Desktop problems

Please someone help me. I am having trouble with my desktop.
I have Windows XP. My desktop has a blue strip going down the left side of the screen. The strip has at the top labels - Folder Tasks - Other Places and Details. Half of my icons are off the screen to the right side. I don't know what caused this to happen. My printer is not working and some incons on the task bar are missing. Can anyone help me solve this problem?

 

You could try this taskbar fix as a starting point.

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/taskbarplus!.htm

 

Thank you Franklin, the taskbar fix didn't help me. Any other ideas

 

When I go to Start - Control Panel - click on Taskbar & Start Menu - it doesn't open. Nothing happens. This started when my desktop went wacko.

 

It almost sounds like you have your taskbar running down the left side. Left click on the blue area and make sure that the taskbar is not locked (in properties). Then you just need to right click and pull the taskbar back down to the bottom of your screen. Then left click on properties and lock the taskbar so this dosen't easily happen again.

 

I appologize. Duh! I told you everything backwards. I said to Left click when it should be Right click. Lets try again...

Right click on an empty blue area, confirm that the taskbar is not locked (a check mark will be present if it is locked). If it is locked just select "lock the taskbar" (this will remove the mark). Now you are ready to move the taskbar. You can move it to any of the four sides of your monitor by Left clicking and dragging the toolbar to where you want it to be. Then I would Right click the empty blue area again and lock the taskbar. Good Luck! Sorry for the confusion.

 

I had a similar problem yesterday. Computer would boot, the "taskbar" wouldn't fully load and would be a blue stripe across the bottom of the screen, and no icons would work on the desktop.

IS that what is happening to you?

 

This has nothing to do with the question involved. I just registered for this support forum and I'll be darned if I can figure out how to post a new thread. I feel like a real idiot but there you have it. Can anyone point the way?

Thanks,
Nikilet

 

Lwt me know when you figure it out, I'll be deleting your post so as to not get off track here.

Back in the index of the software forum, look up left. You will see a big brown button called New Thread.

 

It isn't the taskbar on the left of the screen. How do I attach picture of my screen in message?

 

Go Advanced, and you will see "manage attachments".

Then browse to the pics location and upload.

 

I went to Go Advanced - "manage attachments. Then browse
I am sorry, I don't know what to pick to download a picture of my desktop.
Thank you very much for the help

 

You need to press print screen on your keyboard when you are on desktop. (it will appear nothing has happened, but it has saved it)

Start your usual graphic program then paste it and save it.

Paint works just fine.

Save it to a location, desktop is okay, then when you browse in manage attachments, point it to that file you saved.

 

This is what my desktop looks like. I need to get rid of the left side

 

That's a pretty small pic, but it's looks like it's not a taskbar, but an Explorer Bar? (I've also heard it called a Channel Bar)

The same ones in My Computer, My Music and My Documents etc?

I've never seen that on a desktop before. (nice German Shepherd though)

If you choose another background, say an original Micro$$oft one, do you still get it?

 

I changed background picture - my desktop didn't change

 

Thank you for telling me how to unload pictures. That is my German Shepherd
Aldo. See if this picture is better

 

Hello Aldo. I used to train German Shepherds for a security company (and no I wasn't the attack dummy). Highly intelligent dogs and powerful dogs.

Anyway, if you right-click an empty part of your desktop (ie not on an icon, file or folder), then properties, then the desktop tab,

Is the "position" on "Stretch"?

Then click "Customize Desktop" and tell me what's enabled and listed in the General and Web tabs?

 

That is the Common Tasks pane, download the fix below.

http://www.dougknox.com/xp/scripts_desc/xp_commtask_desktop.htm

Steve

 

That sounds like it, interesting.

I like Doug Knox and Kelly's Korner sites, very handy.

 

The fix worked - I am soooooooo happy. Thanks to Insomniac & Matacumbie for your help. I learned so much today.

I love this site. Have a Happy New Year

 

No, thanks to Matacumbie.

Insomniac didn't know sh!t.

You're welcome anyway, and Happy New Year to you and Aldo.

 

It's not one you see very often, that's for sure. Happy New Year.

Steve

 

Steve, Do you know what caused the Common Pane to get on my desktop?

Nancy

 

It's a bug in the Registry, along with about 2 000 others.

It may be called Common, but I've never seen or heard of it in all the years I've been using PC's.

You can set it for other folders like My Computer and My Music etc, but not for desktop. (Windows Explorer, Tools, Folder Options)

 

Yup. I have never come across it myself, me and Kodo had one instance of it awhile back. http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=50118&highlight=Common+Tasks+pane

Steve