Where did "show desktop" go?

[Miriam]

How can I "show desktop," i.e. get all my windows
minimized with just one click? In previous versions of
Windows there was a task bar at the bottom, just next to
the START button, for one-click access to programs and to
the desktop, via the "show desktop" icon. In XP this bar
doesn't exist and there appears to be no "show desktop"
command or icon anywhere. How do I get to my desktop
without having to manually minimize every window I have
opened? It must be possible, right?

Also, is there any way to get that task bar to show up in
XP?

I've just changed over to Win XP from Win 98 and am
seriously thinking I should go back!

Thanks, Miriam

[Dan DeStefano]

you have to display the "quicklaunch" bar to get this button (dont know what
the hell ms was thinking not showing this, or the default desktop icons by
default in xp, but, whatever). to show the quicklaunch bar either right
click the taskbar, expand 'toolbars' and click "quicklaunch"; or right click
the taskbar and select 'properties', then, in the resulting window, check
the box "show quick launch" - here you can also disable the annoying
grouping of similar taskbar buttons with the checkbox just above 'show
quicklaunch'.

Dan DeStefano


"Miriam" > wrote in message
...
> How can I "show desktop," i.e. get all my windows
> minimized with just one click? In previous versions of
> Windows there was a task bar at the bottom, just next to
> the START button, for one-click access to programs and to
> the desktop, via the "show desktop" icon. In XP this bar
> doesn't exist and there appears to be no "show desktop"
> command or icon anywhere. How do I get to my desktop
> without having to manually minimize every window I have
> opened? It must be possible, right?
>
> Also, is there any way to get that task bar to show up in
> XP?
>
> I've just changed over to Win XP from Win 98 and am
> seriously thinking I should go back!
>
> Thanks, Miriam

[randwulf57]

Miriam:
Try this...Right-click the taskbar. Select Toolbars > Quick Launch. The
Quick Launch toolbar (including the Show Desktop shortcut) should appear
next to the Start button.
HTH randwulf57

"Miriam" > wrote in message
...
> How can I "show desktop," i.e. get all my windows
> minimized with just one click? In previous versions of
> Windows there was a task bar at the bottom, just next to
> the START button, for one-click access to programs and to
> the desktop, via the "show desktop" icon. In XP this bar
> doesn't exist and there appears to be no "show desktop"
> command or icon anywhere. How do I get to my desktop
> without having to manually minimize every window I have
> opened? It must be possible, right?
>
> Also, is there any way to get that task bar to show up in
> XP?
>
> I've just changed over to Win XP from Win 98 and am
> seriously thinking I should go back!
>
> Thanks, Miriam

[Dan O'Connor]

The way to turn on the Quicklaunch bar has already been explained, but don't
forget that you can also minimize everything and get to the desktop fast by
pressing the Windows key and the M key at the same time...

Win + Shift-M will also restore the windows...

-- Dan

[Ken Blake]

In , Miriam wrote:

> How can I "show desktop," i.e. get all my windows
> minimized with just one click? In previous versions of
> Windows there was a task bar at the bottom, just next to
> the START button, for one-click access to programs and to
> the desktop, via the "show desktop" icon. In XP this bar
> doesn't exist and there appears to be no "show desktop"
> command or icon anywhere. How do I get to my desktop
> without having to manually minimize every window I have
> opened? It must be possible, right?
>
> Also, is there any way to get that task bar to show up in
> XP?


First of all, note that you're asking about the Quick Launch Bar,
not the Task Bar. Although the Quick Launch Bar resides on the
Task Bar by default, it doesn't have to be there. You can drag
the entire Quick Launch Bar off the Task Bar and onto any of the
other three sides of the screen you prefer. For a long time, I
kept my Task Bar on the bottom of the screen and the Quick Launch
Bar on the left side.

If your Quick Launch Bar isn't showing, right-click on a blank
part of the Task Bar, click Toolbars, then Quick Launch Bar (you
may have to click on Lock the Taskbar first, to uncheck it if
it's checked). That should give you the Quick Launch Bar *with*
the Show Desktop icon.

Also note that you can minimize all windows simultaneously with
the keyboard, by pressing the Windows Key + D.

--
Ken Blake
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