Guest don Posted August 21, 2007 Posted August 21, 2007 I run Windows XP Home on a shared desktop - always kept up to date with the latest Microsoft updates. Each of the four family members has their own user account/logon and this has worked fine (more or less) for about five years until last week when we hit the following problem. The first user to log on to the system can still work normally; when a second user logs on (through the logon screen) this second user will see their usual desktop (and be able to use any icons on the main desktop area) - but will have no access to any part of their taskbar. The taskbar will appear as usual at the bottom of the desktop but any attempt to click on the taskbar does nothing - it is completely locked out - from the start command to the system tray -everything is locked out. Any window opened from an icon that happens to be on the main desktop cannot be restored via the task bar if it is minimised. The situation is the same whichever family member is the first user (who will experience normal use) while any subsequent user will encounter the problem. We are working around this by restarting the computer every time a family member wants to use the computer. However this is very inconvenient and not they way that it has been working - or is supposed to work. I have tried restoring the system to a previous time when I believe the it was OK - but to no avail. Any helpful guidance would be much appreciated. Don
Guest Kelly Posted August 21, 2007 Posted August 21, 2007 Re: taskbar locked out and inaccessible for second user Hi Don, How interesting..... See if this helps: Restore Taskbar and Desktop to Default Functionality (Line 164) http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm -- All the Best, Kelly (MS-MVP/DTS&XP) Taskbar Repair Tool Plus! http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/taskbarplus!.htm "don" <don@home> wrote in message news:%23WSRlu$4HHA.4880@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl... >I run Windows XP Home on a shared desktop - always kept up to date with the >latest Microsoft updates. Each of the four family members has their own >user account/logon and this has worked fine (more or less) for about five >years until last week when we hit the following problem. The first user to >log on to the system can still work normally; when a second user logs on >(through the logon screen) this second user will see their usual desktop >(and be able to use any icons on the main desktop area) - but will have no >access to any part of their taskbar. The taskbar will appear as usual at >the bottom of the desktop but any attempt to click on the taskbar does >nothing - it is completely locked out - from the start command to the >system tray -everything is locked out. Any window opened from an icon that >happens to be on the main desktop cannot be restored via the task bar if it >is minimised. The situation is the same whichever family member is the >first user (who will experience normal use) while any subsequent user will >encounter the problem. We are working around this by restarting the >computer every time a family member wants to use the computer. However >this is very inconvenient and not they way that it has been working - or is >supposed to work. I have tried restoring the system to a previous time >when I believe the it was OK - but to no avail. Any helpful guidance would >be much appreciated. > > Don
Guest don Posted August 21, 2007 Posted August 21, 2007 Re: taskbar locked out and inaccessible for second user Kelly - thank you very much indeed for your interest and response. Unfortunately, however, while the utility executed OK - the problem is unchanged. A little elaboration on the problem: 1 When attempting to switch to a new user the problem is as previously described. However if the current user logs off then the next user is able to log on and work normally. I.e. the problem only occurs when more than one user is logged on. 2. When the second user first hovers the curser over the task bar it appears to be functioning normally - i.e. the short message appears which describes the start menu and the icons in the system tray. But the first attempt to click on any item in the task bar locks it up and the short messages stop appearing 3. The second user can open/run any icon on the desktop (as mentioned previously) but the window/programme identifier does not appear on the task bar Any further ideas would be gratefully received Best regards Don "Kelly" <kelly@mvps.org> wrote in message news:uIOGAVB5HHA.5164@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl... > Hi Don, > > How interesting..... > > See if this helps: > > Restore Taskbar and Desktop to Default Functionality (Line 164) > http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm > > > -- > > All the Best, > Kelly (MS-MVP/DTS&XP) > > Taskbar Repair Tool Plus! > http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/taskbarplus!.htm > > > > "don" <don@home> wrote in message > news:%23WSRlu$4HHA.4880@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl... >>I run Windows XP Home on a shared desktop - always kept up to date with >>the latest Microsoft updates. Each of the four family members has their >>own user account/logon and this has worked fine (more or less) for about >>five years until last week when we hit the following problem. The first >>user to log on to the system can still work normally; when a second user >>logs on (through the logon screen) this second user will see their usual >>desktop (and be able to use any icons on the main desktop area) - but will >>have no access to any part of their taskbar. The taskbar will appear as >>usual at the bottom of the desktop but any attempt to click on the taskbar >>does nothing - it is completely locked out - from the start command to >>the system tray -everything is locked out. Any window opened from an icon >>that happens to be on the main desktop cannot be restored via the task bar >>if it is minimised. The situation is the same whichever family member is >>the first user (who will experience normal use) while any subsequent user >>will encounter the problem. We are working around this by restarting the >>computer every time a family member wants to use the computer. However >>this is very inconvenient and not they way that it has been working - or >>is supposed to work. I have tried restoring the system to a previous time >>when I believe the it was OK - but to no avail. Any helpful guidance >>would be much appreciated. >> >> Don > >
Guest M8RIX Posted August 21, 2007 Posted August 21, 2007 Re: taskbar locked out and inaccessible for second user Out of curiosity, did you, or do you use CCleaner? I had similar experiences after using this program. "don" <don@home> wrote in message news:%23WSRlu$4HHA.4880@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl... >I run Windows XP Home on a shared desktop - always kept up to date with the >latest Microsoft updates. Each of the four family members has their own >user account/logon and this has worked fine (more or less) for about five >years until last week when we hit the following problem. The first user to >log on to the system can still work normally; when a second user logs on >(through the logon screen) this second user will see their usual desktop >(and be able to use any icons on the main desktop area) - but will have no >access to any part of their taskbar. The taskbar will appear as usual at >the bottom of the desktop but any attempt to click on the taskbar does >nothing - it is completely locked out - from the start command to the >system tray -everything is locked out. Any window opened from an icon that >happens to be on the main desktop cannot be restored via the task bar if it >is minimised. The situation is the same whichever family member is the >first user (who will experience normal use) while any subsequent user will >encounter the problem. We are working around this by restarting the >computer every time a family member wants to use the computer. However >this is very inconvenient and not they way that it has been working - or is >supposed to work. I have tried restoring the system to a previous time >when I believe the it was OK - but to no avail. Any helpful guidance would >be much appreciated. > > Don
Guest don Posted August 22, 2007 Posted August 22, 2007 Re: taskbar locked out and inaccessible for second user No I didn't - I have generally shied away from this and other such utilities because of comments in news groups about potential consequences - and my own lack of confidence/knowledge about being able to handle the possible consequences. I am at a loss to pinpoint any activity on the computer that could have caused the change to occur - especially as restoring doesn't solve it. We can still use the computer - it's just a significant inconvenience - and a worry as to why the computer's behavior changed in this way. Rgds "M8RIX" <mn8r1@home.com> wrote in message news:ugujrzE5HHA.484@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl... > Out of curiosity, did you, or do you use CCleaner? > I had similar experiences after using this program. > "don" <don@home> wrote in message > news:%23WSRlu$4HHA.4880@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl... >>I run Windows XP Home on a shared desktop - always kept up to date with >>the latest Microsoft updates. Each of the four family members has their >>own user account/logon and this has worked fine (more or less) for about >>five years until last week when we hit the following problem. The first >>user to log on to the system can still work normally; when a second user >>logs on (through the logon screen) this second user will see their usual >>desktop (and be able to use any icons on the main desktop area) - but will >>have no access to any part of their taskbar. The taskbar will appear as >>usual at the bottom of the desktop but any attempt to click on the taskbar >>does nothing - it is completely locked out - from the start command to >>the system tray -everything is locked out. Any window opened from an icon >>that happens to be on the main desktop cannot be restored via the task bar >>if it is minimised. The situation is the same whichever family member is >>the first user (who will experience normal use) while any subsequent user >>will encounter the problem. We are working around this by restarting the >>computer every time a family member wants to use the computer. However >>this is very inconvenient and not they way that it has been working - or >>is supposed to work. I have tried restoring the system to a previous time >>when I believe the it was OK - but to no avail. Any helpful guidance >>would be much appreciated. >> >> Don > >
Guest don Posted August 22, 2007 Posted August 22, 2007 Re: taskbar locked out and inaccessible for second user By the way - how did you fix your problem (may be useful for me, even if the cause may have been different)? "M8RIX" <mn8r1@home.com> wrote in message news:ugujrzE5HHA.484@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl... > Out of curiosity, did you, or do you use CCleaner? > I had similar experiences after using this program. > "don" <don@home> wrote in message > news:%23WSRlu$4HHA.4880@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl... >>I run Windows XP Home on a shared desktop - always kept up to date with >>the latest Microsoft updates. Each of the four family members has their >>own user account/logon and this has worked fine (more or less) for about >>five years until last week when we hit the following problem. The first >>user to log on to the system can still work normally; when a second user >>logs on (through the logon screen) this second user will see their usual >>desktop (and be able to use any icons on the main desktop area) - but will >>have no access to any part of their taskbar. The taskbar will appear as >>usual at the bottom of the desktop but any attempt to click on the taskbar >>does nothing - it is completely locked out - from the start command to >>the system tray -everything is locked out. Any window opened from an icon >>that happens to be on the main desktop cannot be restored via the task bar >>if it is minimised. The situation is the same whichever family member is >>the first user (who will experience normal use) while any subsequent user >>will encounter the problem. We are working around this by restarting the >>computer every time a family member wants to use the computer. However >>this is very inconvenient and not they way that it has been working - or >>is supposed to work. I have tried restoring the system to a previous time >>when I believe the it was OK - but to no avail. Any helpful guidance >>would be much appreciated. >> >> Don > >
Guest Bob I Posted August 22, 2007 Posted August 22, 2007 Re: taskbar locked out and inaccessible for second user There isn't some 3rd party "Taskbar" Icon arranger utility installed? don wrote: > No I didn't - I have generally shied away from this and other such > utilities because of comments in news groups about potential > consequences - and my own lack of confidence/knowledge about being able > to handle the possible consequences. I am at a loss to pinpoint any > activity on the computer that could have caused the change to occur - > especially as restoring doesn't solve it. We can still use the computer > - it's just a significant inconvenience - and a worry as to why the > computer's behavior changed in this way. > Rgds > > > "M8RIX" <mn8r1@home.com> wrote in message > news:ugujrzE5HHA.484@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl... > >> Out of curiosity, did you, or do you use CCleaner? >> I had similar experiences after using this program. >> "don" <don@home> wrote in message >> news:%23WSRlu$4HHA.4880@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl... >> >>> I run Windows XP Home on a shared desktop - always kept up to date >>> with the latest Microsoft updates. Each of the four family members >>> has their own user account/logon and this has worked fine (more or >>> less) for about five years until last week when we hit the following >>> problem. The first user to log on to the system can still work >>> normally; when a second user logs on (through the logon screen) this >>> second user will see their usual desktop (and be able to use any >>> icons on the main desktop area) - but will have no access to any part >>> of their taskbar. The taskbar will appear as usual at the bottom of >>> the desktop but any attempt to click on the taskbar does nothing - it >>> is completely locked out - from the start command to the system tray >>> -everything is locked out. Any window opened from an icon that >>> happens to be on the main desktop cannot be restored via the task bar >>> if it is minimised. The situation is the same whichever family >>> member is the first user (who will experience normal use) while any >>> subsequent user will encounter the problem. We are working around >>> this by restarting the computer every time a family member wants to >>> use the computer. However this is very inconvenient and not they way >>> that it has been working - or is supposed to work. I have tried >>> restoring the system to a previous time when I believe the it was OK >>> - but to no avail. Any helpful guidance would be much appreciated. >>> >>> Don >> >> >> >
Guest don Posted August 23, 2007 Posted August 23, 2007 Re: taskbar locked out and inaccessible for second user Not that I'm aware of - I'm not sure what one of those might be but I tend not to tinker with my system and install anything other than mainstream applications/utilities - to avoid getting into trouble and not having the knowledge to resolve problems. However I do have a fair number of applications installed + NAV + Zone Alarm (free) etc. "Bob I" <birelan@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:ueun72N5HHA.4880@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl... > There isn't some 3rd party "Taskbar" Icon arranger utility installed? > > don wrote: > >> No I didn't - I have generally shied away from this and other such >> utilities because of comments in news groups about potential >> consequences - and my own lack of confidence/knowledge about being able >> to handle the possible consequences. I am at a loss to pinpoint any >> activity on the computer that could have caused the change to occur - >> especially as restoring doesn't solve it. We can still use the >> computer - it's just a significant inconvenience - and a worry as to why >> the computer's behavior changed in this way. >> Rgds >> >> >> "M8RIX" <mn8r1@home.com> wrote in message >> news:ugujrzE5HHA.484@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl... >> >>> Out of curiosity, did you, or do you use CCleaner? >>> I had similar experiences after using this program. >>> "don" <don@home> wrote in message >>> news:%23WSRlu$4HHA.4880@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl... >>> >>>> I run Windows XP Home on a shared desktop - always kept up to date with >>>> the latest Microsoft updates. Each of the four family members has >>>> their own user account/logon and this has worked fine (more or less) >>>> for about five years until last week when we hit the following problem. >>>> The first user to log on to the system can still work normally; when a >>>> second user logs on (through the logon screen) this second user will >>>> see their usual desktop (and be able to use any icons on the main >>>> desktop area) - but will have no access to any part of their taskbar. >>>> The taskbar will appear as usual at the bottom of the desktop but any >>>> attempt to click on the taskbar does nothing - it is completely locked >>>> out - from the start command to the system tray -everything is locked >>>> out. Any window opened from an icon that happens to be on the main >>>> desktop cannot be restored via the task bar if it is minimised. The >>>> situation is the same whichever family member is the first user (who >>>> will experience normal use) while any subsequent user will encounter >>>> the problem. We are working around this by restarting the computer >>>> every time a family member wants to use the computer. However this is >>>> very inconvenient and not they way that it has been working - or is >>>> supposed to work. I have tried restoring the system to a previous time >>>> when I believe the it was OK - but to no avail. Any helpful guidance >>>> would be much appreciated. >>>> >>>> Don >>> >>> >>> >> >
Guest M8RIX Posted August 23, 2007 Posted August 23, 2007 Re: taskbar locked out and inaccessible for second user I doubt that it would apply to your situation but it may help others with the same problem as mine. I unchecked the option to "Clean" "Tray Notifications Cache" in the advanced options. The fix didn't stick until I rebooted. "don" <don@home> wrote in message news:ORO17PJ5HHA.4928@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl... > By the way - how did you fix your problem (may be useful for me, even if > the cause may have been different)? > > > "M8RIX" <mn8r1@home.com> wrote in message > news:ugujrzE5HHA.484@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl... >> Out of curiosity, did you, or do you use CCleaner? >> I had similar experiences after using this program. >> "don" <don@home> wrote in message >> news:%23WSRlu$4HHA.4880@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl... >>>I run Windows XP Home on a shared desktop - always kept up to date with >>>the latest Microsoft updates. Each of the four family members has their >>>own user account/logon and this has worked fine (more or less) for about >>>five years until last week when we hit the following problem. The first >>>user to log on to the system can still work normally; when a second user >>>logs on (through the logon screen) this second user will see their usual >>>desktop (and be able to use any icons on the main desktop area) - but >>>will have no access to any part of their taskbar. The taskbar will >>>appear as usual at the bottom of the desktop but any attempt to click on >>>the taskbar does nothing - it is completely locked out - from the start >>>command to the system tray -everything is locked out. Any window opened >>>from an icon that happens to be on the main desktop cannot be restored >>>via the task bar if it is minimised. The situation is the same whichever >>>family member is the first user (who will experience normal use) while >>>any subsequent user will encounter the problem. We are working around >>>this by restarting the computer every time a family member wants to use >>>the computer. However this is very inconvenient and not they way that it >>>has been working - or is supposed to work. I have tried restoring the >>>system to a previous time when I believe the it was OK - but to no avail. >>>Any helpful guidance would be much appreciated. >>> >>> Don >> >> >
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