Member Avatar for Jolly181

Hi Folks...

I was just wondering if this capability was available in Windows 2000.??

Under Windows XP, I just have to do the following:

Right Mouse Button on Task Bar
Click on Properties
Select Task Bar Tab
Select Customise for the "Hide Inactive Icons" option

Then I am able to change the behavior as either:

  • Always Show
  • Always Hide
  • Hide When Inactive

Is there a way that I can accomplish this in Windows 2000.????

regards

Julius :)

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Dani AI

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Short answer: Windows 2000 does not expose the XP-style per-icon "hide inactive" UI, so there is no built-in checkbox to recreate that exact behavior. wanted the XP convenience and already hinted at the limitation; practical options are to reduce or manage the tray icons yourself rather than expecting a native W2K toggle.

Ways to get the result you want:

  • Ask each program to stop showing a tray icon. Many apps include an option in Preferences or Options ("show tray/system tray icon", "minimize to tray", etc.). Disabling those in the app removes the icon without extra tools.
  • Prevent nonessential programs from starting. Run msconfig and uncheck unwanted Startup items, remove shortcuts from Start Menu\Programs\Startup, and set noncritical services to Manual or Disabled in Administrative Tools -> Services. This reduces the number of icons that appear at logon.
  • Use a lightweight tray manager. Small utilities (for example, RBTray or TrayIt!) let you hide windows or manage which icons are visible and can be run at logon. They do not change an app's internal behavior in all cases, but they often give the XP-like tidy tray experience on W2K.
  • Identify stubborn icons with Task Manager or a tool like Process Explorer to see which process owns an icon; that lets you address the offending program directly.

Cautions: test any third-party tool for Win2K compatibility, download only from reputable sites, and back up configuration or create a restore point before changing services or the registry. If central management or long-term support is required, consider upgrading to a newer Windows release that includes notification-area customization natively.

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Member Avatar for knsljo

Yes do exactly the same thing but tick autohide:!:

Member Avatar for Jolly181

Yes do exactly the same thing but tick autohide:!:

Sorry.. I must be missing something on the system I am looking at...

When I Right Mouse Button and select Properties, I get two different tabs, the second tab being for more for STARTUP and of course the GENERAL tab.. and on the General tab the only options I have are:

  • Always on top
  • Autohide
  • Show Small icons in Start menu
  • Show clock
  • Use Personalized menu

Your option to click on Autohide only drops the taskbar down but does not have any option to "Hide Inactive Icons"..??

regards

Julius:?:

Member Avatar for knsljo

Sorry.. I must be missing something on the system I am looking at...

When I Right Mouse Button and select Properties, I get two different tabs, the second tab being for more for STARTUP and of course the GENERAL tab.. and on the General tab the only options I have are:

  • Always on top
  • Autohide
  • Show Small icons in Start menu
  • Show clock
  • Use Personalized menu

Your option to click on Autohide only drops the taskbar down but does not have any option to "Hide Inactive Icons"..??

regards

Julius:?:

Sorry my mistake i think that is the best you get from W2K.:-|

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