Solved A couple disappearances

It's amazing how many threads are about disappearances...

Disappearance #1

I used to have an item on my taskbar that would separate all the windows I have currently open (over three monitors) so that I could know they were up and running... I mistakenly thought this (app?) was intended to bring the item I was looking for to the forefront... but it was vaguely comforting to know it was up...and I could then engage in the process of moving around the litter on top, to the side, and behind it, in order to hopefully access it.

I don't remember ever actually putting this icon (app?) on the taskbar.

...but now it's gone...

Any idea how to get it back?

Better yet, is there any way to declutter the desktop of open windows temporarily in order to see and click on one of them and have that window become the currently active one?

Hello,

It sounds like you may be referring to the Task View button below on the taskbar.

Yes! Thank you.

"Task View (Win+Tab) is a virtual desktop manager that allows you to quickly switch between all of your open apps on multiple desktops. This makes multitasking and organizing with your opened apps much easier."

So was I right? and should this work as a way to bring the window I want to be current to the fore?
"(sigh)...apparently not."

So is there an "app", or a "View", or something that allows me to quickly switch between all of your open windows on multiple desktops and thus realistically make multitasking and organizing with your opened windows much easier."?

You're most welcome. It can indeed be used for that purpose.

Brink said:

You're most welcome. It can indeed be used for that purpose.

Click to expand...

(This is terrifying! I've never contradicted Brink on anything!!)

How?

jro11 said:

(This is terrifying! I've never contradicted Brink on anything!!)

How?

Click to expand...

You can use Task View like in option one below to switch between open windows if that's what you meant.

GREAT! (thought I had just proven to myself I couldn't do this - wierd)
Now I no longer need to use my miniature monitor (the laptop!) whose windows I can hardly make out!!
Thank you

You're most welcome.

Disappearance #2

Last week, as I was about to Shut Down, I mouse-down-noticed that next to the Shut Down there was a "notification" indication.

I often shut down without closing windows or apps, counting on being able to open the way my computer was configured the day before. But I make a point of not doing this when an update is, or is about to, happen. Instead I avoid shutting down and manually make sure all windows/apps are closed.

Alternatively, whenever I know an update is scheduled to happen I like to stick around to make sure everything went well. So I always (right mouse click and bring up the Update and... menu and) instruct Windows to Update and Restart.

Not this time.

Instead, I had no option to Cancel out of the current predicament. When I released my mouse Windows immediately went into Update mode--in a way I'd never seen it do this before.


(though I though I knew what was happening) I was literally in the dark.

There was no (blue) screen giving me a countdown as to how the update was progressing; no warning NOT to turn off the computer; no whirring of the disk drives; no indication anything was happening..................................................................................................................................................................................................................
until the computer completed its update.

I don't want to check constantly to see if an update is available for my OS. I also don't want to have to start setting reminders on my paper calendar hanging on the fridge (I used to use a computer calendar for scheduling events. I still do, now that modern phone technology has made it so much more difficult to do so.)

If you just leave it all alone, it will show a ready to restart icon bottom right of the taskbar indicating a restart is needed or it will restart itself after an idle period.

We don’t need to be in control of everything. Sometimes it’s best to let things well alone?
However, I can appreciate your curiosity.

It’s well overdue that we have a showdown. I haven’t scolded you for like… ever.
(PM replied to)

Hey, Jman. It’s probably high time you ran this script.

Download the batch file at the bottom of the first post after your enquisitive mind reads the post, run it from your desktop and check that there were no errors before closing it. Don’t touch anything during the process, don’t click in the window with your mouse, close everything else.

And be patient.

antspants said:

Hey, Jman. It’s probably high time you ran this script.

Click to expand...

OK... Who can I better trust than you.

antspants said:

Download the batch file at the bottom of the first post after your enquisitive mind reads the post, run it from your desktop and check that there were no errors before closing it. Don’t touch anything during the process, don’t click in the window with your mouse, close everything else.

Click to expand...

"inquisitive" (I know, it's a test...)

antspants said:

And be patient.

Click to expand...

That's the hard part.

And if there are errors???

Great!

There were no errors...

But...what does this mean (pre restart):
On monitor 3

On Monitor 1 sometimes, otherwise, and
On Monitor 2

After restart...

I get the same:

1) double sad face
2) nothing


3) single sad face


Is this a joke?

I don't understand. I don't even see how it's possible for the taskbar, and the menus that come from it, to appear differently on three monitors, driven by the same instance of Win11.

Never seen that, ever.. Jro, only you mate
Someone will know, I’ll look into it.

It means the StartIsBack trial has expired. Open your wallet. I believe it’s cheap enough?

it is. But if everything is going to change around it I might just choose to not use it. Anyway, if someone doesn't show up with a solution to this problem and we keep gabbing

HOW DO YOU KNOW ABOUT MY StartIsBack???

no one will notice the problem and I'll have to live with the somber faces (VERY depressing!).

-

jro11 said:

it is. But if everything is going to change around it I might just choose to not use it. Anyway, if someone doesn't show up with a solution to this problem and we keep gabbing

HOW DO YOU KNOW ABOUT MY StartIsBack???

no one will notice the problem and I'll have to live with the somber faces (VERY depressing!).

Click to expand...

Jro seriously

… The faces are there because your trial for StartIsBack has finished.
Pay for the program and the faces will disappear.
Uninstall it and the faces will disappear.

antspants said:

… The faces are there because your trial for StartIsBack has finished.

Click to expand...

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh. How did you figure that out?

Where (in general terms) am I neglecting to look to find out answers like this?

In hindsight, I can reason:
- "Every time I startup I get a notification that my "StartIsBack" trial has ended. This is an unusual event.
- I just did something (executing the .bat file) that shouldn't have, but did, appear to result in another unusual event.
- Hmmm, Two unusual events. Maybe they're related...
(makes sense to me, until you consider how often I'm confronted by unusual events ctsy of Microsoft)

But how did YOU do this?