Desktop Still Crashing

  • Thread starter Thread starter Rainy
  • Start date Start date
R

Rainy

I have to apologize first because I got the solution for this a few weeks
ago, but there were two things to do.. one was edit the registry (which I
hate to do) and the other was simply log out so the programs that are held
in memory will then have a chance to load to the taskbar, which I do now,
because it was the easier of the two.. I now would like to try and edit the
registry.. if someone (Sharon F) :) could please send step by step
instructions once again.. I would be very appreciative... this time I will
save the instructions.. promise! :) Rainy
 
on the subject line it says desktop is crashing.. I guess I should have been
more specific... Rainy
 
thanks so much. I had no idea this was on the net... saves a lot of writing
doesn't it? thanks again.. Rainy
 
Hi again.. I found this thread from Sharon F.. but when I followed the
instructions.. it did not do as expected...
To restart Explorer, Not sure why I needed to restart Explorer, not having a
problem with explorer, just the desktop... I'm a little confused right now..

here are her instructions..

"I would close all open windows (including running programs). Then open a
command prompt window (Start> Run: type cmd and click OK). Leave that
window and task manager up. Then using Task Manager, end the Explorer
process. The desktop will disappear. Then use Task Manager's File> Run to
start explorer.exe again. The desktop will return."

when I got to the part about "ending explorer, the desktop will
disappear"... it did not disappear.. so couldn't follow through with the
rest of it.. The desktop stayed put during the whole thing.. hope I am
making myself clear... :) Maybe I am not understanding what I was to do..
Rainy ps. didn't have anything to do with the registry.. sorry about that..
my memory is not all that good sometimes.. lol
 
Hi again.. I found this thread from Sharon F.. but when I followed the
instructions.. it did not do as expected...
To restart Explorer, Not sure why I needed to restart Explorer, not having a
problem with explorer, just the desktop... I'm a little confused right now..

here are her instructions..

"I would close all open windows (including running programs). Then open a
command prompt window (Start> Run: type cmd and click OK). Leave that
window and task manager up. Then using Task Manager, end the Explorer
process. The desktop will disappear. Then use Task Manager's File> Run to
start explorer.exe again. The desktop will return."

when I got to the part about "ending explorer, the desktop will
disappear"... it did not disappear.. so couldn't follow through with the
rest of it.. The desktop stayed put during the whole thing.. hope I am
making myself clear... :) Maybe I am not understanding what I was to do..
Rainy ps. didn't have anything to do with the registry.. sorry about that..
my memory is not all that good sometimes.. lol
Click to expand...

Rainy, I must not have had enough coffee when I typed those directions.

"Ending Explorer in Task Manager" part is right. The desktop should
disappear. It may restart on its own - a definite flicker off and then
flicker back on - due to failsafes that reload the shell if it fails. But
most times it just disappears. Restart it using File> Run in Task Manager
and typing in explorer.exe

But having the cmd window open is only useful for typing commands - for
example, deleting files that refuse to delete from the Windows Explorer
file management interface. Since it ignores the presence of a cmd window,
you get the shell hooks for some file types out of the way and can perform
the delete without them interfering. Apparently my fingers took over for my
brain when I typed that part. Sorry for the confusion.

In regards to using this method as an attempt to load tray icons that
failed to show up with the initial startup, you may have mixed results with
this method. Some icons that didn't load may show up. However, there's a
down side. You may lose some that loaded the first try but don't have the
ability to reload a second time. Personally, I think log off/log on is the
best approach and least trouble.

For programs that don't behave well in the tray, consider disabling them
from running at startup. Make shortcuts for them and placing the shortcuts
into the quick launch toolbar. They'll still be only a click away. They
won't be adding "extra weight" to your startup axis.

If you'd like to research some other suggested workarounds for tray icons,
check out MVP Kelly Theriot's page here:
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_n.htm

After the page comes up, scroll down to the section titled "Notification
Area."
 
Hi Sharon.. thanks for the response... yes I agree logging off and on again
is by far the easier..so this is what I will do... although I think I did
find the culprit.. Incredimail was acting strangely.. the notification
"thingie" was quivering when it announced I have mail.. so I uninstalled it
and resinstalled it .. also my Intellimouse finally bit the dust..and it
caused a lot of "desktop" problems while it was dying. icons moving all over
the place, the taskbar jumping up to the side, which I hate.. I finally
replaced it on a temporary basis with a generic ball mouse... I think all
these things aided and abetted my desktop crashing.. it seems to be working
ok now.. at least the last few times I booted, all the icons have loaded to
the taskbar.

I will look at startup and figure out which ones that don't have to load..

Please don't worry about not having enough coffee, everyone is entitled to
not have enough coffee from time to time.. :) again I sure do thank you for
all the information

Rainy

ps. I did visit the link.. and found this bit of information,

begin quote
Classic Theme and Notification Area:

If you are using the Windows Classic theme in Windows XP, the icons in the
notification area on the right side of the taskbar may disappear when you
select a High Contrast scheme in the Color Schemes box on the Appearance
tab.

To work around this problem, right-click a blank area of the taskbar, and
then click Lock the Taskbar. Or, change the size of the taskbar, and then
restore it.
end of quote

Which leads me to believe that using windows blinds and the classic view
lead to my problem in the first place.. am I right?


Thanks again.. Rainy
 
Hi Sharon.. thanks for the response... yes I agree logging off and on again
is by far the easier..so this is what I will do... although I think I did
find the culprit.. Incredimail was acting strangely.. the notification
"thingie" was quivering when it announced I have mail.. so I uninstalled it
and resinstalled it .. also my Intellimouse finally bit the dust..and it
caused a lot of "desktop" problems while it was dying. icons moving all over
the place, the taskbar jumping up to the side, which I hate.. I finally
replaced it on a temporary basis with a generic ball mouse... I think all
these things aided and abetted my desktop crashing.. it seems to be working
ok now.. at least the last few times I booted, all the icons have loaded to
the taskbar.

I will look at startup and figure out which ones that don't have to load..

Please don't worry about not having enough coffee, everyone is entitled to
not have enough coffee from time to time.. :) again I sure do thank you for
all the information
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reassurances :)

I'm glad to see you have worked this out to a comfortable level and that,
for now, the icons are behaving.

I've never used Incredimail but I see it mentioned often in these
newsgroups. Things apparent to me from those posts: People who use it -
like it a lot. The program can be quite troublesome at times.

Reminds me of the mahjong game I told you about in another thread. Keep the
program since you like and use it but when you have some odd problems, this
one can be high on your list of "likely suspects." It would probably be
good strategy to stay abreast of updates available for this program.
Perhaps wait for others to install them and then check for comments in the
user forums at the Incredimail site. If an update is causing all kinds of
trouble for users, it might be wise to wait until the update is fixed or a
new one shows up before installing it.

At one time Incredimail was linked to adware. I think they've cleaned that
up as I don't see it mentioned with the same frequency as in the past.
 
Hi.. If you like graphics.. incredimail is one program that answers that
need.. although I do believe it is spyware to one degree.. but spybot and
adaware seem to leave it alone..
yes it's working ok now..but I did have a question about window blinds and
the clasic view.. when I went to the link you suggested.. I found something
interesting...

here is part of that thread:
begin quote
Classic Theme and Notification Area:

If you are using the Windows Classic theme in Windows XP, the icons in the
notification area on the right side of the taskbar may disappear when you
select a High Contrast scheme in the Color Schemes box on the Appearance
tab.

To work around this problem, right-click a blank area of the taskbar, and
then click Lock the Taskbar. Or, change the size of the taskbar, and then
restore it.
end of quote

Which leads me to believe that using windows blinds and the classic view
lead to my problem in the first place.. am I right?

Would love your input on this one..:) or anyone elses... thanks.. Rainy
 
Hi.. If you like graphics.. incredimail is one program that answers that
need.. although I do believe it is spyware to one degree.. but spybot and
adaware seem to leave it alone..
yes it's working ok now..but I did have a question about window blinds and
the clasic view.. when I went to the link you suggested.. I found something
interesting...

here is part of that thread:
begin quote
Classic Theme and Notification Area:

If you are using the Windows Classic theme in Windows XP, the icons in the
notification area on the right side of the taskbar may disappear when you
select a High Contrast scheme in the Color Schemes box on the Appearance
tab.

To work around this problem, right-click a blank area of the taskbar, and
then click Lock the Taskbar. Or, change the size of the taskbar, and then
restore it.
end of quote

Which leads me to believe that using windows blinds and the classic view
lead to my problem in the first place.. am I right?

Would love your input on this one..:) or anyone elses... thanks.. Rainy
Click to expand...

I use WindowBlinds and see no such problem. That doesn't mean it can't
happen; just that I've never seen it with the settings I use with
WindowBlinds.

The text that you've quoted here refers to using a High Contrast theme.
These are native to XP. There are several to choose from when XP is set to
use the Classic Theme. They have been known to cause odd problems within
the Windows GUI (graphical user interface) even when not using a third
party add-on such as WindowBlinds.

All of the workarounds in the quoted text are forcing the taskbar to
reorganize based on changes in settings. This is general advice and is a
common trick/method used to knock some sense into a portion of Windows that
isn't behaving as it should.
 
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