What is the button and what is it's purpose?

[RedDwarf]

I am trying to get something like the Windows 7 desktop button so I can easily run programs from icons on my desktop. I know about the desktop toolbar on XP but it shows the word Desktop next to two small right pointing arrows and I would prefer this replaced with just a button so it takes up less space. I know the title can be hidden but doing that brings several icons onto the task bar which takes up a similar amount of space.

I saw on several websites a similar thing as illustrated in the image below, which I have circled in green, next to the notification area. I don't know what it is meant to do, but it looks like what I wanted. That button doesn't show on my Windows XP taskbar so I cannot test it.

Wikipedia shows the same thing:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taskbar#Screenshots

Therefore, can any tell me what it is, what it does and how to make it show on my taskbar?

Edited September 11, 2011 by RedDwarf

[Guest]

Windows 95 Power Toys http://download.microsoft.com/download/5/2/e/52e8fd68-e528-4995-abe2-5644583536e1/W95powertoy.exe

You need to extract the contents of W95powertoy.exe with WinRAR or 7-Zip and then use DeskMenu.exe

Desktop Menu- To open items on the desktop from a menu on the Taskbar

Edited September 11, 2011 by -X-

[RedDwarf]

Thanks for the link, that program does do what I wanted.

However, do you know what that button is? It's still a mystery which I would like solved. I have seen it in Blue and Green on different taskbar pictures.

It does look like the one on Windows 7 and that works very well. I have the show desktop band with Aero Peak system feature.

Edited September 11, 2011 by RedDwarf

[jaclaz]

You really don't know that you are pointing to the "Show inactive icons" arrow ("chevron") button?

http://www.techf5.com/904/unhide-view-hidden-icons-on-taskbar/

http://malektips.com/xp_taskbar_start_0038.html

Or are you having an issue?

Check here:

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_n.htm

you want to look for "notification area".

jaclaz

[RedDwarf]

You really don't know that you are pointing to the "Show inactive icons" arrow ("chevron") button?

http://www.techf5.com/904/unhide-view-hidden-icons-on-taskbar/

http://malektips.com/xp_taskbar_start_0038.html

No I really didn't know

Or are you having an issue?

Check here:

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_n.htm

you want to look for "notification area".

jaclaz

lmao Problem solved. All of them.

I have been using Win XP for close to 20 years and the hide inactive items is one of the first things that gets disabled, so it's not something that I am familiar with. I think that it might be disabled in my customized XP image so I never see it. I probably have seen it in the distance past but can't say that I remember it.

[allen2]

I have been using Win XP for close to 20 years and the hide inactive items is one of the first things that gets disabled, so it's not something that I am familiar with.

It's pretty amusing to see how xp is now more than 20 years old even if it was created only 10 years ago.

[jaclaz]

It's pretty amusing to see how xp is now more than 20 years old even if it was created only 10 years ago.

Hmmm.

Actually it was not created at all, they took some good 2K system and added to it some eyecandy, some completely uneeded things and quite a bit of vulnerabilities.

It was released for the first time around ten years ago, right .

jaclaz

Edited September 11, 2011 by jaclaz

[RedDwarf]

I have been using Win XP for close to 20 years and the hide inactive items is one of the first things that gets disabled, so it's not something that I am familiar with.

It's pretty amusing to see how xp is now more than 20 years old even if it was created only 10 years ago.

It's a Sunday night here and as a result, my maths skills are sadly lacking. It just seems like 20 years.

Now here is the real kicker........I did look at a Windows XP wiki page prior to posting

Edited September 11, 2011 by RedDwarf