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DADDY BOB'S COMPUTER Q & A
November 15, 2009
Q.
I just started using Windows 7 and noticed
there is no Quick Launch tool bar. What
happened to it?
A.
It has been purposely disabled in Windows 7
and although it is still there, it is really
hidden.
First,
since the Quick Launch toolbar was not
displayed by default in Windows XP or Vista,
there are probably many that don't really
know what it is. The best way to describe
what it is and what it does is to tell XP
and Vista users how to activate it and then
see for themselves.
If you
right click the Taskbar then select
Toolbars, you will see there is an item in
he displayed menu called Quick Launch.
Checking it will display the Quick Launch
tool bar on the left side of the taskbar.
Windows 7 gives you no such choice.
The Quick
Launch toolbar was designed by Microsoft for
the exclusive use of the user. The user can
put application shortcuts in it so they have
quick access to those often used. It is user
specific and each user has their own.
However, it became the general practice for
many programs to automatically install their
icon on the Quick Launch toolbar whether or
not the user wanted it there.
For some
reason, most applications feel their stuff
is so important that the user will want to
use it exclusively from any other. Therefore
they put their icons on the desktop, the
Quick Launch tool bar, the Start menu, and
the system tray. If this is a part of an
installer package, it should be at the
least, something that the user has the
option to choose or not. Unfortunately, when
an application does create an icon
somewhere, it usually serves to instill the
fear in most users that removing it will
break something.
OK, now
you know what the Quick Launch toolbar is.
Microsoft has (almost) removed it from
Windows 7 and replaced it with a new task
bar which is actually a combination of the
old taskbar and Quick Launch toolbar. In
Windows 7 you really do not need the Quick
Launch tool bar. Win 7 gives the choice to
"Pin" any shortcut to the taskbar
accomplishing the same thing the Quick
Launch toolbar did. Fortunately, it is
extremely difficult for an application's
installer to do this leaving it a users
decision.
Now, all
that said, if you still want your Quick
Launch tool bar back, here's how to get it.
I won't go into great detail since I suspect
that few more geek like folks will actually
want to do this.
1. If the
task bar is locked, you will have to unlock
it.
2. Right
click the task bar, hover your mouse over
Toolbars and select New Toolbar.
3. When
you are prompted to enter the folder name,
enter this string exactly...
%userprofile%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet
Explorer\Quick Launch
4. Now,
locate the Quick Launch toolbar. It will
probably be located at the far right of the
taskbar.
5. Right
click the divider and uncheck Show Text and
Show Title. Make sure that Small icons is
selected.
6. Drag
the divider to the far left to position the
quick launch on your taskbar at the same
location it appeared in XP and Vista.
7. All
done. Re-lock the taskbar if so desired.
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