Taskbar briefly freezes after returning from screen saver

[Mateo1041]

Hi all,

Since reformatting recently, my entire taskbar has been freezing for 7-20 seconds at a time when returning from screen saver mode. I have the standard login box in place with password for the screen saver. This behavior often goes in phases where the taskbar will be almost entirely black and then slowly show more and more until the taskbar finally works like normal again. My taskbar briefly freezes around 80% of the time, but is not consistent. Everything else works fine with the exception of the taskbar.

A few screenshots:

I am using a different Windows Style, but also used the same style before reformatting when all worked fine. In fact, I can't think of many differences between my setup now and before reformatting. Yet the problem did not occur before.

Anyone have any ideas? This is really strange. Other than the taskbar freezing for a period of time, everything else is working great. I'm on Windows XP Pro SP2. My Compaq Presario R300Z laptop is approximately 3 years old and has 1.5 GB of RAM.

Thanks much,

- Matt

[Mateo1041]

Anyone? :-(

[Mateo1041]

Last try... :-(

[Irene]

Last try... :-(

Sorry Mateo1041, wish I could help. :(

[Alan2273]

Try this, but back up the registry before you do it.

Close any open desktop and taskbar applications, then open your registry and find the key below.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\

StuckRects

Delete the entire "StuckRects" key, or "StuckRects2" for Windows 2000/XP, and reboot.

When Windows restarts the taskbar should be set back to a default working state.

[Mateo1041]

Thanks. Although I do not see StuckRects or StuckRects2 under the Explorer node, either as a setting or another node.

[Alan2273]

In the explorer node what entry have you got between Streams & Tips?.

[Mateo1041]

I do see this now, thank you. I ended up just removing the screen saver password and this resolved the problem. I have no idea why.

My laptop has been acting up in general such as windows not showing or disappearing randomly as I'm working as well as strange access denied errors when opening some files. I do have virus protection (Avast). Maybe a hardware issue? This is a new install as I recently reformatted. Perhaps these issues are tied to the disappearing taskbar issues this post was based on.