I'm having trouble maximizing any window whether it be Word, Excel, IE, etc.  But here is the odd twist.

These applications actually fill my screen, but the middle box in the upper right hand corner is showing the 2 interlocking squares instead of the single square.  I don't have any option to Move, Size or Maximize.  Where it seems to bother me most is when I'm using IE and go to a link.  Many times the link will start minimized in my tray instead of opening in a new window.

Would anyone know how to correct this problem?  I suspect it was caused by a shareware toolbar that I installed and then uninstalled that sat at the top of the screen in a "hide" mode.

Thanks, Jim

[QUOTE=Lykele]These applications actually fill my screen, but the middle box in the upper right hand corner is showing the 2 interlocking squares instead of the single square.  I don't have any option to Move, Size or Maximize.  [/QUOTE]

Hi Jim, This is because they are maximized.

[QUOTE=Lykele]Where it seems to bother me most is when I'm using IE and go to a link.  Many times the link will start minimized in my tray instead of opening in a new window.[/QUOTE]

Couple things to check here.

If your very first Window opens the size you want (when you launch IE) then do this:  The next time a link opens minimized, re-size it to your liking by grabbing the sides of it and dragging. When you are happy with the size, click on the Minus sign up in the right hand corner to minimize this window. Now close your Original window. Now click on the one that you just minimized , to bring it back up. Close it using the red X at the top right. Hopefully now, all *new* windows will open that size.

Go to the icon that you launch IE with. Right click it and select properties. Where it says Run: (on the shortcut tab) there is a drop down menu to choose the original window size. If you want the first (original) window to open maximized, select maximized here, and OK.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for your suggestions.

The link problem is not as you think.  I have run into that situtaion where the window was less than full size and extended each corner.

What I am seeing is the link window is minimized on my taskbar and I have to maximize each time.  It formally opened to maximum automatically.

If I can't solve the problem, I'll probably just restore my C: drive from a Ghost image of 2 weeks ago.

Thanks for your suggestions.

After you maximize it from your taskbar, make sure it is the last window that you close. Next time it shouldn't open minimized. OR try opening some more new windows from that one as well. Do the same with them. Then close out all of them and test.

Check that * reuse windows for launching shortcuts * is Unchecked here as well. In IE > tools > internet options > advanced tab.

Thank you Bulldog, I think you found the problem.

"reuse windows for launching shortcuts" was checked and I suspect that maybe that software change the setting when I installed it.

Now that it is unchecked everything looks normal again.

Thanks for your time.