My taskbar got bigger! How to put it back?

TimTim Southwest PA Icrontian
edited December 2004 in Science & Tech
I had my laptop computer (Dell Latitude, XP Home) and was using it with a wireless network card.

Then I shut it off to charge the battery.

When I turned it back on, the taskbar was a little taller, the icons looked strange (poor resolution, bigger in size), and the clock part had the time displayed OVER the day of the week.

How do I put it back? I don't know how I managed to change it.
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Comments

  • GuyuteGuyute Gamehenge
    edited October 2004
    Sounds like the rez got messed with (or your display driver?). What rez is your monitor set at? There is a setting in WinXP that gives your DESKTOP large icons, but on your taskbar? hmmm got me on that one.
  • CBCB Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Der Millionendorf- Icrontian
    edited October 2004
    Grab the top of the taskbar with the mouse cursor, and drag it back into shape. If it wont let you, then right click on the bar, uncheck 'lock the taskbar', and try again.

    If that's not the problem go to your Taskbar properties, and make sure everything is as you want it. Let us know if that doesn't do it.
  • TimTim Southwest PA Icrontian
    edited October 2004
    Well, playing with the taskbar controls didn't fix it. I tried locking and unlocking, large and small icons, and changing every setting I could find, but nothing made a difference.

    It's annoying me.
  • Straight_ManStraight_Man Geeky, in my own way Naples, FL Icrontian
    edited October 2004
    Right click a blank part of the desktop. Click Settings tab. On left slider, try sliding the rez over to one or two higher, see if things go back to more like normal when you clcik the apply button. NOTE, Windows might display a dialog asking if you want to KEEP your new settings-- if you get junk and cannot see this, do NOTHING, in about 15-16 seconds the desktop will reappear the way it is now. OTOH, if you see a littel message box\dialog thing that asks you if you want to keep settings, choose OK or Yes within 15 seconds of the time it appears.

    This rez increase will make every textual thing look a bit smaller, the furtrher you drag the slider to right the smaller text will look compared to how it does now. If you cannot drag it and it says 640x480 then it is new video driver time. If things slow way down after dragging it two nothches to right, then try dropping color to 16 bit from 32 bit, or drag it back over to the left one notch, or both (repeat the part about right clicking desktop, Click Settings, then drag as above).

    If the computer wants to restart every time you do this (change video resolution or REZ), there is a way to make it not do that, but ask if that happens, ok????

    I think Guyute had a good idea.... Very good idea....
  • CBCB Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Der Millionendorf- Icrontian
    edited October 2004
    If you still can't get it fixed, post a screen shot for us, so that we can take a look at what's really going on.
  • danball1976danball1976 Wichita Falls, TX
    edited October 2004
    First, right click on the taskbar, and uncheck the "lock the taskbar", then Right click on the quick launch, click on view, and then choose small icons. This should fix that because that's what the problem is (I just tested it with my taskbar).
  • TimTim Southwest PA Icrontian
    edited October 2004
    No, that doesn't do anything good. When I unlock the taskbar, I get another 1/8 inch tall blue bar across the top of the taskbar. So unlocking it actually makes things worse.

    I went through all the video options, and it is already on the small icon setting. Screen resolution only has 2 choices - 800x600 and 1024x768. Neither setting affects the taskbar problem.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited October 2004
    Screenshot please.
  • SuperFrankLampardSuperFrankLampard
    edited November 2004
    I now have exactly the same problem. Everything suggested above does not work. ANybody know how to fix it?
  • CBCB Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Der Millionendorf- Icrontian
    edited November 2004
    A screenshot would help alot. In XP just press PrntScrn, then paste the clip board into any graphical editing program, Save it, and post it.
  • SuperFrankLampardSuperFrankLampard
    edited November 2004
    Ok here you go.

    My screen is a 15.4" WXGA btw.
  • SuperFrankLampardSuperFrankLampard
    edited November 2004
    Looking at the screenshot everything appears to be absolutely fine, but I do assure you, all is not well!
  • CBCB Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Der Millionendorf- Icrontian
    edited November 2004
    Ya, I'm not sure what you see as being wrong... That Taskbar is too big?

    Try playing with your DPI settings:
  • SuperFrankLampardSuperFrankLampard
    edited November 2004
    Tried changing the DPI and Res settings, no luck.

    Maybe this screen will make it clearer.
    scn.JPG 130.2K
  • SuperFrankLampardSuperFrankLampard
    edited November 2004
    You can at least see that the Icons are slightly enlarged and blurred.
  • leishi85leishi85 Grand Rapids, MI Icrontian
    edited November 2004
    the only things i see wrong in your screenshots are AOL, ;D;D

    kidding aside, i seriously don't see what's wrong.
  • SuperFrankLampardSuperFrankLampard
    edited November 2004
    Just did a system restore, IT WORKED!

    this is what it did look like, compared to what it should look like.
    scn.JPG 130.2K
    scn3.JPG 161.2K
  • leishi85leishi85 Grand Rapids, MI Icrontian
    edited November 2004
    hmm, those are 2 different resolutions. that's about the only difference i see.
  • SuperFrankLampardSuperFrankLampard
    edited November 2004
    bizarre. but fixed so im happy again ;D
  • TheBaronTheBaron Austin, TX
    edited November 2004
    thats because it is a different resolution, and people dont pay attention. what probably happened was their machines auto-downloaded a new signed display driver, and it switched the resolutions. this is the joy of automatic windows update combined with your every day user
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited November 2004
    I am far more amused than I should be at this thread. :range:
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited November 2004
    Thrax wrote:
    I am far more amused than I should be at this thread. :range:
    Same here. The only thing that would make it better is if CBD would put up a desktop shot unencumbered by those pesky windows blocking the view. :D
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited November 2004
    Prof, I'd like to express my distaste for your recent and overt attacks against the moral fabric of Short-Media. You're a wisened man in your years, well-read as well.. One stands to wonder how exactly you managed to revert to the pubescent years of a teenage male? ;)

    //edit:

    It was the dog, wasn't it?
  • MedlockMedlock Miramar, Florida Member
    edited November 2004
    I also didn't notice any diff, except the higher res of the latter pic.
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited November 2004
    Thrax wrote:
    ...One stands to wonder how exactly you managed to revert to the pubescent years of a teenage male? ;)
    Revert? That's been the one constant in my life. You might want to consider an alternate spelling... :vimp:
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited November 2004
    Ah, prof, you read my mind. ;D
  • CBCB Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Der Millionendorf- Icrontian
    edited December 2004
    profdlp wrote:
    Same here. The only thing that would make it better is if CBD would put up a desktop shot unencumbered by those pesky windows blocking the view. :D

    Cute, Ya? I found that pic on a cosplay site, and couln't resist. I'll put it up in the babe thread when I get home from work. A beautiful geek is a perfect woman.

    On second thought, would a cosplay babe go in 'the babe thread' or 'the anime babe thread'?
  • devstardevstar
    edited December 2004
    I'm having the same problem. The icons are slightly bigger and more fuzzy and the date has appeared just below the clock. I can't make taskbar any smaller (it is one row high)
    Any ideas??
  • TroganTrogan London, UK
    edited December 2004
    Post a screenshot please, makes it easier sometimes
  • TheBaronTheBaron Austin, TX
    edited December 2004
    try changing your resolution
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