Got rid of it!! - found it in Add/Remove. Gives you a bit of a scare to remove, but I made a restore point and 'let it rip.'
I am so happy to have my old Task-Bar back!

Jane

Jane if you were originally trying to get all those icons off the screen it is easy to do. Right click on the bottom taskbar, unlock the toolbars if locked. Click Toolbars and in the flyout click 'Desktop'. This places 2 small greater than chevrons near the clock and when you click them all the icons that were on your desktop appear vertically much like when you click the Start button.

Makes it so much easier to get at things once you have an open window, no need to iconise that to find an icon and it is nice to have a clear desktop.

owbist, thank you very much, that's a neat tip. My friends think I am so smart with the computer and I just let them keep thinking it. LOL

You are very welcome stargazzer. Actually friends (76 and 73) have just bought their first computer and today I changed their wallpaper. As the photo was so busy I suggested we remove the icons as mentioned above. They were thrilled to bits with the clear screen LOL. Now I have to remove the sign from the flower photo they have chosen to leave just the plants.

One question Owbist. I have the desktop shortcut down on the right hand side now can I now remove them from my desktop or hide them?

Do not remove as in delete or you take them from the new listing on the taskbar as well. Sorry I should have explained a little better.

Right click on the desktop, hover over 'Arrange icons by' and in the flyout click on 'Show desktop icons' and they should all disappear but will remain in your new listing.

Once established you can drag the icons in this new listing up or down to get them in alphabetical order - or the order of your choosing.

Thank you, I love a clean desk top, better to show off the wallpaper.

Now I'm totally confused. What I was looking for was the icons for the open windows. Now they display in a small box with up and down arrows next to it. I want my open windows to show on my taskbar. I have the hidden desktop, that's fine. But I want my open windows to show without having to click on the arrows.

Jane

Jane is this because there is not sufficient room on the taskbar to show your open windows in a row? Do you have your "Quicklaunch" bar activated? If so and all the icons show along the taskbar you need to unlock the toolbars if locked (right click on taskbar for this) then hover your mouse over the 2 vertical rows of dots on the taskbar immediately to the right of your Quicklaunch icons. Then hold the left mouse button down and drag those dots to your left so only 3 icons remain on view. Release the mouse and you should see 2 greater than chevrons similar to those on the desktop at the far right. Click on those and the hidden Quicklaunch icons appear vertically.

Does that answer your problem?

Thank you Owbist. I unlocked and dragged the bar and three windows appeared. Thank goodness! I did have quite a few Quick Launch icons showing. I covered 3 by pulling the bar over. That's okay as the ones I use the most are still showing. I eliminated the 'desktop' box and now have more room.

I have to do the same at work tomorrow. I didn't realize what had happened.

Thank you so much...

Jane