# Windows' bottom bar became a side bar!



## snoozy (May 10, 2002)

We don't know how it happened, but the bottom bar with all the little icons and stuff flipped up perpendicularly and is now a side bar on the right. How do we get it back down where it belongs??


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## Windy in Kansas (Jun 16, 2002)

Answers may depend upon what browser you are using as well as operating system.

I tend to remember reading somewhere that a person can click on it and simply drag it back to the bottom. Perhaps kicking and screaming, "I don't want to go back."

Also check under "view" at the top of the page to see if there is a setting there that can be changed. 

Sorry I can't help further but I have never thought I would care for a smaller width screen for viewing so don't use side bars.


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## snoozy (May 10, 2002)

No, it's not the browser -- it's Windows. I think she has XP (it's a 4 year old computer)...) I'm talking about that bottom bar which has the Windows icon and START button in the bottom left corner, and then various little program icons, etc.


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## MoonRiver (Sep 2, 2007)

Windy still had the right answer I think. Click on an unused space on the Taskbar and drag it back to the bottom. In Vista, the toolbar can be locked so you right click and make sure its not locked, then drag it.


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## snoozy (May 10, 2002)

I tried that, but it would only widen -- not go from the side to the bottom of the screen.


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## BeaG (Aug 21, 2008)

It is possible that you need to use a combination of the suggestions from MoonRiver and Windy. First do a right click on the bar, to see if it is "locked". If it is locked, the option to "lock the taskbar" will be checked, and you will need to click on that option to uncheck (unlock) it. Then you should be able to do a left click on the bar and drag it back to the bottom where you want it.


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

snoozy said:


> I tried that, but it would only widen -- not go from the side to the bottom of the screen.


Make sure the bar is unlocked. The AT the top of the bar Put curser on it Hold down Left mouse key and slowly move the mouse down to the bottom sorta like in an arch. Once at the bottom let the mouse go and it should Stay at the bottom. Then LOCK the Task Bar again.


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## snoozy (May 10, 2002)

I will try that next time I am over at my friend's house (it's her computer in question). I think I was right-clicking when I tried to drag it. I'll let you know. Thanks!


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## RiverPines (Dec 12, 2006)

Yup, you left click and drag! I just tried it on my pc. LOL, I can definitely move it around. 
I can put it on either side or even across the top!!!

I just had to play. :baby04:


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

arabian knight said:


> Make sure the bar is unlocked. The AT the top of the bar Put curser on it Hold down Left mouse key and slowly move the mouse down to the bottom sorta like in an arch. Once at the bottom let the mouse go and it should Stay at the bottom. Then LOCK the Task Bar again.


Exactly correct, the keys to move it are 'slowly' and 'in an arch'


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## Windy in Kansas (Jun 16, 2002)

Ah, the desktop.


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## snoozy (May 10, 2002)

Left-clicking did the trick! And then I locked it.

Ok -- here's another problem with my friend's computer. (She's not very computer-savvy -- so unsavvy that she has me comeover to give her coaching...) It is running VVEEERRRRYYYYYSSSSSLLLLLLLOOOOOWWWWLLLLLLYYYYYYYY. 
I defragged it, and used ccleaner on it. Seemed to help a little. It is about 4 years old. She has -- get this -- 917 unread emails in her AOL. I told her to dump them. Like, who is going to go through 917 unread emails??? Could this be causing some of the sluggishness of her computer?


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

Did this slow down at once or just gradually over time? What operating system? How much RAM?
Is it only slow online? or all the time. Been about a decade since I used AOL but I would think that would slow it down while in their email and possible while online (If I remember right their email is integrated into their browser) but shouldn't slow it down while offline. 
Since you've already defraged and did a disk cleanup, I would suggest an anti-malware program (MalwareBytes or Spybot or better yet, both) and a full virus scan to be the next step


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## Windy in Kansas (Jun 16, 2002)

I don't know about AOL but I used to leave emails in my Netscape inbox rather than filing them and it definitely slowed the unit down. At some point I would go in and file about 1,000 of them which would make an absolute amazing amount of difference. I could never understand why the difference between filed ones in folders or in the inbox made such a difference as they are still there, just filed differently. Sure did though. 

Have you/she deleted cookies? History? See the monthly maintenance tips sticky at the top of the forum for other things to try.


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## snoozy (May 10, 2002)

It is just slow from beginning to end. On line and offline. I don't know how much RAM and such. I'm going to put Belarc Adviser on it to analyze what all is on it. The ccleaner deleted all cookies, I believe. It also deleted 98,495 K of cache. Is that a lot?


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