Task bar and System tray - how to restore one line display

[Musawwir Spiegel]

My Windows XP task bar used to occupy one line at the bottom of the
display. The clock only displayed the current date. Lately, the task
bar has gotten to be more double its former height. The clock area
now displays, on separate lines, the time, the day of week, and the
date. The quick launch bar and the icons of running apps are
displayed on separate lines. When I press the expansion arrow on the
system tray, instead of the expansion taking place in one line to the
left of the tray, it opens with a box of three rows of icons.

I can't figure out how to restore the display to its former state.

Help!!!

Musawwir Spiegel
(e-mail address removed)

 

[Keith Willcocks]

My Windows XP task bar used to occupy one line at the bottom of the
display. The clock only displayed the current date. Lately, the task
bar has gotten to be more double its former height. The clock area
now displays, on separate lines, the time, the day of week, and the
date. The quick launch bar and the icons of running apps are
displayed on separate lines. When I press the expansion arrow on the
system tray, instead of the expansion taking place in one line to the
left of the tray, it opens with a box of three rows of icons.

I can't figure out how to restore the display to its former state.

I am not an expert but try this. Right click on the task bar and see if
there is a tick by "Lock the task bar". If there is, click to remove it.
Then hover the cursor over the top edge of the bar until it turns into a
double ended arrow. Hold down the left mouse button and drag the top of
the bar down. When it is back to normal, right click on it and put the
tick back on "Lock the taskbar". If that doesn't work we must wait for
someone else to make a suggestion.

 

[Musawwir Spiegel]

Thanks for the advice, but my taskbar was unlocked and I had tried
using the double arrow. It did not have any effect on the height of
the taskbar.

Musawwir Spiegel
(e-mail address removed)

 

[Sharon F]

My Windows XP task bar used to occupy one line at the bottom of the
display. The clock only displayed the current date. Lately, the task
bar has gotten to be more double its former height. The clock area
now displays, on separate lines, the time, the day of week, and the
date. The quick launch bar and the icons of running apps are
displayed on separate lines. When I press the expansion arrow on the
system tray, instead of the expansion taking place in one line to the
left of the tray, it opens with a box of three rows of icons.

I can't figure out how to restore the display to its former state.

Help!!!

Musawwir Spiegel
(e-mail address removed)

It sounds like your Quick Launch toolbar is taking up one entire line;
running applications are on another. I normally run the taskbar this way on
my system so see what you've described everyday.

With the taskbar unlocked, you should see two distinct divider lines to the
right of the start button -one above, one below. One is the beginning
border for Quick Launch, the other is the end border. Get both of these
onto the same line and your taskbar will revert to a single line. Use your
mouse to drag the border.

Best to have other programs closed when you do this (no buttons on the
taskbar, just quick launch icons) or you'll end up with a double row quick
launch and a double row taskbar. Be patient, it may take several tries
before QL is on a single line again.

 

[Musawwir Spiegel]

Thank you, Sharon. Your suggestion solved my problem.

Musawwir Spiegel
(e-mail address removed)

 

[Sharon F]

Thank you, Sharon. Your suggestion solved my problem.

Musawwir Spiegel
(e-mail address removed)

You're most welcome!