I have this laptop on which some settings cannot be changed, even with an
Administrator account. For instance, a simple thing like "Unlock taskbar"
cannot be done - it just ignores the command and Lock the Taskbar stays
selected.

Yet I have been able to make other changes to the registry.

This happens even when running in Safe Mode. Any suggestions?

[[If you enable this setting, it prevents the user from moving or resizing
the taskbar. While the taskbar is locked, auto-hide and other taskbar
options are still available in Taskbar properties. ]]
Lock the Taskbar
http://www.boyce.us/gp/gpcontent.asp?ID=381

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Pol icies\Explorer
LockTaskbar

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In news:%23uMzgtG7FHA.2384@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl,
Paul Pedersen <no-reply@swen.com> hunted and pecked:
> I have this laptop on which some settings cannot be changed, even with an
> Administrator account. For instance, a simple thing like "Unlock taskbar"
> cannot be done - it just ignores the command and Lock the Taskbar stays
> selected.
>
> Yet I have been able to make other changes to the registry.
>
> This happens even when running in Safe Mode. Any suggestions?

Paul Pedersen wrote:

> I have this laptop on which some settings cannot be changed, even with
> an Administrator account. For instance, a simple thing like "Unlock
> taskbar" cannot be done - it just ignores the command and Lock the
> Taskbar stays selected.
>
> Yet I have been able to make other changes to the registry.
>
> This happens even when running in Safe Mode. Any suggestions?

Is it a work laptop joined to a domain? If that is the case, then talk
to your IT Dept. because there are Group Policy restrictions in place.

If this is a home laptop and the problem has just occurred, try a System
Restore to when things worked well. And of course, ask yourself "what
changed between the time things worked and the time they didn't?" to
help do focused troubleshooting.

Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

This is a friend's laptop. It's been around a while, was loaded with spyware
and lots of other old junk, and appears to have been part of a domain at one
time, but now it's running standalone.

Is there a way to remove old domain info?

For that matter, is there a way to remove Win2000 Server? It's a dual-boot
system (with WinXP) and the server system is not desired. (It might be
pirated anyway, so I might as well remove it.) Can I just delete the
appropriate Windows folder, or is that too simple?



"Malke" <notreally@invalid.invalid> wrote in message
news:e$S%23T1G7FHA.3648@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> Paul Pedersen wrote:
>
>> I have this laptop on which some settings cannot be changed, even with
>> an Administrator account. For instance, a simple thing like "Unlock
>> taskbar" cannot be done - it just ignores the command and Lock the
>> Taskbar stays selected.
>>
>> Yet I have been able to make other changes to the registry.
>>
>> This happens even when running in Safe Mode. Any suggestions?
>
> Is it a work laptop joined to a domain? If that is the case, then talk
> to your IT Dept. because there are Group Policy restrictions in place.
>
> If this is a home laptop and the problem has just occurred, try a System
> Restore to when things worked well. And of course, ask yourself "what
> changed between the time things worked and the time they didn't?" to
> help do focused troubleshooting.
>
> Malke
> --
> Elephant Boy Computers
> www.elephantboycomputers.com
> "Don't Panic!"
> MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

That key does not exist in Policies.

Anyway, the task bar is not the only problem. Many other settings, like View
preferences, cannot be changed either.



"Wesley Vogel" <123WVogel955@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:%23HQZA0G7FHA.1248@TK2MSFTNGP14.phx.gbl...
> [[If you enable this setting, it prevents the user from moving or resizing
> the taskbar. While the taskbar is locked, auto-hide and other taskbar
> options are still available in Taskbar properties. ]]
> Lock the Taskbar
> http://www.boyce.us/gp/gpcontent.asp?ID=381
>
> HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Pol icies\Explorer
> LockTaskbar
>
> --
> Hope this helps. Let us know.
>
> Wes
> MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
>
> In news:%23uMzgtG7FHA.2384@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl,
> Paul Pedersen <no-reply@swen.com> hunted and pecked:
>> I have this laptop on which some settings cannot be changed, even with an
>> Administrator account. For instance, a simple thing like "Unlock taskbar"
>> cannot be done - it just ignores the command and Lock the Taskbar stays
>> selected.
>>
>> Yet I have been able to make other changes to the registry.
>>
>> This happens even when running in Safe Mode. Any suggestions?
>

Paul Pedersen wrote:

> This is a friend's laptop. It's been around a while, was loaded with
> spyware and lots of other old junk, and appears to have been part of a
> domain at one time, but now it's running standalone.
>
> Is there a way to remove old domain info?
>
> For that matter, is there a way to remove Win2000 Server? It's a
> dual-boot system (with WinXP) and the server system is not desired.
> (It might be pirated anyway, so I might as well remove it.) Can I just
> delete the appropriate Windows folder, or is that too simple?
>

You will be best off just doing a clean install of XP. Get drivers and
other laptop-specific software from the laptop mftr.'s website for that
particular model.

Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

Yikes. I was trying to avoid that, but perhaps it's not possible. Thanks.


"Malke" <notreally@invalid.invalid> wrote in message
news:%23agavLH7FHA.3592@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> Paul Pedersen wrote:
>
>> This is a friend's laptop. It's been around a while, was loaded with
>> spyware and lots of other old junk, and appears to have been part of a
>> domain at one time, but now it's running standalone.
>>
>> Is there a way to remove old domain info?
>>
>> For that matter, is there a way to remove Win2000 Server? It's a
>> dual-boot system (with WinXP) and the server system is not desired.
>> (It might be pirated anyway, so I might as well remove it.) Can I just
>> delete the appropriate Windows folder, or is that too simple?
>>
>
> You will be best off just doing a clean install of XP. Get drivers and
> other laptop-specific software from the laptop mftr.'s website for that
> particular model.
>
> Malke
> --
> Elephant Boy Computers
> www.elephantboycomputers.com
> "Don't Panic!"
> MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

Paul Pedersen wrote:

> This is a friend's laptop. It's been around a while, was loaded with spyware
> and lots of other old junk, and appears to have been part of a domain at one
> time, but now it's running standalone.
>
> Is there a way to remove old domain info?
>
> For that matter, is there a way to remove Win2000 Server? It's a dual-boot
> system (with WinXP) and the server system is not desired. (It might be
> pirated anyway, so I might as well remove it.) Can I just delete the
> appropriate Windows folder, or is that too simple?

Do a clean install. Looks like there are too many issues here.

--
Rock
MS MVP Windows - Shell/User

you can remove teh domain from teh machine but first you must remove all of
the profiles that are attached to the domain. Once that is done go to right
click on my computer/properties.

Under the tab computer name select the cahnge button. remove teh domain
click ok and restart the machine.


"Malke" <notreally@invalid.invalid> wrote in message
news:e$S%23T1G7FHA.3648@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> Paul Pedersen wrote:
>
>> I have this laptop on which some settings cannot be changed, even with
>> an Administrator account. For instance, a simple thing like "Unlock
>> taskbar" cannot be done - it just ignores the command and Lock the
>> Taskbar stays selected.
>>
>> Yet I have been able to make other changes to the registry.
>>
>> This happens even when running in Safe Mode. Any suggestions?
>
> Is it a work laptop joined to a domain? If that is the case, then talk
> to your IT Dept. because there are Group Policy restrictions in place.
>
> If this is a home laptop and the problem has just occurred, try a System
> Restore to when things worked well. And of course, ask yourself "what
> changed between the time things worked and the time they didn't?" to
> help do focused troubleshooting.
>
> Malke
> --
> Elephant Boy Computers
> www.elephantboycomputers.com
> "Don't Panic!"
> MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User