joeypastelli Posted January 30, 2005 Report Share Posted January 30, 2005 Hello everyone this is my first post and I need your help. I am on XP and recently Ive had a problem with minimizing programs. I minimize a program, and instead of it appearing on the taskbar, it just disappears. I can access the program by using alt+tab or CTRL+ALT+DEL to bring up the task manager, but it gets annoying. Any help would be greatly appreciated.ThanksJoey Pastelli Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gorcq Posted January 30, 2005 Report Share Posted January 30, 2005 Does the Start button work? I had a problem similar to that on my old computer which ran Windows ME. The taskbar would completely stop working, no start menu, any programs which were open when the taskbar "turned off" would stay visible (no function) even if I closed them, and any new programs I opened would not appear there. I eventually had to format my hard drive and reinstall Windows, which fixed it. I hope that's not what's going on with your computer. Robby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeypastelli Posted January 30, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2005 The start button does work its just the taskbar that I am havin problems with. Its crazy I minimize a program and it completely disappears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gorcq Posted January 31, 2005 Report Share Posted January 31, 2005 So, like, the program is visible on the taskbar until you minimize it, when it disappears? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb Posted January 31, 2005 Report Share Posted January 31, 2005 And can you see the programs with Alt-Tab ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeypastelli Posted January 31, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2005 programs are not visible on the taskbar at all anymore. When I minimize a program it completely vanishes until I use ALT+TAB to bring it up. I dont really understand this problem and I've asked a few people I personally know if they had any input and so far everyone I have asked is baffled. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb Posted January 31, 2005 Report Share Posted January 31, 2005 What are the settings of your taskbar? Can you try to unset all options (right-click taskbar -> Properties, then uncheck all taskbar options, maybe except the clock).You may have the active taskbar section gotten hidden somehow. Try to reboot with all taskbar options unchecked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeypastelli Posted January 31, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2005 I tried your suggestion and it didnt help. I went through the properties and made sure there was nothing that would cause this. Thanks anyway pwillener I hope someone knows what is wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
syntax01010 Posted January 31, 2005 Report Share Posted January 31, 2005 Since your using XP, my first question would be if you are using Service Pack 2 or not. I am a computer technician, and i've had to help a ton of people roll back their XP to service pack 1a due to a rather alarming number of issues with Service pack 2. A large number of programs and games were made virtually to compeltely unplayable by SP2 being installed. You can thank Microsoft for that one. They rewrote several of the main parts of the operating system with SP2, and didn't give companies any real warning about or it or chance to patch their programs or games to work with all the changes. As result, many frustrating problems have been caused.The next thing i'd look at, if SP2 isn't the culprit behind your problem would be to check to make sure your using the newest anti-virus/ad-aware/spybot-search and destory definitions and do a full system scan, including scanning hidden files and folders and compressed folders. Some spyware apps out nowadays borderline on almost virus like behavior, including in their ability to morph and change to avoid detection and removal. After you check and make sure your anti-virus, ad-aware, and spybot are all current, try rebooting into safe mode(i.e. hit F8 a few times after you restart until the menu comes up and choose safe mode). Then turn the system restore feature off completely, and do a full scan of everything with your anti-virus first and then with ad-aware and spybot. After those fix anything they find, then turn system restore back on and retart your computer again to get back into normal Windows. Ther reason for disabling system restore is a simple one, if they do fix a problem caused by a virus or a spyware, do you really want a saved restore point that still includes the virus or spyware they just removed?If after trying each of those ideas your taskbar is still messing up, i'd suggest getting a copy of hijack this and posting the log from it to the appropriate forum area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeypastelli Posted February 1, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2005 Wow thanks a ton. Ill give all of this a shot and keep you posted. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb Posted February 1, 2005 Report Share Posted February 1, 2005 I don't think uninstalling SP2 will fix the problem, unless it started with the SP2 upgrade.Taskbar problems have been known in Windows XP from the beginning, and unfortunately Microsoft did not rewrite that part for SP2.Some more questions:Do you use the Language Bar on your taskbar?Do you have Quick Launch active?With taskbar not locked, how many separators (the seven little dots) do you have?If you move these separators, can you see your app icons? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeypastelli Posted February 1, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2005 Ok I tried everything that syntax said and sadly, it did not fix the problem. To answer your questions pwillener. When the problem started it caused the language bar to appear on the taskbar. Quick launch is not active. And I can't answer your other questions because now the taskbar made itself as small as possible and I cannot resize it to the normal size. Ive ran a virus scan over and over as well as adaware and no potential viruses have been found. Im clueless as is everyone I have talked to so Im considering formatting and re installing windows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwp Posted February 1, 2005 Report Share Posted February 1, 2005 sorry i do not have an answer for you but you could try a repair install.rather than a full format.powerless has a guide here http://www.windowsforum.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=10455this should keep all your data. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb Posted February 2, 2005 Report Share Posted February 2, 2005 Ok I tried everything that syntax said and sadly, it did not fix the problem. To answer your questions pwillener. When the problem started it caused the language bar to appear on the taskbar. Quick launch is not active. And I can't answer your other questions because now the taskbar made itself as small as possible and I cannot resize it to the normal size. Ive ran a virus scan over and over as well as adaware and no potential viruses have been found. Im clueless as is everyone I have talked to so Im considering formatting and re installing windows.You know that you can move and resize the taskbar when it is unlocked. You may have inadvertently resized it to minimum size. Try to pull it back to normal or double size.If nothing helps, try pwp's suggested repair install. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scuzzman Posted February 2, 2005 Report Share Posted February 2, 2005 You could try Right-clicking the taskbar, go to "Toolbars" and uncheck everything...see if that sorts it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djohn Posted February 2, 2005 Report Share Posted February 2, 2005 Just done a search on this for you joeypastelli and found the exact same question as yours. Check your control panel to see if you can find a similar application in your programs. look here for further information on the worm/virus. Trend If this cures the problem, I would still advise you to post an Highjackthis log to the forum for one of our experts to check over, just to make sure your machine is completely clean. :)Open 'Control Panel' and select 'Add/Remove Programs'. Check for the program entries of WinSrvReg and Friend Greetings. If found, uninstall the program and reboot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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