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Old 02-18-2009, 10:43 AM
 
1,765 posts, read 4,328,526 times
Reputation: 2308

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Hi -
I have no idea what key I hit or how it happened, but suddenly yesterday my Windows desktop changed. Not the screensaver, but the layout on it. What used to be the horizontal bottom taskbar (the one with the Windows "start" icon and all the little icons for Explorer, volume, etc.) moved vertically to the left! It takes up a lot of space. I jiggled all the arrows and "dot lines" but can't get it to move.
It's disconcerting. I have no clue how to get it back to what it was. On the bottom line it was barely 1/4" high and didn't take up a lot of space.
I checked Control Panel/Settings but none of the Desktop or Appearance options seem to change anything.
Also...the date and time have disappeared from the bottom of the screen whenever I'm online...
If it matters I have Windows XP (circa 2005 I think) and a Dell Dimension 8400 PC.
HELP!

Sometimes I just want to go back to a quill pen and ink.....
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Old 02-18-2009, 11:10 AM
 
16,294 posts, read 28,417,662 times
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Click on a blank area in the task bar and drag it back to the bottom.

If that fails, right click on a blank area of the task bar, and then click "properties" and uncheck the "Lock the taskbar" box, then drag it back to the bottom.

Then you can check the box to make sure it doesn't move again.
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Old 02-18-2009, 11:14 AM
 
Location: Burke, VA
57 posts, read 342,332 times
Reputation: 29
right click on the gray area of the bar, uncheck "lock taskbar", then, click and hold the gray bar and move you mouse to the bottom, should do it
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Old 02-18-2009, 11:15 AM
 
Location: Burke, VA
57 posts, read 342,332 times
Reputation: 29
heh, im slow, gj above
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Old 02-18-2009, 11:46 AM
 
1,765 posts, read 4,328,526 times
Reputation: 2308
Bless you.

Didn't work the first few times for whatever reason, but finally clicking in the blank area (mine is bright blue and not gray <g>) I was able to drag it back to the horizontal bottom!

When I had previously clicked on Properties the 'lock taskbar' was NOT checked...so locking it only kept the unwanted version in place.

One of those things I will never understand. Thanks so much again for taking the time!

ADD: Now if I could only get the timeclock back when I'm online or in Outlook or otherwise "off" the Desktop??????
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Old 02-18-2009, 12:01 PM
 
Location: Burke, VA
57 posts, read 342,332 times
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what do you mean timeclock off the desktop?
wheres the clock? it should be displaying at the bottom right
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Old 02-18-2009, 12:11 PM
 
1,765 posts, read 4,328,526 times
Reputation: 2308
Quote:
Originally Posted by gresan1 View Post
what do you mean timeclock off the desktop?
wheres the clock? it should be displaying at the bottom right

It DOES display on the desktop, bottom right. But it has disappeared now when I'm anywhere else, like in Outlook or online. It used to be visible at all times.

What shows right now, for example, is a whiteish horizontal line with the word "Done" in the far left... an Internet icon that if you rest on it says "click to change security settings"...and the Change Zoom level magnifier icon. No time clock.

Another mystery. Ideas???
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Old 02-18-2009, 12:26 PM
 
Location: Burke, VA
57 posts, read 342,332 times
Reputation: 29
well does it have an arrow "<<" click it and it will expand. if not try: right click taskbar--> properties --> check:show the clock-->uncheck:--> hide inactive icons
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Old 02-18-2009, 12:48 PM
 
Location: MA
69 posts, read 219,729 times
Reputation: 51
Do you see your Start button as well? If you move your mouse to where the taskbar should be and it appears, you may have inadvertently checked the "auto-hide taskbar" option (right-click your taskbar, choose Properties, and it's right under "Lock the taskbar").

If "auto-hide the taskbar" is not checked, look underneath to be sure that "keep the taskbar on top of other windows' is checked.
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