Maximizing problems when docking toolbar on left in Windows 7

[superboyac]

So I've been docking my toolbar on the left side of the monitor in Windows 7 lately.  But programs don't respect it when maximizing the windows.  The windows maximize all the way to the left, essentially underneath the toolbar.  But when the toolbar was on the default bottom position, it's not like the maximized windows go under the bottom part.  How do I get the maximized windows to stop at the edge of the toolbar?

[superboyac]

It might be a problem with Bluebeam, other programs seem to work.  I'll email them.

[IainB]

I have used LHS docking for the Windows Start toolbar for years, in XP and in Win7-64, and it usually gives no problems. That's probably because it was designed to work that way if a user set it so.
The only times I have seen problems in the Toolbar are generally when a proggy upsets Windows Explorer. If this happens, it is often ineffective to fiddle with the Toolbar properties - the quickest and most effective fix is to restart Windows Explorer.
Right now, my daughter's laptop has a periodically recurring problem with the LHS Toolbar - it keeps shrinking in width and/or refusing to "auto-hide", and I have shown her how to fix it with a restart of Windows Explorer. So far, I have not been able to establish what is causing this recurring problem.

[4wd]

Right now, my daughter's laptop has a periodically recurring problem with the LHS Toolbar - it keeps shrinking in width and/or refusing to "auto-hide", and I have shown her how to fix it with a restart of Windows Explorer. So far, I have not been able to establish what is causing this recurring problem.

-IainB (August 04, 2012, 10:15 AM)

Not running a game, (or other program), that causes the Windows Aero features to be turned off, (ie. reverts to basic scheme) ?

The original Ghost Recon is an example of where that will happen.

Also, from here:

Having the exact same problem. Status bar on left and autohide is on. When coming out of hibernation, connecting external display, or doing other screen related things, the width setting is completely forgotten.

And that's from 2010.

Being a laptop, do she by any chance let it go into Hibernation ?

Although, I've never seen it do it on my XP netbook, (LHS AutoHide Taskbar), and it normally only gets hibernated.

[IainB]

Being a laptop, do she by any chance let it go into Hibernation ?

-4wd (August 04, 2012, 07:49 PM)

Not hibernation (save RAM to disc), no  - but it does often get switched to "sleep".
It is very probably a game that is doing this, but I haven't yet spent enough time to figure out how or why.

[mitzevo]

I also have the win7 bar docked on left side (with autohide on), and also experience the width setttings reset after running a full screeen game. I just manually restore it back-drag it back to the width I like.

[4wd]

Not hibernation (save RAM to disc), no  - but it does often get switched to "sleep".

-IainB (August 04, 2012, 11:26 PM)

What OS?

Windows 7, (and Vista IIRC), go into Hybrid Sleep by default I think, just in case the machine loses power it can resume from the hibernate file.

[superboyac]

I have used LHS docking for the Windows Start toolbar for years, in XP and in Win7-64, and it usually gives no problems. That's probably because it was designed to work that way if a user set it so.
The only times I have seen problems in the Toolbar are generally when a proggy upsets Windows Explorer. If this happens, it is often ineffective to fiddle with the Toolbar properties - the quickest and most effective fix is to restart Windows Explorer.
Right now, my daughter's laptop has a periodically recurring problem with the LHS Toolbar - it keeps shrinking in width and/or refusing to "auto-hide", and I have shown her how to fix it with a restart of Windows Explorer. So far, I have not been able to establish what is causing this recurring problem.

-IainB (August 04, 2012, 10:15 AM)

how do you restart windows explorer?  The only way i know how is to crash it.

[4wd]

how do you restart windows explorer?  The only way i know how is to crash it.

-superboyac (August 06, 2012, 10:29 PM)

Open Task Manager
End explorer.exe process
File->New Task and enter explorer.exe

Or, try this: Add Restart Explorer to Context Menu which does the same thing in a more user-friendly manner.

[IainB]

...I just manually restore it back-drag it back to the width I like.

-mitzevo (August 04, 2012, 11:32 PM)

This is tedious. Save yourself some trouble and just restart Windows Explorer.

Open Task Manager
End explorer.exe process
File->New Task and enter explorer.exe

Or, try this: Add Restart Explorer to Context Menu which does the same thing in a more user-friendly manner.

-4wd (August 06, 2012, 10:44 PM)

I usually use Restart Explorer (it's usually quickest).
(You can find RE has been discussed elsewhere in the DC Forum.)