Windows XP forum: Quick Launch toolbar disappears. Cannot get it to come back

Hi,

Thanks for your message. I have already done that. The script reports that the quick launch folder is already there (I knew this already) and will not try to recreate it. So I am back to square 0.

This happens if the QuickLaunch folder is deleted, and/or the "Application Data" registry path is incorrect. Try http://www.dougknox.com, click 'Windows XP Fixes' and look for the fix "Cannot Create Toolbar For -- error message". Download the VBScript and double-click it. Restart and now, try to enable Quick Launch bar.

Next, if that doesn't work, download Taskbar Repair Plus! util from here: http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/taskbarplus!.htm

Bob

I am easily confused at times when asked one thing and then find we are really talking about another. One thing isn't the other here. BUT more important is that "ccEvtMgr" error.

Its now likely your machine has some parasite issues you need to deal with.

How are you detecting and removing PARASITES which Norton Antivirus doesn't include in it's detections?

Bob

If this is a "bug" it must be wide spread!!! I was following the "thread" as my Quick launch disapeared as well.
I tried both solutions (vbs) and the downloaded program. Neither helped. I keep getting "can't find path" errors.
Where is the Quick Launch folder supposed to reside normally in XP . In which folder, under what?

I updated Norton this a.m. and ran a scan....no "bugs" do I need more than Norton and a spysweeper?......gulp....

Thanks tufenuf and Papa E!!! I tried both and no dice. (Am a single account user) I even tried Tuneup Utilities "correct Problems, missing Quick Launch toolbar"........sigh.........
Had to clutter up my desktop with the icons that were on Quick Launch. Until there is a really bad problem causing me to re-install XP I guess this will have to do.

1. The article [Q307077] explains that if icons are used on the Quick Launch bar to gain access to shared application data on a network drive, icons may disappear and occurs if the connection to the shared directory is lost.

2. The article [Q321213] states that when using the Windows Classic theme in Windows XP, icons in the notification area on the right side of the taskbar may disappear when selecting a High Contrast scheme in the Color Schemes box on the Appearance tab. The suggested work around is to 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.

3. The article [Q324250] states that after restoring the default setting of the window from the High Contrast appearance scheme of the Accessibility Options, the icons on the tool bar may disappear. The suggested work around for this problem is to minimize the window, and then press F5 to refresh the screen.

4. The article [Q307105] explains that if a program shortcut is moved from the Start menu to the Quick Launch Bar or to the desktop, other users may not be able to see the shortcut in the Start menu. Also, if a shortcut is moved from the Quick Launch Bar or the desktop to the Start menu, other users cannot see the shortcut in the Start menu.

Note: This behavior can occur because Quick Launch Bar information is stored separately for each user. Also, dragging the shortcut to or from the Start menu actually moves the icon to a new location, rather than just copying the icon. Therefore the shortcut is removed from the Start menu for all users, and the new shortcut is accessible only for the user who originally moved the program.

5. The article [Q555140] explains that when you open Folder Options, 1) the Single-click to open an item (point to select) is dimmed, 2) the option Show Common tasks in folders may also be grayed out, and 3) you may be unable to click the Toolbars command when you right-click the taskbar if Classic Shell which allows you to remove the Active Desktop and Web view features, is enforced through a policy.

Note: The article [Q29250] provides descriptions of the registry entries for policies that can be applied to the Start menu in WinXP and it may be advantageous to become familiar with its content.

6. Taskbar buttons appears to group unrelated windows together by number and occurs when enabling the feature, "Group similar taskbar buttons". Generally, this problem can be resolved simply by disabling that feature. Start regedit, expand HKEY_CURRENT_USER and in Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Explorer - Advanced, and create a REG_DWORD with the name TaskbarGroupSize and assign a value you want to reach before the windows are clustered, [Q288097].

7. "Quick Launch toolbar" (click to see a screen shot)

a. When the Taskbar is locked, it cannot be moved or resized (Right-click the Taskbar, and then click Lock the Taskbar to clear the check mark).

b. Resize the toolbar or to move it to another location by pointing to the vertical bar (Gripper) on the left side and dragging it left or right.

Note: To resize the taskbar vertically, move the mouse pointer over the horizontal edge of the Taskbar or Start button until it turns into a line with a double arrow and drag up or down to resize it.

c. Create floating toolbars by dragging an item from the Taskbar to the Desktop.

d. Remove a toolbar from the Taskbar by right-clicking an empty area on the Taskbar, point to Toolbars and then click to remove the check mark from the one wanted.

e. Add Toolbars to the taskbar by right-clicking an empty area on the Taskbar. Point to Toolbar and then click the Toolbar wanted.

(1) The Address bar is basically a Web page link and is opened by double-clicking.

(2) The Links bar provides links to product information on the Web which may be added by dragging them to the toolbar. Open the toolbar by clicking the double chevron ().

(3) The Desktop toolbar places items from the desktop such as the Recycle Bin and My Computer on the taskbar. Open the toolbar by clicking the double chevron ().

Note: The Show Desktop tool is not an ordinary program shortcut. If it is deleted, copy and paste the following five line into Notepad. Save this file as Show Desktop.scf and then drag the saved file to the Quick Launch bar or to any other location wanted, [Q190355]:

[Shell]
Command=2
IconFile=explorer.exe.3
[Taskbar]
Command=ToggleDesktop

(4) The Quick Launch bar displays icons which can be clicked to quickly open programs, show the desktop, or perform other tasks.

(5) The New toolbar lets you place a shortcut to a folder on the taskbar.

(6) The Language bar is a floating toolbar that appears on the desktop automatically when handwriting recognition, speech recognition, or an Input Method Editor (IME) as a method of inserting text has been added [Q306993].

f. Some items (right-click My Computer, Properties, Advanced, Performance, Settings) you may want to disable simply to improve the performance of Windows is described in [Q288186] which are 1) Fade in taskbar, Fade/ slide taskbar items into view, and 2) Slide taskbar buttons.

Note: Although Microsoft strongly recommends using the following default dynamically configured " video-based effects" (click to see an example screenshot) because that is what most users will use, the configuring of visual effects settings can be done quite easily.

Slide taskbar buttons
Use drop shadows for icon labels on the desktop
Smooth edges of screen fonts
Fade or slide menus into view
Fade out menu items after clicking
Fade or slide ToolTips into view
Show shadows under menus
Show translucent selection rectangle

g. The taskbar may be reduced to a thin line at the bottom of the screen by using the Auto hide option and the taskbar is redisplayed by simply pointing the mouse cursor at it. If the taskbar is to become available even when running a program maximized, make sure both the Always on top and Auto hide check boxes are selected.

Note: When the Taskbar is not visible, you can make it visible at any time by pressing the Windows logo key, or the key combination, Ctrl+Esc.

8. Remember that Toolbars can be displayed with or without their titles and their tools can be displayed with either large or small icons, and with or without identifying text. To avail yourself of any of these customizing options, right-click the toolbar to modify (not on a tool, however):

choose View followed by Show Title to suppress or display the toolbar title

choose Large Icons or Small Icons to change the icon size

choose Show Text to suppress or display tool text

a. With the exception of the Address toolbar, every toolbar is a representation of a folder that exist somewhere on the system. To see a toolbar's underlying folder in a Windows Explorer window, right-click the toolbar and choose Open Folder where additions, deletions, and other changes can be made instead of working directly on the toolbar.

Quick Launch - %App Data%\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch

Links - %UserProfile%\Favorites\Links

Desktop - %UserProfile%\Desktop and %AllUsersProfile%\Desktop

b. Any folder can be dragged to the edge of the desktop and released to create a toolbar for it. To provide a cascading menu, reduce the toolbar size by dragging its handle (and the handles of surrounding toolbars, if necessary) until it displays only the toolbar title with double arrows. When clicking the double arrow a menu appears, and if that folder contains others, a cascade is there to show their content when pointed at.

9. The article [Q318027] explains that when WinXP is started, one or more of the following behaviors may be experienced that can occur if the Windows settings for a particular user account are corrupted, and suggest three methods for troubleshooting this problem:

a. When you log on normally, the taskbar does not appear.

b. If you press CTRL+ESC, the Start menu does not appear.

c. If you log on to Windows in Safe mode, the taskbar does appear.

10. Supplemental reading:

a. "Cannot See the Word "Start" on the Start Button (Q300913)."

b. "Background Picture Is Not Displayed Correctly After You Move the Taskbar (Q303137)."

c. "ToolTips and Messages from the Status Area of the Taskbar May Remain (Q307499)."

d. "Cascade, Tile Windows Horizontally, and Tile Windows Vertically Commands Do Not Work (Q312290)."

I read the entire thread on this before continuing with my search on Google. It led me to this link:
http://www.infopackets.com/gazette/20040713.htm. Scroll down to "Visitor Feedback" where it gives instructions on how to change your Sysetm Registry. It worked for me instantaneously! Good luck!