Frozen Start Button!

Recently, since a week, Im facing this problem where the Start Button when clicked doesnt open the menu! Instead it just gets highlighted (that rectangle dot box). Not sure its because of what, but this doesnt happen all the time and vanishes in a restart!! Any more information I need to provide?

..Venkat..

 

Did you install anything new about the time this started? Hardware and/or software? I ask because I have a similar occurance once in a while except my start menu will open. When it does it's all black. This started when I purchased a Logitec web cam and installed the software that came with it. Uninstalling the software solves the problem (the camera will work without the software) but I choose to keep it as it doesn't happen that often. Rebooting or simply logging off and then back on straightens it out.

Could something like this be the cause of your problem?

 

Start Button problem

Check this is enabled.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Explorer/User Shell Folders/Start Menu

 

Problem Resolved.!!

You wouldnt believe. Apparently the combination of Alcohol 52% Toolbar + Google Toolbar was causing all this mayhem. I simulated the following problem consistently!

1. Open IE7.
2. Open any website, you will see the "Open link in new tab" enabled.
3. Go to new tab. Right click on any url, "New Tab" link is missing!!
4. Now, the Google Search Window, which normally expands whenever you type lot of text, is frozen because Alcohol toolbar sitting next to it wont let it expand.
5. At this point Start Button is also frozen!

Solution:
I removed Alcohol toolbar, uninstalled Google Toolbar, installed new Google TB. Now everything is working fine!

Thanks for all your help.

However one question remains unanswered is "Is it because of buggy Google TB + any other browser helper causing this problem? Or its bcos of Alcohol TB? "

.:Venkat:.

 

Glad to hear you figured it out. As for what causes it, I don't know. The only way to really know would be to install Alcohol and see what happens. Feeling brave?

If you do install it again and it still gives you trouble, try moving one of the toolbars below the other so they aren't on the same line. It may be that when the Google toolbar text box wants to expand, it waits and waits for it to occur and things just freeze up during the wait process. Just a thought.

 

Well, before uninstalling (which I consider a last resort) I did all that and to my utter surprise I found that Alcohol was merged with the Google TB!!! It just wont budge away from the Google TB Search box. Uninstall was the only option left.

 

IE 7 Team Blog:

The following is a list of known incompatible toolbars that can cause crashes or hangs in IE. We’re actively working with application owners to provide newer, compatible versions so please expect to see updated versions soon of your favorite toolbars. The current workaround is to disable or uninstall these when running IE7:


RoboForm Toolbar
Cooxie Toolbar
Diodia Download Toolbar 2.4.01
AskJeeves Toolbar 4.0.1.1
CitiBank’s Virtual Card Number Generator
Mojicon Dispenser 1.05
Logos Toolbar

Check the Release Notes for Internet Explorer 7 Beta for the latest list of incompatible toolbars and where to find updated versions that work with IE7. The release notes also discusses some known incompatible programs and extensions as well as workarounds for common issues.

Toolbars that require an uninstall but where newer versions are available:

Google Desktop
Google Toolbar
MSN Toolbar

Release Notes: http://msdn2.microsoft.com/ie/Aa740486
Other resources:
IE 7 Group Blog on Troubleshooting Add-ons: http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/2006/07/25/678113.aspx
http://www.ie-vista.com/known_issues.html#pre-install