Windows taskbar will NOT group windows from same application

[cates2]

something happened to my PC after a power outage. The Windows XP (SP2)taskbar
no longer groups windows. I've rebooted, checked settings, and nothing works.
The more windows one opens, the more 'lines' of taskbar there are... I've got
2 lines of taskbar right now which is cutting down on my viewing area.

FYI - I have a widescreen monitor that is set at 1280 x 800 resolution;
taskbar is set to 'group'.......

any info would be of help....

Thanks!

 

[Elmo]

Something happened to my PC after a power outage. The Windows XP (SP2) taskbar
no longer groups windows. I've rebooted, checked settings, and nothing works.
The more windows one opens, the more 'rows' of taskbar there are... I've got
two lines of taskbar right now which is cutting down on my viewing area.

FYI - I have a widescreen monitor that is set at 1280 x 800 resolution;
taskbar is set to 'group'.......

any info would be of help....

Thanks!

Try a couple of these:

Line 117. Restore Taskbar and Start Menu
Line 164. Restore Taskbar and Desktop to Default Functionality
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

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

 

[cates2]

Hi Joe,
Thanks for the info. I tried the Line 117 & 164. Neither had any affect.

I can open 15 IE windows, 15 Word windows, 6 Excel windows and end up with 4
'stacked" lines/rows of the Taskbar.... and sometimes an extra Start button!

And, the Notification Area/System Tray displays the Time, Day of Week, and
Month in stacked rows. I can't adjust the size of that area vertically AND I
can't seem to get rid of the Day of Week and Month so that ONLY the time
displays.

Any ideas?

Thanks, Cate

 

[Elmo]

Hi Joe,
Thanks for the info. I tried the Line 117 & 164. Neither had any affect.

I can open 15 IE windows, 15 Word windows, 6 Excel windows and end up with 4
'stacked" lines/rows of the Taskbar.... and sometimes an extra Start button!

And, the Notification Area/System Tray displays the Time, Day of Week, and
Month in stacked rows. I can't adjust the size of that area vertically AND I
can't seem to get rid of the Day of Week and Month so that ONLY the time
displays.

Any ideas?

Thanks, Cate

The other link has a few fixes short of ordering the utility, which
contains all listed fixes; you might look at it too.

Remove all extra tool bars on the Taskbar and see if you can resize the
Taskbar then. If so, add your Toolbars, move a divider from the lower
left to the upper right so that tool bars are arranged as tall narrow
bars, and then you should be able to resize the height of the Taskbar.

More Taskbar help from Kelly:

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_t.htm

 

[cates2]

Hi,
Thanks for your email.

I do not have ANY extra toolbars on the taskbar. I have the START button on
the far left, 2 vertical rows of dots for resizing ( the divider?), a button
for each open window/app (in multiple rows of taskbar depedning on how many
are open), and the system tray/notification area, which is stacking items
vertically and which I cannot resize.

It seems to make sense that the right side has gone beyond some boundary but
I can't seem to do anything to get that right side to show. All I can do is
increase the size (rows) of the taskbar or decrease them so I can barely see
the top edge of the task bar.

I even tried adding toolbars to see what would happen, and I can still not
manipulate the taskbar.

I will look into the other utility.

Thanks - Cate

 

[Elmo]

Hi,
Thanks for your email.

I do not have ANY extra toolbars on the taskbar. I have the START button on
the far left, 2 vertical rows of dots for resizing ( the divider?), a button
for each open window/app (in multiple rows of taskbar depedning on how many
are open), and the system tray/notification area, which is stacking items
vertically and which I cannot resize.

It seems to make sense that the right side has gone beyond some boundary but
I can't seem to do anything to get that right side to show. All I can do is
increase the size (rows) of the taskbar or decrease them so I can barely see
the top edge of the task bar.

I even tried adding toolbars to see what would happen, and I can still not
manipulate the taskbar.

I will look into the other utility.

Thanks - Cate

Take the lower divider, drag it to the upper-right of the Running Tasks
area and release. That MIGHT give you one long divider to the right of
the Start button. That's what mine looks like if I unlock, then slide
it up where it's two rows tall.

 

[cates2]

Hi Joe,

Thanks for the email. I hate to sound stupid .. ( ... but ....

what is the "lower divider"? .. The only divider I have is the vertical row
of dots to the right of the Start button. I can't move it at all. The only
thing I can move is the top of the Taskbar to increase and decrease the
"height" of the Taskbar.

Thanks again...

 

[Elmo]

Hi Joe,

Thanks for the email. I hate to sound stupid .. ( ... but ....

what is the "lower divider"? .. The only divider I have is the vertical row
of dots to the right of the Start button. I can't move it at all. The only
thing I can move is the top of the Taskbar to increase and decrease the
"height" of the Taskbar.

Thanks again...

That's what I thought you were trying to do; slide the Taskbar down to
one size. I was hoping that would cause you to get the groupings you
wanted.. a shot-in-the-dark at best.