There is software that causes this. I've found that a host pcAnywhere session will cause XP to revert to a one line taskbar as do some other programs that rewrite the display properties. This is probably software related rather than hardware.

The problem was happening with the original, factory fresh load of Windows as I received the computer. I stupidly thought it could be fixed, and went ahead and configured the machine, so I don't want to just start fresh again. I did do a reload of SP1, which was supposed to fix this, but no change.

I don't have PC Anywhere. Actually the only display-related software I can find on the system is Dell/nVidia's own stuff which came with it. I haven't even configured remote desktop nor NetMeeting's remote sharing yet.

I may have to call "Dell's award-winning support" and see what they have to say. My spidey sense tells me that will only lead to frustration and a lesson in understanding thick Indian accents.

More freakiness. With autohide on, when I boot it shows a two-line taskbar, then hides as usual. When I show it again, it is one line. Tried the setting and rebooting twice, same thing. Now when I changed it to not autohide and boot, it shows two lines for a second then changes itself to one. Very bizarre.

Thanks for your help and thoughts on this.

Message Edited by SwampNut on 02-18-2004 11:55 AM

Autohide is not on, for some reason that feature makes me insane. But I'll give it a try anyway, just to see if it helps. I've also sent an e-mail to Dell support, and tried more searching in the MS knowledgebase.

Do you have it set to autohide the taskbar? Maybe a full screen program is overwriting it. Mine is set to autohide as I found that my bankruptcy preparation software screens were fouled up if I kept it visible at double height. With the autohide, you get the best of both worlds, a full screen display and the double high task bar.

Very weird...it's also doing the same thing coming out of hibernate, but not out of standby.

This is really weird. Are you running anything in the background that monitors the screen which could be interfering? You might also try turning off Active Desktop and any other funcitons of that type to see if that makes any difference. Does this do this only on the LCD display or does it also do it on an attached monitor? Could it be that your screen resolution is not properly set? I'm just grasping at straws here trying to think of things that would cause this. At any rate, if you do find the cause, please post it because I and probably others would like to know.

I don't use Active Desktop (though maybe I'll try it just to see if it changes anything). Good point on the external monitor. I'm not anywhere I can test that now, but I think I can try that tonight. Resolution is definitely correct (and allow me to say what a stunningly beautiful screen this is). I don't believe I have anything screen/desktop related other than what shipped with the machine. Of course the Dells come with desktop management functions built into the nVidia controls/drivers. Nothing in them addresses the task bar that I can recall, but I think I'll try researching this on the nVidia site.

Thanks for the brainstorming. I'll definitely post the solution if I find it.

Here's my app list according to the Dell system profiler. Keep in mind that this problem started with the original fresh install right when my machine arrived.

Software

Name Version
Microsoft Office Sounds 1.0.0.0
PaperPort Printer Driver 5.09
Microsoft Plus! Portable Audio Devices 1.00.00.2301
Norton Password Manager 1.00.00
WebFldrs XP 9.50.6513
CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 12 12.0.0.458
MSRedist 1.0.0.0
Dell Home Systems Services Agreement 1.00.0005
Internet Explorer Default Page 1.00.03
Dell Networking Guide 1.00.0001
DocuCom PDF Core Library 4.21
Dell Support 2.1.0.0
Retrospect 5.6 5.6.0000
Wireless 1.00.0005
Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia Standard 2004 2004
NSW_DRM_COLLECTION 1.0.0
PaperPort 9.0 9.00.0000
Adobe Reader 6.0.1 006.000.001
Broadcom 440x 10/100 Integrated Controller 3.24
Java 2 Runtime Environment, SE v1.4.2 1.4.2
Microsoft Office Professional Edition 2003 11.0.5614.0
Microsoft Office Visio Professional 2003 11.0.3216.5614
Microsoft Office FrontPage 2003 11.0.5614.0
DVDSentry 1.00.0000
Dell Solution Center 1.00.0000
Jasc Media Center Plus 3.10 Try And Buy 3.10.0000
Norton Utilities 16.0.0
Norton Ghost 76.00.789
EarthLink Setup Files 2003.3.84.0
Broadcom Advanced Control Suite 4.10.0000
DocuCom PDF Driver 5.56
Norton SystemWorks 2004 Professional 7.00.00
Banctec Service Agreement 1.00.00
Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 1.1.4322
Microsoft Plus! for Windows XP 1.00.00.0536
Microsoft Streets and Trips 2004 11.00.18.1900
Easy CD & DVD Creator 6 6.00.0000
Help and Support Customization 1.00.0000
Norton CleanSweep 1.0.0

Just a thought. Try setting it at 3 lines and then 4 lines to see if that makes any difference.

Another thing that you could try is to load a toolbar onto the taskbar and then move it so that it forces the taskbar to be on two lines. I load a toolbar and set it up on the left side of the taskbar so that it is on two different lines. I did this by choice, not chance, because I like the way it arranges things, but that might be why I've never had any problems with the two line taskbar, even before Service Pack 1 came out.

Great ideas. Here's what I did, and what happened.

Set taskbar to 4 lines, add every toolbar, expand them to cover over half the taskbar.

Reboot. It stayed.

Removed all the toolbars, left it at four lines.

Reboot. It was then at two lines by itself. Hmm. Made no changes.

Reboot...back to one line! Very freaky. I don't want to leave the toolbars on there, don't use them, eats space.

I don't use Billy's toolbars. I made my own up with icons from my most frequently used programs so I don't have to keep them on the desktop or keep hitting that start button.

Well, that is a solution. Maybe not the one desired, but a solution. Sorry I couldn't think of anything more.

This is old, but I said I'd post a solution if found. Well, I never found one, reinstalled Windows fresh (XP Pro retail, not the original Dell discs) and of course it is fine.

Dell tech support never did respond to my support request. I sent it twice. Got the auto-response, and then nothing more.

I have seen that happen with PC Anywhere, I never use it XP's remote desktop works for me  PC Anywhere is a 150.00 dollars plus way of giving symantec something XP has built in

My responses have been dealing with XP Pro. I'm not sure as to the original poster's system.  If you don't like your task bar getting messed up and you run it more than one line high, don't run pcAnywhere host on it. When it receives a call, the task bar WILL be reset to 1 line.