how do i find where my start menu, tool bar and desktop icons dissapeared to?

Question

my windows explorer has dissapeared.. can anyone help me??

Answer 1

Do you mean the taskbar? Point your mouse to the bottom of the screen. It might be hidden.

Answer 2

Check out the link at the end of this message. You will be shown how to maneuver with graphics.

Manage the Taskbar

Setting Taskbar Options
Like everything else in Windows XP, you can customize the taskbar to your liking. To do so, right-click the Start button and choose Properties. In the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialog box that opens, click on the Taskbar tab.

· Lock the taskbar: If selected, hides all sizing handles on the taskbar so you can't accidentally move or resize it (as discussed below).
· Auto-hide the taskbar: If you select this option, the taskbar will be hidden most of the time so as to not take up any space on the screen. To make it visible, move the mouse pointer to the very bottom of your screen.
· Keep the taskbar on top of other windows: If selected, makes sure the taskbar is visible at all times, even when large maximized program windows are covering the rest of the screen.
· Group similar taskbar buttons: If selected, allows multiple taskbar buttons to collapse into a single button so the buttons don't become too small to see on the taskbar.
· Show Quick Launch: If selected, displayed the optional Quick Launch toolbar to the right of the Start button.

Moving and Sizing the Taskbar
Windows XP is very flexible. You can size, color, and position anything to your liking. But you can only move and size things on the taskbar when the taskbar is unlocked. In addition, you can quickly lock, or unlock the taskbar at any time by right-clicking the current time in the lower right corner of your screen and choosing Lock the Taskbar from the shortcut menu that appears. You can tell when the taskbar is unlocked, because sizing handles are invisible, and Lock the Taskbar on the shortcut menu isn't checked.

It's best to keep the taskbar locked when you're not intentionally trying to move or size it. That way, you won't accidentally move or size the taskbar while you're whipping around the screen with the mouse pointer. But just so you know, when the taskbar is unlocked, you can change its height as follows:
1. Move the mouse pointer to the thin bar that appears along the top strip of the taskbar, until the mouse pointer turns to a two-headed arrow.
2. Hold down the left mouse button and drag that top edge up or down until the taskbar is the width you want, then release the mouse button.

Tip: If the taskbar seems "stuck" between double-height, and no height, drag one of the dotted vertical sizing handles up to the row above it. Then drag the top edge of the taskbar down a notch.

To move the entire unlocked taskbar to another edge of the screen, move the mouse pointer to some empty spot on the taskbar (not on a button or icon). Then hold down the left mouse button, drag the taskbar to any edge of the screen, and release the mouse button.

Source: This is an excellent link with good explanations and graphics.
http://www.coolnerds.com/XP/Taskbar/xpTaskbar.htm

Answer 3

It may be set to hide the taskbar.
Here's how you can fix this:

1. go to the start button.
2. click on the control panel icon.
3. click on the start and taskbar icon.
4. uncheck the hide taskbar check box.
5. hit the apply button or hit the OK button.

Answer 4

This is because you must have hidden your icons from Taskbar Properties. You can correct this or you can try reinstalling Windows. PLz be more specific while telling the problem.

Answer 5

If restarting wouldn't help, you might want to use Win+E to involk windows explorer for more investigation.

Answer 6

press "alt+ctrl+delete" then choose the "new task" at the bottom of the window then type "explorer" then press "enter". good luck

Answer 7

task bar

move your mouse to all corners of your screen
untill you see up and down arrows
left click and hold
then pull up down -etc
untill task bar is where you want it
right click and choose lock task bar

Answer 8

Click Alt+Esc and it will reappear.

Answer 9

check in wallpaper advanced options ....... remove/uncheck ' select web desktop/wallpaper'

Answer 10

go to control panel there you will get