMAT commands available on a DOS bootable floppy disk to do so.
While the program can be used to similarly format an *internal* drive within
the XP environment, it's really just as easy to accomplish that objective
with a DOS bootable floppy disk, e.g., a Win9x/Me Startup Disk. So this
capability might not be of any significant interest to you or others. But
let me know if it is and I'll provide the details.

Just one other thing... The program I speak of is *not* a conversion
program, i.e., converting NTFS to FAT32. It's strictly a formatting program.
Anna

 

[Kelly]

Hi,

This happens, when things are going on via the minimized online pages as in
downloads, etc. This isn't very common across the board; however, common to
'some' sites.

--
In memory of our dear friend, MVP Alex Nichol: http://www.dts-l.org/

All the Best,
Kelly (MS-MVP)

Troubleshooting Windows XP
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com

 

[Guest]

Hi,

Using restore is not something I want to do as I have made changes to system
that I don't want to have to try to remember and added programs that I don't
want to have to reinstall. I know I can always come back (in theory, at
least!!! LOL), but I don't want to take that chance as everything is working
pretty well, except this odd behavior and that system restore is not
automatically creating system checkpoints. (Restore works fine, otherwise)

Additional clarification: All web page windows when minimized for the first
time will always go (minimize) to the same point in the AOL window, hence
they will stack on top of each other. If you then move one or move of the
minimized windows over to a different location(s)in the AOL window, maximize
it then minimize it again, it will minimize to the new location it was moved
to, not back to that location in the AOL window where all windows minimize
for the first time. Hope this helps in understanding.

Thanks for the replies.

gman

 

[frogspawn]

So you are using the AOL browser?
If the AOL browser is misbehaving, you may want to remove and reinstall AOL.
Do you have the disk for your version of AOL?

 

[Guest]

Hi,

Yes, AOL is the browser. I may need to try a reinstall of AOL.

Tahnks,

gman