Techie types--- HELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLP!

My comp froze up, so I re-booted, and now I have one small problem--- I have no 'start' button, and the bar at the bottom of my screen is completely gone. I have NO idea what happened, or how to restore it, and I'd like it back.

Any ideas on how I could do that? :shrug:

way down at the edge...

left click and hold it (the mouse button) down while you drag up towartds the center of the screen.

sometimes that bugger likes to hide.

float your cursor to the bottom? If so, right-click on it (in an area that is just grey instead of on any minimized icon) when it appears. Then choose "Properties", then uncheck "Auto-hide" if it is checked.

Of course... you could always reboot again. :)

See if that brings up your menu, then you can get to the taskbar settings. I don't know where you can go from there, but it's worth a shot.

Do you have a windows button on your keyboard? If so hit that it should bring up your start menu. Your task bar may just be pulled down below the screen try dragging it back up.

Do you have icons on the desktop? Are you posting from that machine now?

I've tried finding and dragging the taskbar 'back up', but it quite literally seems to no be there at all. Argggggggggggggg! *bangs head in frustration*

Tap the F8 key over and over till you get to a screen that gives you startup options choose start windows in safe mode when it gets into safe mode see if your task bar and start menu are there if they are then you have something running that is keeping your start menu andf task bar from showing,

I asume you are posting from this machine? If so then I am going to assume you are able to get to the net.

Go here http://housecall.trendmicro.com/ Choose scan my pc and let it do its thing. It is a good online virus scan that will find and fix most problems. If after running that you either find no virus or it doesnt solve your issue then go here http://download.com.com/3000-2144-10045910.html?part=69274&subj=dlpage&tag=buttonhttp://housecall.trendmicro.com/

Download adaware install it and then follow these instructions.

Before you scan with AdAware, check for updates of the reference file by using the "webupdate".

Then ........
Make sure the following settings are made and on -------"ON=GREEN"
From main window :Click "Start" then " Activate in-depth scan"

Then......
Click "Use custom scanning options>Customize" and have these options on: "Scan within archives" ,"Scan active processes","Scan registry", "Deep scan registry" ,"Scan my IE Favorites for banned URL" and "Scan my host-files"

Then.....
Go to settings(the gear on top of AdAware)>Tweak>Scanning engine and tick "Unload recognized processes during scanning" ...........then........"Cleaning engine" and tick "Automatically try to unregister objects prior to deletion" and "Let windows remove files in use at next reboot"

Then...... click "proceed" to save your settings.

when the scan is done go to the next page where it lists everything it finds right click on one of the entries and have it select all objects then have it remove them by clicking proceed rebbot your puter.

If you still have a problem then download hijack this from here
http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/downloads.html

put it into a folder of its own then run it hit scan do not fix anything! have it save a log of the scan and then post the log here and i will take a look at it and see what you have left in there that might be causing you trouble.

I have to go out on a tech job in an hour so if you havent updated this post by then I will have to get to it after i get back in a couple hours so be patient.

Ot I highly recomend this site if you cant wait
http://forums.techguy.org/index-.html

Post your problem there and the good folks there will help you.

is this 98SE?

if so you should have an option in the system tools folder for system restore use that to go back to a restore date a few days ago it should solve your problem. if not then follow my instructions above

CTRL-ALT-DEL and select Task Manager. Select the Applications tab. At the bottom, ther should be a button that says "New Task...". Click it and type in "explorer" without the quotes and click OK. This will reload yopur desktop and should bring back the bar.

to the very bottom of your screen and when/if you see a double arrow, left click your mouse and drag the bar back up onto your screen.