You accidentally dragged the taskbar to the right side of the screen.
1. Right Click some empty place on the taskbar (the bar containing the Start Button) and be sure the item "Lock the Taskbar" does NOT have a check beside it. If there is NO checkmark, then click an empty place on the desktop to close the window and proceed to step 3, below. Otherwise (if there IS a checkmark), go to step 2, below.
2. IF the "Lock the Taskbar" item HAS a CHECKMARK beside it, then click it to UNcheck it and go back to step 1, above.
3. Now, with the taskbar unlocked, place your mouse on an empty place on the taskbar and left CLICK-and-DRAG the taskbar back to the bottom of your screen. At this time you can size it to one line or two lines as you prefer (using the skinny double bar at the top of the taskbar).
4. Once you are happy with it, right click an empty place on the task bar again and click "Lock the Taskbar" so you won't accidentally move it again.
You can tell when the taskbar is UNlocked, because there will be two rows of pinpoint indentations at the beginning of each section (i.e. the taskbar section and the QuickLaunch section - and any other menu sections you might add in the future). These are "handles" you can use to rearrange the sections when the taskbar is unlocked. These handles disappear when the taskbar is locked.
I use a two-line taskbar with active applications on the lower line and QuickLaunch (shortcut icons to apps or folders or docs) on the top line. In a two-line arrangement, the System Tray portion is three deep (this section, like the start button, is automatically placed and never has a handle).
Anna Summers
----- Original Message -----
From: Lewis C. Emerson
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Sunday, December 13, 2009 7:03 PM
Subject: [PCSOFT] ? - Start Button
I'm a bit embarrassed to ask a question that probably has a very simple answer, but..... I use an Acer Aspire 3000 laptop with Windows XP Pro and am accustomed to seeing the Start Button at the bottom left corner of the screen. Today it appeared at the upper right corner. The only instructions I could find at Microsoft's support website for moving it back were for Windows 95 and they were details requiring things like pressing ESC and ALT simultaneously. I cannot imagine it's that complicated for Windows XP. It obviously moved due to something I did inadvertinly when I last used the computer.
I called Microsoft's help line and talked to a lady who tried to talk me through it, but nothing she suggested helped. It was that she either didn't know, or that I didn't understand her version of English. After wasting her and my time she told me to just call Acer. They probably would laugh too. Oh yes, the icons in the system tray, instead of being on one line, are now stacked one on top of the other. I've never seen this strange arrangement before either.
I can use the machine like this with no big problems, but something simple happened to cause this, so something simple should get things back to normal.
Suggestions(?) and TIA.
lemerson
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