Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

General discussion

Missing Toolbars

Dec 1, 2003 8:26AM PST

Somehow, the toolbars that are at the top of the pages are missing when I open "My Computer." They are gone from everything that opens from "My Computer," too.

How can I restore them? I am running Windows 2000 Professional.

Thanks for your help.

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
Re:Missing Toolbars/check here first
Dec 1, 2003 9:37AM PST

If you haven't done so already, go to the top of your screen and click on VIEW. Then go to toolbars and see if anything is checked. If not, check what you wish to be displayed. Hope this helps.

- Collapse -
Re:Re:Missing Toolbars/check here first
Dec 1, 2003 9:45AM PST

That's just it. There is no "View." There's nothing up there. Only the blue band that has My Computer in white is showing. Right clicking and dragging will get me the two headed arrow, but nothing happens.

But, thanks for trying.

- Collapse -
Blue band in white??
Dec 1, 2003 10:22AM PST

I run Win 2k as well. I am trying to create a mental picture of your screen and the top bar is usually blue when active and grey when not. I may be of little help but maybe if you can try a couple things and repost, you'll get a better answer. First, is your desktop normal and can you launch and exit programs properly? Have you installed or uninstalled any programs lately? any hardware changes or new drivers added? I would also try booting up in safe mode and seeing if Explorer works normally with minimal drivers and services loaded. Good luck.

- Collapse -
Re:Re:Re:Missing Toolbars/check here first
Dec 1, 2003 11:28AM PST

I ran Win Me. Hope this is the same for Win 2K :
To retrieve the tool bars, use keys Alt+V to obtain the 'view' menu. From here, you can configure how the menu bars, tool bars, etc. look, or what type of bars you want to be in view.

- Collapse -
Re:Missing Toolbars/check here first
Dec 2, 2003 8:19AM PST

Thanks for the suggestions. No luck so far. The Alt V suggestion didn't work. However, when I right click on 'My Computer' and then go in under 'Explore' the toolbars are there, which I guess should be fine.

I did install a new cd/dvd drive (Sony) that came with 'Power DVD' about two months ago. That's about for anything new recently.

Thanks.

- Collapse -
Re:Missing Toolbars/check here first
Dec 2, 2003 10:27AM PST

Thanks for the suggestions. No luck so far. The Alt V suggestion didn't work. However, when I right click on 'My Computer' and then go in under 'Explore' the toolbars are there, which I guess should be fine.

I did install a new cd/dvd drive (Sony) that came with 'Power DVD' about two months ago. That's about for anything new recently.

Thanks.

- Collapse -
Re:Re:Missing Toolbars/check here first
Dec 2, 2003 4:37PM PST

Strange. It is not OK when the problem is not solved. You did not mentioned it, but what happened when you Alt+V ? Did you get a drop down list ? (it is actually the VIEW menu) Maria's suggustion is for toggoling into Full Screen. What happen if you Alt+V while there ?

- Collapse -
Re:Re:Re:Missing Toolbars/check here first
Dec 3, 2003 5:35AM PST

When I tried the Alt V nothing happened, nothing at all. No menus dropped down, no change to the screen anywhere.

And as you said, F11 just makes a full screen.

Any other suggestions?

- Collapse -
Re:Missing Toolbars
Dec 2, 2003 11:05AM PST

Only a "thought" - does F11 help?

- Collapse -
Re:Re:Missing Toolbars
Dec 3, 2003 5:45AM PST

I tried F11 and that takes me to a full screen. Then I tried the Alt + V after being at full screen and an error log came up:

"Explorer.exe has generated errors and willl be closed by windows. (and below that) An error log is being created."

I tried this twice just to be sure, and it happened both times.

- Collapse -
Re:Missing Toolbars or what you can do with ITBarLayout in the registry.
Dec 3, 2003 6:01AM PST
- Collapse -
Re:Re:Missing Toolbars or what you can do with ITBarLayout in the registry.
Dec 3, 2003 9:40AM PST

It worked!! Thanks so much R. Proffitt!

I ran ShellThrobOn.reg and that fixed it. Never heard it called a "throbber" before today.

Thanks again.

- Collapse -
Grif was on this trail as well right after me.
Dec 3, 2003 10:34AM PST

The registry key is not well known. But let's call this one done, done and Donner.

There are many other registry keys that have odd effects and I'm seeing too much MALWARE that does this to thwart or p.o. the owner.

Best of luck!

Bob

- Collapse -
Cmtaczak, Try This...(Part 1)
Dec 3, 2003 6:03AM PST

Open "My Computer", then

(1) Focus the Explorer window by clicking the left button of the mouse once anywhere in the window. Press the function key "F11" of your computer to move the mode to "full-screen mode", and you will see a banded area at the top of the display screen.

(2) Right-click the banded area, and a display option menu will pop up.

(3) Attach check marks on the "menu bar" item and the "address bar" item of the display option menu by (left button) clicking.

(4) Press "F11" again, and you will see the IE window of the original window size and with the menu bar, the address bar and the tool bar.

Hope this helps.

Grif

- Collapse -
Cmtaczak, Try This (Part 2) Registry Edit of
Dec 3, 2003 6:21AM PST

Click on Start, Run, type "regedit" (without the quotes), then click on OK.

IF YOU HAVE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE, BE CAREFUL. You can delete other start up programs by following this path to the Registry. First, make a backup of the Registry. Click on Start-Run. When the box opens type in "Regedit" (without the quotes). Click Ok. When the Registry Editor window opens, Click on Registry in the upper left corner of the window, choose "Export Registry File". When the next window opens, be sure of the location where you are saving it to and give the file a name like Backup. Click "Save". You now have a backup registry that can be double clicked and will replace the new one you?re going to make, IF you make any deletions you don't like.

Separately, navigate to the locations below:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\InternetExplorer\Toolbar\Explorer

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\InternetExplorer\Toolbar\Shellbrowser

In the right window pane of each path above, highlight the key: ITBarLayout, RIGHT click on each of the keys, choose "Delete". Click on the X in the upper right corner of the Registry Editor to exit and save the changes. Restart the computer and new "default" entries will be created when needed.

Open My Computer and see if the Menu Bar is back correctly. If it is not, double click on the registry file saved to the desktop to re enter the value in the registry since removing it didn't resolve the issue.

Hope this helps.

Grif

- Collapse -
Re:Cmtaczak, Try This (Part 2) Registry Edit of
Dec 4, 2003 6:06AM PST

Grif-

Thanks for taking the time to help. I had success with the information provided by R. Proffitt, but appreciate your help also.

Thanks, again.

- Collapse -
(NT) Cmtaczak, Glad To Hear You Got It Fixed...That's The Best Part !
Dec 4, 2003 6:26AM PST

.