Fix a corrupted user profile

If you tried to log on to Windows and received an error message telling you that your user profile might be corrupted, you can try to repair it. You will need to create a new profile, and then copy the files from the existing profile to the new one.

To create a new user profile

To create a new profile, you must first create a new user account. When the account is created, a profile will also be created.

1. Open User Accounts by clicking the Start button , clicking Control Panel, clickingUser Accounts and Family Safety (or clicking User Accounts, if you are connected to a network domain), and then clicking User Accounts.

2. Click Manage another account. If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

3. Click Create a new account.

4. Type the name you want to give the user account, click an account type, and then click Create Account.

To copy files to the new user profile

After you create the profile, you can copy the files from the existing profile. You must have at least three user accounts on the computer to complete these steps, including the new account you just created.

1. Log on as a user other than the new user you just created or the user that you want to copy files from.

2. Open Documents by clicking the Start button , and then clicking Documents.

3. Click the Tools menu, and then click Folder Options.

   If you don't see the Tools menu, press ALT.

4. Click the View tab, click Show hidden files and folders, clear the Hide protected operating system files check box, and then click OK.

5. Locate the C:\Users\Old_Username folder, where C is the drive that Windows is installed, and Old_Username is the name of the profile you want to copy files from.

6. Select all of the files and folders in this folder, except the following files:

   • Ntuser.dat

   • Ntuser.dat.log

   • Ntuser.ini

7. Click the Edit menu, and then click Copy.

   If you don't see the Edit menu, press ALT.

8. Locate the C:\Users\New_Username folder, where C is the drive that Windows is installed, and New_Username is the name of the new user profile you created.

9. Click the Edit menu, and then click Paste.

   If you don't see the Edit menu, press ALT.

10. Log off, and then log back on as the new user.

    If you have e-mail messages in an e-mail program, such as Windows Mail, you must import your e-mail messages and addresses to the new user profile before you delete the old profile. If everything is working properly, you can delete the old profile.

If the steps above do not fix the problem, you should contact your customer support provider for assistance. To find additional information about customer support options that apply to this computer, click the Start button , click Help and Support, and thenclick the Ask someone or expand your search link at the bottom of the Help window.

Add a toolbar to the taskbar

A toolbar is a row, column, or block of buttons or icons representing tasks you can do within a program. Some toolbars, such as the Quick Launch toolbar, can appear on the taskbar.

1. Right-click an empty area on the taskbar, and then point to Toolbars. A list of toolbars appears.

2. The toolbar names with check marks beside them are already on the taskbar. Click any item in the list to add or remove it.

Show or hide the taskbar

The taskbar is usually located at the bottom of your screen. It looks like this:

Taskbar

You can hide the taskbar to create more space. If you don't see the taskbar anywhere on the screen, it might be hidden.

To show the taskbar

• If the taskbar is hidden, point to where you last saw it to show it again. If you can't remember where you last saw it, try pointing to the bottom of the screen first, and then to the side or top of the screen, if necessary. You might need to move the pointer almost off the screen to show the taskbar.

To hide the taskbar

1. Open Taskbar and Start Menu Properties by clicking the Start button , clickingControl Panel, clicking Appearance and Personalization, and then clickingTaskbar and Start Menu.

2. Clear the Lock the taskbar check box.

3. Select the Auto-hide the taskbar check box.

   The taskbar is hidden from view. You can see it again by pointing to the place where you last saw it.

To turn off auto-hide

1. Open Taskbar and Start Menu Properties by clicking the Start button , clickingControl Panel, clicking Appearance and Personalization, and then clickingTaskbar and Start Menu.

2. Clear the Auto-hide the taskbar check box.

Resize the taskbar

You can resize the taskbar to create additional space for buttons and toolbars.

1. Right-click an empty area on the taskbar. If Lock the Taskbar has a check mark next to it, the taskbar is locked. Unlock it by clicking Lock the Taskbar, which removes the check mark.

2. Point to the edge of the taskbar until the pointer changes into a double-headed arrow‍‍ , and then drag the border to make the taskbar the size you want.

Unlock and move the taskbar

Once you unlock the taskbar, it's ready to move to any horizontal or vertical edge of the desktop.

Taskbar

To unlock the taskbar

• Right-click an empty space on the taskbar. If Lock the Taskbar has a check mark next to it, the taskbar is locked. You can unlock it by clicking Lock the Taskbar, which removes the check mark.

  

  Note

  To lock the taskbar back into place, right-click an empty space on the taskbar, and then click Lock the Taskbar so that the check mark appears.

To move the taskbar

• Click an empty space on the taskbar, and then hold down the mouse button as you drag the taskbar to one of the four edges of the desktop. When the taskbar is where you want it, release the mouse button.

Create or delete a shortcut

You can place shortcuts in a convenient place, such as on the desktop or in a commonly used folder, for quick access to files or folders. You can distinguish a shortcut from the original file by the arrow that appears on the icon.

A typical file and its shortcut

To create a shortcut

1. Open the location that contains the item to which you want to create a shortcut.

2. Right-click the item, and then click Create Shortcut. The new shortcut appears in the same location as the original item.

3. Drag the new shortcut to the desired location.

Tip

You can also move the new shortcut to the desired location by cutting and pasting. To do this, right-click the shortcut, and then click Cut. Then right-click within the location where you want to move the shortcut, and then click Paste. The shortcut appears in the desired location.

To delete a shortcut

• Right-click the shortcut you want to delete, and then click Delete. If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

Note

When you delete a shortcut, only the shortcut is removed. The original item is not deleted.

Customize the Start menu

Organizing the Start menu can make it easier to find your favorite programs and folders.

Note

Some of the following steps do not apply if you're using the Classic Start menu.

>	To pin a program icon to the Start menu

If you use a program regularly, you can create a shortcut to it by pinning the program icon to the Start menu. Pinned program icons appear on the left side of the Start menu, above the horizontal line.

Start menu

• Right-click the program icon you want to pin to the Start menu, and then click Pin to Start Menu.

Notes

• To unpin a program icon, right-click it, and then click Unpin from Start Menu.

• To change the order of a pinned item, drag the program icon to a new position in the list.

>	To remove a program icon from the Start menu

Removing a program icon from the Start menu doesn't remove it from the All Programs list or uninstall the program.

1. Click the Start button .

2. Right-click the program icon you want to remove from the Start menu, and then click Remove from this list.

To move the Start button

The Start button is located on the taskbar. Although you can't remove the Start button from the taskbar, you can move the taskbar—and the Start button along with it.

1. Right-click an empty space on the taskbar. If Lock the Taskbar has a check mark beside it, click it to remove the check mark.

2. Click an empty space on the taskbar, and then hold down the mouse button as you drag the taskbar to one of the four edges of the desktop. When the taskbar is where you want it, release the mouse button.

Note

To lock the taskbar into place, right-click an empty space on the taskbar, and then click Lock the Taskbar so that the check mark reappears.

To clear recent items from the Start menu

Clearing the Recent Items list does not delete the items from your computer.

1. Click the Start button .

2. Right-click Recent Items, and then click Clear Recent Items List.

To adjust the number of shortcuts for frequently used programs

Windows displays shortcuts on the Start menu for the programs you use most frequently. You can change the number of program shortcuts displayed.

1. Open Taskbar and Start Menu Properties by clicking the Start button , clickingControl Panel, clicking Appearance and Personalization, and then clickingTaskbar and Start Menu.

2. Click the Start Menu tab, and then click Customize.

3. In the Customize Start Menu dialog box, in the Number of recent programs to display box, enter the number of programs you want to display on the Start menu, and then click OK.

To customize the right pane of the Start menu

You can add or remove items, such as Computer, Control Panel, and Pictures, that appear on the right side of the Start menu. You can also change some items so that they appear as links or menus.

1. Open Taskbar and Start Menu Properties by clicking the Start button , clickingControl Panel, clicking Appearance and Personalization, and then clickingTaskbar and Start Menu.

2. Click the Start Menu tab, and then click Customize.

3. In the Customize Start Menu dialog box, select the options in the list that you want, and then click OK.

To restore Start menu default settings

You can restore the Start menu to its original, default settings.

1. Open Taskbar and Start Menu Properties by clicking the Start button , clickingControl Panel, clicking Appearance and Personalization, and then clickingTaskbar and Start Menu.

2. Click the Start Menu tab, and then click Customize.

3. In the Customize Start Menu dialog box, click Use Default Settings, and then click OK.

To search for programs from the Start menu

• Click the Start button , and then type a word or phrase in the Search box.

To add the Run command to the Start menu

1. Open Taskbar and Start Menu Properties by clicking the Start button , clickingControl Panel, clicking Appearance and Personalization, and then clickingTaskbar and Start Menu.

2. Click the Start Menu tab, and then click Customize.

3. In the Customize Start Menu dialog box, scroll through the list of options to find the Run command check box, select it, and then click OK.

Add or remove Recent Items on the Start menu

Recent Items, which is located on the right side of the Start menu, displays a list of the files that you've used recently. You can open a file from this list by clicking it. Recent Items appears on the Start menu by default, but you can remove it, which will stop Windowsfrom compiling a list of your recently opened files. If you want to begin compiling a list of your recently opened files again, you can add Recent Items back to the Start menu.

1. Open Taskbar and Start Menu Properties by clicking the Start button , clickingControl Panel, clicking Appearance and Personalization, and then clicking Taskbar and Start Menu.

2. Click the Start Menu tab, and then, under Privacy, select the Store and display a list of recently opened files check box so that it is checked. This will add Recent Items to the Start menu. To remove Recent Items from the Start menu, clear theStore and display a list of recently opened files check box.

The taskbar (overview)

The taskbar is the long horizontal bar at the bottom of your screen. Unlike the desktop, which can get obscured by the windows on top of it, the taskbar is visible almost all the time. It has four main sections:

• The Start button , which opens the Start menu. See The Start menu (overview).

• The Quick Launch toolbar, which lets you start programs with one click.

• The middle section, which shows you which programs and documents you have open and allows you to quickly switch between them.

• The notification area, which includes a clock and icons (small pictures) that communicate the status of certain programs and computer settings.

The taskbar is located at the bottom of your screen

You're likely to use the middle section of the taskbar the most, so we'll discuss that first.

Keep track of your windows

If you open more than one program or document at a time, you can quickly start piling up windows on your desktop. Because windows often cover each other or take up the whole screen, it's sometimes hard to see what else is underneath or remember what you've already opened.

That's where the taskbar comes in handy. Whenever you open a program, folder, or document, Windows creates a button on the taskbar corresponding to that item. The button shows the icon and name of the item. In the picture below, two programs are open—Calculator and Minesweeper—and each has its own button on the taskbar.

Each program has its own button on the taskbar

Notice how the taskbar button for Minesweeper appears pressed in. That indicates that Minesweeper is the active window, meaning that it's in front of any other open windows and is ready for you to interact with.

To switch to another window, click its taskbar button. In our example, clicking the taskbar button for Calculator brings its window to the front:

Click a window's taskbar button to switch to that window

Clicking taskbar buttons is only one of several ways to switch between windows.

Minimize and restore windows

When a window is active (its taskbar button appears pressed down), clicking its taskbar button minimizes the window. That means that the window disappears from the desktop. Minimizing a window doesn't close it or delete its contents—it merely removes it from the desktop temporarily.

In the picture below, Calculator has been minimized, but not closed. You can tell it's still running because it has a button on the taskbar.

Minimizing Calculator leaves only its taskbar button visible

You can also minimize a window by clicking the Minimize button, in the upper-right corner of the window:

Minimize button (left)

To restore a minimized window (make it show up again on the desktop), click its taskbar button.

How the taskbar groups similar items

As you open more windows, you'll see existing taskbar buttons shrink in width to let new buttons squeeze in. However, if the taskbar becomes too crowded with buttons, then the buttons for the same program will be grouped into a single button.

To see how this works, suppose you have three Paint pictures open on the desktop. If the taskbar has enough room, it displays the three Paint windows as separate buttons:

Three Paint windows displayed as separate taskbar buttons

But if you have many programs and documents open, the taskbar collapses these three buttons into a single button that shows the name of the group (Paint) and the number of items in the group (3). Clicking the button displays a menu listing the files in the group:

Three Paint windows grouped into one taskbar button

Clicking one of the items in the menu activates its window so you can see it.

Tip

To close all of the items in the group, right-click the group's taskbar button, and then click Close Group.

See previews of your open windows

When you move your mouse pointer to a taskbar button, a small picture appears that shows you a miniature version of the corresponding window. This preview, also called athumbnail, is especially useful if you can't identify a window by its title alone. And if one of your windows has video or animation playing, you'll see it playing in the preview.

Pointing to a window's taskbar button displays a preview of the window

When you point to a grouped taskbar button, you'll see a stack of previews, but only the topmost preview will be visible.

Note

Taskbar window previews won't work unless your computer is runningWindows Aero, the premium visual experience of Windows Vista. Aero is not available in Windows Vista Starter or Windows Vista Home Basic.

The Quick Launch toolbar

To the immediate right of the Start button is the Quick Launch toolbar. As its name implies, it lets you launch (start) programs with a single click. For example, click the Internet Explorer icon to start Internet Explorer.

The Quick Launch toolbar sits to the right of the Start button

You can customize the Quick Launch toolbar by adding your favorite programs to it. Locate the program in the Start menu, right-click it, and then click Add to Quick Launch. (If you don't see this option, you can also drag the program's icon to the Quick Launch toolbar.) The program's icon now appears in the toolbar. To remove an icon from the Quick Launch toolbar, right-click it, click Delete, and then click Yes.

By default, the Quick Launch toolbar also contains two special buttons. Click the Show Desktop button to temporarily hide all open windows and show the desktop; click the button again to show all windows again. Click the Switch between windows button to switch between open windows using Windows Flip 3D.

Notes

• If you don't see icons that you've added to the Quick Launch toolbar, and you see double chevrons instead, it means that the icons won't fit in the toolbar. You can click the double chevrons to access the hidden toolbar programs, but it's better to resize the toolbar to preserve one-click access to them.

  
  

  To resize the Quick Launch toolbar

  1. Right-click an empty area of the taskbar, and then click Lock the Taskbar to clear the check mark and unlock the taskbar.

  2. Move the toolbar sizing handle to the right (see picture) until you see all of your icons.

     Drag the handle to resize the Quick Launch toolbar

• If your computer isn't running Windows Aero, clicking the Switch between windows button won't open Flip 3D. Instead, you'll see the same window as you would if you pressed ALT+TAB on your keyboard.

The notification area

The notification area, on the far right side of the taskbar, includes a clock and a group of icons. It looks like this:

The notification area of the taskbar

These icons communicate the status of something on your computer or provide access to certain settings. The set of icons you see depends on which programs or services you have installed and how your computer manufacturer set up your computer.

When you move your pointer to a particular icon, you will see that icon's name or the status of a setting. For example, pointing to the volume icon shows the current volume level of your computer. Pointing to the network icon displays information about whether you are connected to a network, the connection speed, and the signal strength.

Double-clicking an icon in the notification area usually opens the program or setting associated with it. For example, double-clicking the volume icon opens the volume controls. Double-clicking the network icon opens Network and Sharing Center.

Occasionally, an icon in the notification area will display a small pop-up window (called anotification) to notify you about something. For example, after adding a new hardware device to your computer, you might see this:

The notification area displays a message after new hardware is installed

Click the Close button in the upper-right corner of the notification to dismiss it. If you don't do anything, the notification will fade away on its own after a few seconds.

To reduce clutter, Windows hides icons in the notification area when you haven't used them in a while. If icons become hidden, click the Show hidden icons button to temporarily display the hidden icons.

Click the Show hidden icons button to display all icons in the notification area

Customize the taskbar

There are many ways to customize the taskbar to suit your preferences. For example, you can move the entire taskbar to the left, right, or top edge of the screen. You can make the taskbar larger, have Windows automatically hide it when you're not using it, and add toolbars to it. For more information, see the following topics:

• Unlock and move the taskbar

• Resize the taskbar

• Show or hide the taskbar

• Add a toolbar to the taskbar