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Ghost Buttons on Taskbar - Win98/2e

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JBoh

MIS
Sep 11, 1999
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I have noticed a number of Windows 98, Second Edition machines exibiting the symptom when an application is closed, the tasbar button associated with it (is now blank - a ghost button) remains until clicking on it. Has anyone else encountered this same situation? I have not been able to identify a common denominator yet, i.e. what program closing exibits this symptom. Also, I am not certain that this is limited to Windows 98, 2e. Internet Explorer 5 is installed on each and auto hide is enabled on the taskbar, which may be a contributing factor - especially as to determining the common denominator.
 
Yes, I have also notice this symptom, but do not know what is causing it. Sorry that all I know, but if someone else is concerned I will start taking some notes.

Joe
 
Yes i have seen this on Windows, 95,98, all variates. As far as i know it means that a program has existed or crashed some how withough fully closing. Sometimes this will appear when a screen saver has been active for a long time????????

 
Seen this before, but dont remember what is up... with teh ghost button on the taskbar try hitting ctrl alt del and see if the program is actuall running. I believe I found this to be a bug in 98SE. Nothing big. If the program is still running then you have a problem and i would try reinstalling the software that is leaving buttons. if that doesnt work try reinstall the OS.

The only sure place i have seen this happen is with screen savers. I always have blank screen (so i dont make bad CDRs) and it will exit leaving the ghost. the program is closed tho and it is not a problem.
 
i've had the same thing happen in win98fe also

every OS has its spaz's [sig]<p>Peter Heaton<br><a href=mailto:heaton@characterlink.net>heaton@characterlink.net</a><br><a href= it how ever you want</a><br> [/sig]
 
If anyone finds a fix, please post it here. Been through Microsofts site, and while they are definitely aware of the problem, but offer no reason of fix. The knowledge base just says &quot;click the buttons and they will go away&quot;... lame.

My config:
Win98 SE
Taskbar auto hide
Mostly happens with screensaver
1024/768 True Color
GeForce 256 DDR with Nvidia reference drivers
 
I have seen this same behaviour on machines in our offices too. Win98SE, Win98, Win95-OSR2.5, Win95-OSR2.1. In my case, Ctrl+Alt+Del revealed nothing, and as Yestor says, Microsofts response is &quot;lame&quot;

I would love to hear about a fix if anyone knows of it... [sig]<p>Tom Whitehead<br><a href=mailto:twhitehead@commeq.com>twhitehead@commeq.com</a><br><a href= > </a><br> [/sig]
 
This Ghost button is happening on my machine and only started recently.
Unable to determine what causes it.
Dr Watson said it was something to do with a program called IMGICON.exe but even though i have removed it with cleansweep it still does it.
It also removes the text from programs still running.
Any help with this would be most welcome.
So far it does not cause a problem only makes it difficult to see what program you are selecting.

Scott5
 
I have seen this occur when someone has run ms Magic school bus solar on a computer but I do not know the fix .
 
RE: Ghost Buttons
It occurs when some programs/procedures close out in a particular mannner and fail to refresh/update the screen. If you ALT-CTRL-DEL and End Task on (for example) Norton AntiVirus, in a few seconds, you get an End Task panel. If you End the Task, the small NAV icon will remain in your systray, but will vanish as soon as your cursor contacts it.

The ghost button is not a problem, but merely represents sloppy close out procedures inherent in that version of that program. Not every program problem that occurs in Windows is the fault of Microsoft. Some programmers just want to play baseball with basketball rules and hockey refs in a football stadium. Here endeth the rant :)

Conrad W. Paul
cwpaul@syd.eastlink.ca
Creative Solutions to Challenging Problems
 
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