Question

Every second or third reboot, I lose the Quick Launch taskbar

Asked by: swift1004

This is very weird....  It's not critical or anything, but I'ts more than annoying.  I can put it right back, but I have to rearrange the order of the Icons and reset the size of the bar.  It's as if the settings are wiped out every few reboots.  Any ideas?

Thanks.

Andy

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Asked On
2004-02-17 at 16:43:43ID20888616
Tags

launch

,

quick

Topic

Windows XP Operating System

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Answers

 

by: timothyfryerPosted on 2004-02-17 at 17:03:48ID: 10388185

It may be reverting to a previous configuration.  Windows XP Pro seems particularly  persistent about getting online regardless of what it has to mess up in order to do it.

http://wrc.chinalake.navy.mil/warfighter_enc/COMPUTER/Tutorial/regstruc.htm
has some info on the current control set in the registry but I don't know much more about it.  Suggest waiting for more responses.  

 

by: swift1004Posted on 2004-02-17 at 17:07:33ID: 10388202

Thanks for the link, but I should have noted that I'm an expert myself.  I've been supporting Windows operating systems for over 10 years now.  I am fairly comfortable with the registry, but I can't seem to figure out how this keeps reverting to the "old settings".  Thanks.

Andy

 

by: timothyfryerPosted on 2004-02-17 at 18:05:27ID: 10388605

This is about writing a script as a sysadmin to enable/disable various taskbar options at startup on system computers.  If you look at your taskbar configuration and correlate it to a string, then you could go into a good registry editor like Resplendent Reglite (not rededit or regedt32-they miss to much), you could search and find that string in every location in the registry and possibly determine more from that, or maybe just write one of these scripts and run it in your startup folder.  I'll keep looking though.
http://jernstrom.org/site/content.php?article.3

Script: SetTaskBarOptions
by Kimmo on Monday 10 November 2003


'===================================================
' NAME: SetTaskBarOptions.vbs
'
' AUTHOR: Jeff Durbin, Systems Engineer, Axcent Solutions
' www.axcentsolutions.com
' DATE: 01/24/2003
'
' COMMENT: In a Terminal Server or MetaFrame environment, the administrator
' usually tightly controls the user environment using System Policy
' or Group Policy. Policy settings make changes to registry values
' that are reflected in the user's environment. Unfortunately, some
' of the common settings, such as those that affect the Taskbar,
' are not controllable via policy. Examining the registry value
' that determines the Taskbar's configuration reveals the problem:
' the settings are lumped into a binary key. In the case of the Taskbar,
' 4 bits of byte 9 (for Window NT/2000) determine which of the Taskbar's
' options are enabled. This is a problem, as System Policies and Group
' Policy do not give us a mechanism for changing a single bit within
' a byte. Take the clock, for example. I routinely have customers that
' ask me to either turn the clock ON for all users, or turn the clock
' OFF for all users. This is not a problem for users that have never
' logged on and don't have a Terminal Server profile. I modify the
' Default User profile on the Citrix servers using REGEDT32 and set
' the options the way I want them. I'm out of luck for users with roaming
' profiles that already exist, however; because their profiles already
' exist, they never receive the settings I've made in the Default User
' profile. So the question becoms: how do you change the settings for
' users with existing profiles?
' One way would be to use REGEDT32 to load the NTUSER.DAT registry
' hive for each user and make the change. That's fine if you have 10
' users, but if you've got 500, that's not practical. Obviously, you
' want to make a change as the user logs in. The first question to
' resolve is, what bits need to be changed? The bits and their functions
' are as follows:
'
' Bit 1 (from right): on = autohide
' Bit 2 (from right): on = always on top
' Bit 3 (from right): on = show small icons
' Bit 4 (from right): on = hide clock
'
' Auto Always Show Small Hide
' Binary Dec Hex Hide On Top Icons Clock
' ----------------------------------------------------
' | 00000000 00 00 | | | | |
' | 00000001 01 01 | x | | | |
' | 00000010 02 02 | | x | | |
' | 00000011 03 03 | x | x | | |
' | 00000100 04 04 | | | x | |
' | 00000101 05 05 | x | | x | |
' | 00000110 06 06 | | x | x | |
' | 00000111 07 07 | x | x | x | |
' | 00001000 08 08 | | | | x |
' | 00001001 09 09 | x | | | x |
' | 00001010 10 0A | | x | | x |
' | 00001011 11 0B | x | x | | x |
' | 00001100 12 0C | | | x | x |
' | 00001101 13 0D | x | | x | x |
' | 00001110 14 0E | | x | x | x |
' | 00001111 15 0F | x | x | x | x |
' | --------------------------------------------------
'
' Writing a script to change those bits is simple. Unfortunately,
' if you run the script during logon, the changes aren't reflected
' on the Taskbar because Explorer has already loaded. You might think
' that the changes would show up at the next login, but that's not
' the case; it seems that that the settings revert to those stored
' in the profile. You could kill Explorer and restart it, but that
' wouldn't be a very nice login for the users.
' The answer is to run the script -before- Explorer starts. To do
' this, follow these instructions*:
'
' 1. Save this script to your Winnt\system32 folder
' 2. Open winnt\system32\usrlogon.cmd
' 3. Add the following line after the @Echo off line:
'
' %windir%\system32\SetTaskBarOptions.vbs
'
' That's it. Now, when a user logs in, the script will run and set
' the options before Explorer runs, so the settings will show up
' immediately.
'
' * These instructions are for Terminal Servers. A similar technique
' can be used on non-TS machines (which don't use USRLOGON.CMD).
' At HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon,
' there is a value called 'UserInit' which references an executable
' called USERINIT.EXE. You can replace the reference to USERINIT.EXE
' with a reference to a batch file (say, USERINIT.CMD). The batch
' file contents could be:
'
' @echo off
' cls
' SetTaskBarOptions.vbs
' userinit
'
' USAGE: This script relies on WMI, which is included with Win2K and above.
' Microsoft may have started distributing WMI with NT4 SP6. If you
' don't have it on your NT4 box, download it at:
'
' http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=afe41f46
' -e213-4cbf-9c5b-fbf236e0e875&DisplayLang=en
'
' To configure the options, modify the variables below the line that
' reads: '*************** OPTIONS ARE SET HERE ***************
' For example, I prefer the following configuration: show clock, always
' on top, do not hide taskbar, show small icons. To achieve this result,
' I need to set two bits (always on top, show small icons), and clear
' 2 bits (auto hide taskbar, hide clock). You simply add the 4 constants
' to the appropriate variable: intBitsToSet or intBitsToClear.
' The registry key is called StuckRects in NT 4.0 and StuckRects2 in
' Windows 2000. To use the script for NT4, comment out the Stuckrects2
' line and remove the comment character (') at the beginning of the
' Stuckrects line.
'
'===================================================

Option Explicit
On Error Resume Next

Dim oReg
Dim intBitsToClear, intBitsToSet
Dim strComputer, strKeyPath, strValueName, strValue

Const HKEY_CURRENT_USER = &H80000001
Const cAutoHideTaskbar = 1
Const cAlwaysOnTop = 2
Const cShowSmallIcons = 4
Const cHideClock = 8


'*************** OPTIONS ARE SET HERE ***************

intBitsToSet = cAlwaysOnTop + cShowSmallIcons
intBitsToClear = cAutoHideTaskbar + cHideClock

'****************************************************


strComputer = "."
strKeyPath = "SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Stuckrects2" ' *** For Win2K ***
'strKeyPath = "SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Stuckrects" ' *** For NT 4.0 ***
strValueName = "Settings"

Set oReg=GetObject("winmgmts:{impersonationLevel=impersonate}!\\" & _
strComputer & "\root\default:StdRegProv")
oReg.GetBinaryValue HKEY_CURRENT_USER,strKeyPath,strValueName,strValue

strValue(8) = strValue(8) OR intBitsToSet
strValue(8) = strValue(8) AND (NOT(intBitsToClear))

oReg.SetBinaryValue HKEY_CURRENT_USER, strKeyPath, strValueName, strValue


' Set: Byte = Byte OR cShowSmallIcons
' Clear: Byte = Byte AND (NOT(cShowSmallIcons))
' Check: if ((Byte AND cShowSmallIcons) = cShowSmallIcons)

 

by: gemartiPosted on 2004-02-17 at 23:59:05ID: 10390175

Are you on a network? Do some of the Icons disappear or do all of the Icons disappear? If you are on a network and just some of the quick launch icons are disappearing  then it may be the system cannot find the shared connection where the icons are linked to:

Quick Launch Icons for Shared Application Data on Network Drive Disappear
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307077

SYMPTOMS
If you use icons on the Quick Launch bar to gain access to shared application data on a network drive, the icons may disappear.

The information in this article applies to:
Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
Microsoft Windows XP Professional
Microsoft Windows XP 64-Bit Edition
10/24/2001

 

by: swift1004Posted on 2004-02-18 at 07:50:50ID: 10393519

The entire bar is gone.  I have to go back and check it again in the taskbar properties to make it pop back up.  It's a setting issue for sure.  Thanks.

Andy

 

by: timothyfryerPosted on 2004-02-18 at 08:16:31ID: 10393769

RESULTS OF WINDOWS HELP SEARCH    TASKBAR MISSING XP

Taskbar Is Missing When You Log On to Windows
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;318027&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

Start Menu and Windows Task Bar Are Missing After You Upgrade to Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;818150&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

 

by: swift1004Posted on 2004-02-18 at 08:23:41ID: 10393838

Sorry, I think I wasn't clear there.....   The Quick Launch part of the taskbar is missing, not the entire Windows taskbar.  It's as though the settings hold for a couple reboots, but then revert to an old setting.  If I knew what section of the registry controlled that, I could copy it across the other Control Set Hives so it thinks that the old settings are the same.  This sound like it would work?

Andy

 

by: Mad_LennyPosted on 2004-02-18 at 08:50:12ID: 10394158

 

by: timothyfryerPosted on 2004-02-18 at 09:00:04ID: 10394272

When you find that the quick launch toolbar is missing, you could run In Control (InCtrl5) to do a snapshot of the registry, then restore the toolbar, then complete the In Control process to do another snapshot and show you the differences between the two registries.  Then you could search for those strings everywhere to make sure that you've entered the correct string in all the backups.  Trouble is, if it pulls Last Known Good Config out of Windows folder Last Good, name, then those settings are probably in a file there.  Maybe you could use a good search tool like Agent Ransack (not windows-big bugs-won't find) and do a text search on the whole Last Good folder using the registry strings.  Agent Ransack should show you every occurence of the string regardless of the file type, unless, I guess, its compiled code, which I doubt.










THERE IS MORE BELOW BUT PROBABLY NOT WHAT YOU NEED






DOESN'T SAY XP BUT DOES APPLY TO NT MACHINES SO MAYBE XP REG ENTRIES ARE CLOSEBY

Quick Launch Toolbar Icons Are Missing or Unavailable
Applies To
This article was previously published under Q273785
IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SYMPTOMS
When you view the Quick Launch toolbar, icons may be missing or unavailable, and you may be unable to click the Toolbars command when you right-click the taskbar.
CAUSE
This behavior can occur if the following registry value is set to 0x0000:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\ClassicShell

This registry value is often set to 0x0000 when the Microsoft TweakUI Power Toy utility is used to disable Microsoft Internet Explorer.
RESOLUTION
WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

To resolve this issue, delete the following registry value, log off, and then log on to the computer:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\ClassicShell

The information in this article applies to:
Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0
Microsoft Windows 98
Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0


http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_qr.htm
Quick Launch - Missing or Doesn't Function Properly

This behavior can occur if the Quick Launch folder has been deleted. To resolve this issue, recreate the Quick Launch folder. Create a folder named Quick Launch at the following location:

C:\Documents and Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\






 

by: swift1004Posted on 2004-02-18 at 11:35:57ID: 10395835

Thanks for the info on the In Control program.  It helped me find the keys that changed.  I think I have it fixed.  After resetting the toolbar to the correct settings, I copied the value from Current_User into the same key in the Users hive under the current SID.  I think it has worked.  Thanks for all the help!

Andy

 

by: timothyfryerPosted on 2004-02-18 at 18:23:18ID: 10399052

I'm glad you got it fixed.  Thanks for the points.
If you need more free system tools and utilities, try http://sysinternals.com
Regmon shows you real time registry access
Filemon shows you real time file access
Many others also.  Great site.  Good Luck.
 

 

by: swift1004Posted on 2004-02-19 at 08:01:12ID: 10403600

Thanks for the tip, but I already use many of their products.  They are an excellent resource.  Thanks again.

Andy

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