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XP Taskbar height is reset when Theme service is started or theme changed

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by wrleeii

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My XP Pro Media Ctr has this annoying habit of resetting the height of my double-height task bar to single height upon reboot. I figured out that starting the Theme service does this, so even if I simply change the XP theme, it resets the taskbar height. I do remember a short period of time when this did not happen. Does anyone know what setting might be causing this to happen and how I can reset it?

Bill...

12 replies

by rob miners

mind you I am using Vista but it should be the same for XP. I set the Taskbar to the required height and then locked it. Logged off and back on and it was still in the same settings.

by wrleeii

Yeah, that is what I do (lock the setting). It works on other XP installations, just not on this one! That's what makes it so tedious, I have to unlock it, resize it, and lock it back again. I dont know if it is a bug in the Media Center Edition or some other oddity of my installation.

by wrleeii

Thanks... I'll have to try that. I wont be home for weeks though... In reading the description, I should add that when when I first log in, the task bar is the correct size... then, at some point it sizes small.

My reading about StuckRects2 leads me to believe that if that were the problem, it would come up small immediately. I'll have to play with this to see... it is the closest setting so far.

I'd used msconfig to disable things until it didnt do that anymore. That is how I figured out that it was the Theme service that causes the problem.

by wrleeii

I tried deleting (renaming, actually) this entry and it didn't have any impact on the behavior of the taskbar. I suspect this is how explorer remembers where it put windows; deleting this would correct the problem of a window opening outside the boundaries of the current display screen.

by rob miners

the task bar is the correct size... then, at some point it sizes small, open your normal applcations one at a time while watching the Taskbar. You may pick up what is doing it.

by rob miners

This procedure tells you how to adjust display and appearance options through the Display icon in Control Panel.

To change individual desktop elements such as title bars, icons, menus, and scrollbars:

Select the Advanced button.

In the Advanced Apearance dialog box:

To choose the screen element you want to change:

Select it from the Item list.

To choose available size, color and font styles:

Select from the attribute lists.

When you are finished with selections:

Select OK twice to close the dialog boxes.

by wrleeii

I went through that already, disabling all startup programs and services; that's how I figured out that it is associated with the Theme service. I then confirm this by changing the XP theme. Anytime I change the theme, the taskbar height resets to a single row. It will also reset if I restart the Theme service. It appears that the theme service's initialization of the theme is resetting the taskbar height for some reason. (This is on the Media Center Edition, if that matters).

by wrleeii

The task bar height is not one of the settings in advanced settings--it is not associated with the title bar settings. You set the task bar height by dragging the edge to the height desired (so long as it is not locked).

by rob miners

is 25 I read somewhere that in Vista it was effecting the taskbar if it was set to under 19. I thought that it would be worth checking. How often do you change the themes. I normally pick one and stick with it.

by kabaka

I know it's been a while, but you helped me, so maybe I can return the favour. I had the same problem, but didn't connect it with Themes.

Based on your observation, I tried saving the desired setting as a theme, et voil?, taskbar-height persists after reboot!

Edit: Bad news. Another reboot and it's shrunk again. Bummer.

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