Orange items in taskbar

[Neil Harrington]

Today there was another automatic update to my Windows XP Home Ed. SP2.
Since the update, I have had a problem with some of the items in the taskbar
turning orange -- I don't know what that signifies, but it has caused me a
big problem in that when I click on an item to bring that Web page or
program to the front, it does not come to the front until several mouse
clicks, and sometimes not even then. I can still bring a window to the front
by clicking on *it*, but this is often inconvenient as I have other windows
open in front of it. Clicking on taskbar items just turns those taskbar
sections orange.

I don't know if this is related to today's update, though it seemed to
produce this problem this time, as the same thing started happening a couple
of weeks ago after I got the Yahoo! toolbar. At that time, signing out of
the Yahoo! toolbar got rid of the problem, and I have not used that toolbar
since, though I still have it installed -- and cannot seem to uninstall it.
When I open the Add or Remove Programs list and click on Yahoo! toolbar
"Remove" to uninstall it, it just makes a "boonk!" sound and freezes that
window. Then I can't do anything further and can't even close or minimize
that Window -- can't make it active.

I tried searching the MS KB for "orange items in taskbar" but got nothing.

I don't even know how I got the Yahoo! toolbar in the first place. I suppose
I got it when installing something else, but have no idea what. How can I
uninstall it when it doesn't respond at all to the Change or Remove Programs
button? It doesn't appear in the All Programs list, but is still there in
the Add or Remove Programs list. So I don't really know if I still have it
or not, or whether it's actually related to the problem.

Neil

 

[Kelly]

Hi Neil,

The orange items as you put it, signify focus. More info on that:

TweakUI/General/Focus
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/downloads/powertoys.asp

Prevent Programs from Stealing Focus - Undo (Line 66)
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

When a window that does not have focus is updated by its program, the
default setting prevents it from becoming the foremost (top) window,
instead, it flashes in the taskbar.

HeldUp is the easiest way to stop windows from disappearing behind other
programs. http://www.johnmacintyre.ca/HeldUp.asp

Programs May Start, Quit, Lose, and Gain Focus Randomly
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;313176&Product=winxp

As for the Yahoo toolbar use these steps:
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_a.htm#addremove
--

All the Best,
Kelly (MS-MVP/DTS&XP)

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

 

[Neil Harrington]

Kelly, thanks for all the help. I will explore all those links. The "focus"
business is new to me so you have given me some interesting stuff to learn
about.

I greatly appreciate it!

Neil

 

[Kelly]

You are most welcome, Neil and hope all goes well. Thanks for the feedback.

--

All the Best,
Kelly (MS-MVP/DTS&XP)

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