All of a sudden my taskbar at the bottom is double width. I've tried (using
the two-way arrow) to drag it back to single width, but nothing happens.
The taskbar is not locked (I know, it should have been) so that's not the
problem. Any help appreciated!

Hi,

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

Backup and Delete the entire "StuckRects" key, or "StuckRects2" and reboot.

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

Key:
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Explorer\StuckRects]

Regards
Andy Tan


"Joy" wrote:

Hi Andy,

Thanks for this info. I'll need more specifics, though, since I'm not that
knowledgeable. First of all, I'm not sure how to "open the registry". Then
once having found that key, how should I back it up before deleting it?

Joy

"Andy Tan" <AndyTan@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:4C66D426-3A97-4E6B-B77F-B20B9856F430@microsoft.com...

Right click the taskbar then click to clear the Lock Taskbar option.

Move your cursor over the edge of the taskbar until it becomes a
double-headed arrow.

Left click and drag down to the single height.

Right click the taskbar then click Lock the Taskbar.

Now it can't be moved or resized unless the Lock Taskbar option is cleared
again.

If that doesn't work...

From Bill DeShawn...

Been there. Done that. It doesn't work. The double arrow appears, but the
bar remains at 3 lines. It will not reduce. Well, It's actually two. It
looks like three because the clock shows three lines. One for the hour and
minutes, one for the day of the week, and one for the date. But there is no
reason, even if I don't show the clock, the taskbar and quick launch bar...
wait a minute. This conversation prompted me to try something. The
quick-launch bar and the task bar did not want to share the same space. I
worked with that for a while and got it working. As soon as I did that, I
was able to reduce the task bar size. Thanks for your help.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In news:uytHkklLGHA.1088@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl,
Joy <joymp2@bellsouth.net.NO_SPAM> hunted and pecked:
ects]

You left this part out...

[[Disclaimer: Modifying the registry can cause serious problems that may
require you to reinstall your operating system. We cannot guarantee that
problems resulting from modifications to the registry can be solved. Use the
information provided at your own risk. ]]
http://www.winguides.com/registry/display.php/277/

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In news:4C66D426-3A97-4E6B-B77F-B20B9856F430@microsoft.com,
Andy Tan <AndyTan@discussions.microsoft.com> hunted and pecked:
ects]

In my case the taskbar was not locked. . . .

I just now tried to uncheck the Quick Launch, and the taskbar went back to a
single width. But as soon as I put the Quick Launch back, the taskbar
widened. Wes, you said you "worked with that for a while and got it
working". How did you do that? What else can I try?

Joy

"Wesley Vogel" <123WVogel955@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:uOMjFLmLGHA.740@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...

That's why I'm wary of doing anything to the registry, because whenever I
get advice to do such-and-such to the registry, the disclaimer scares me
off. I don't think I've ever had to modify the registry - usually some
other suggested solution saves the day! Soooo - any other advice?


"Wesley Vogel" <123WVogel955@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:e2qEDOmLGHA.2696@TK2MSFTNGP14.phx.gbl...

Joy,

I do not use Quick Launch. That was from Bill DeShawn. I only included
that because I thought that it might help.

But now we know that Quick Launch is causing the problem.

Try small icons in Quick Launch and see what happens.

Right click the Taskbar | Select Lock the taskbar to unlock it | Right click
an empty area of the Quick Launch area and select View | Select Small icons

*View will not appear in the menu if the Taskbar is locked.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In news:%234j28OmLGHA.648@TK2MSFTNGP14.phx.gbl,
Joy <joymp2@bellsouth.net.NO_SPAM> hunted and pecked:

Wes,

I just tried to do that, and small icons was already checked. Anything else
i can try?

If/since you don't use Quick Launch, what do you use?

And maybe Bill DeShawn, if you are reading this, you could tell me how you
solved the problem?

Thanks to you both.

Joy


"Wesley Vogel" <123WVogel955@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:OMFFFUnLGHA.1536@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...

I added Quick Launch.
I changed to large icons and the taskbar was double height.

The Start Menu.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In news:Oxbl7vnLGHA.3492@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl,
Joy <joymp2@bellsouth.net.NO_SPAM> hunted and pecked:

Re: using the Start menu. I always feel that going that route, at least
for my favorite programs, requires an extra step,so I keep icons for things
I use often, on my desktop (or in "My Programs" folder). So could I put
the icons that are in Quick Launch, on the desktop? What about the one for
accessing desktop? Without that one showing on the Taskbar, I'd have to
minimize everything I have open, wouldn't I? Any advice/suggestions/help
will be MUCH appreciated - thanks. I hate having this wide Taskbar the way
it is now!

"Wesley Vogel" <123WVogel955@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:eT7nw$oLGHA.2320@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...

Joy wrote:


Could you? Of course. The Quick Launch bar is entirely optional.

Another choice you might want to consider is dragging the Quick Launch bar
off the Task Bar entirely, and moving it to another side of the screen. I
like it on the left side, but whatever works for you is good.



No. You don't really need that icon, since you can accomplish the same thing
by pressing the Windows key + D.



Having a Quick Launch bar on the Task Bar doesn't mean the Task Bar has to
be double height. If you have toolbars on the task bar on multiple lines,
you won't be able to reduce the task bar size to fewer than that number of
lines. Put all the toolbars (including the Quick Launch bar) on one line
first, then you can shrink the Task Bar to one line

--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup

Cool! (Windows key + the D key) - I didn't know that. Always happy to
learn something new.

How do you drag the Quick Launch bar? It doesn't show as a "bar", but as
individual icons. The ones I have are Internet Explorer; Outlook Express;
2 different Media players (neither one works right - won't show video, only
sound); Windows Explorer; and the Show Desktop.


"Ken Blake, MVP" <kblake@this.is.an.invalid.domain> wrote in message
news:e%23IkWgpLGHA.420@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...

Unlock the Taskbar
Move your cursor over Quick Launch until it turns into a double headed arrow
(notice what looks kind of like a handle on the left side, which you won't
see until you Unlock the Taskbar) Left click and drag it off the Taskbar
Move it around a play with it
Drag it to the left, right or the top of the screen
Resize it

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In news:%230EuZOqLGHA.1124@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl,
Joy <joymp2@bellsouth.net.NO_SPAM> hunted and pecked:

That worked. Thank you. I'd still someday like to be able to put Quick
Launch back on the Taskbar without it making theTaskbar double width. So in
case anyone can solve that (without doing anything to the registry) . . .
please keep me in mind.

"Wesley Vogel" <123WVogel955@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:%23kYQuaqLGHA.668@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...

Joy wrote:



Great, glad to help.



No, it's a separate toolbar. Although many people think it's part of the
Task Bar, it's not. It's a separate toolbar that, by default, *appears* on
the Task Bar.

Just click on an unused part of it, and drag to another side of the screen.



It doesn't matter what shortcutsare on it. It can still be dragged
elsewhere.

--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup

Joy wrote:


I explained how. To repeat, "Having a Quick Launch bar on the Task Bar
doesn't mean the Task Bar has to be double height. If you have toolbars on
the task bar on multiple lines, you won't be able to reduce the task bar
size to fewer than that number of lines. Put all the toolbars (including
the Quick Launch bar) on one line first, then you can shrink the Task Bar
to one line."

--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup

Ken,

Maybe I'm missing something. That was my original problem; that I couldn't
shrink the Taskbar to one line. I try dragging the double arrow down and it
doesn't move it from double width to single width. (Someone else on this
thread said he had the same problem, but managed to solve it somehow.) I
don't have any other toolbars on the Taskbar. Quick Launch was on the far
left, and other icons (not toolbars) were on the far right - things like
Volume control, Spy Sweeper, McAfee anti-virus, the icon showing I'm online,
things like that.

Joy wrote:


On which of the two lines--the top or the bottom? If it's on the bottom
line, drag it to the top line, then resize the task bar.

If the task bar isn't locked, it should resize without difficulty.



Those Icons are in what's called the "System Notification Area," or
informally, the "System Tray."

--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup