Balloon Tips Blocked by Taskbar
Microsoft Windows XP has a known bug that can cause balloon tips, sometimes referred to as tool tips, to be hidden behind the taskbar. This occurs when the balloon tips lose the property that assigns them as the topmost item on the desktop. While Microsoft offers its own quick fix to the issue, there are other methods to restore the balloon tips to the top of the desktop.
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Microsoft's Solution 1
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Microsoft's first solution requires saving all of your work and restarting your computer. This will wipe any settings from the current Windows session, which will also reset the placement and layering of the taskbar and balloon tips.
Microsoft's Solution 2
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You can also log out of the current Windows user account in use, then log back in. This will reset the placement of the taskbar, windows and balloon tips on your desktop.
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Adjust the Taskbar
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Press the "Windows" button and the "d" key at the same time. This will minimize all windows and sets the desktop as the foremost item displayed on the screen. Right-click on the taskbar and select the "Properties" option. Remove the check-mark from the box next to "Lock the taskbar" and click "Apply." Replace the check-mark in the box next to "Lock the taskbar" and click "Apply" again. This will reset the layers associated with the taskbar and the balloon tips, which will cause the balloon tips to resume their proper placement above the taskbar.
Restart Windows Explorer
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Press "Ctrl," "shift" and "Esc" at the same time to bring up the Windows Task Manager. Select the "Processes" tab, highlight "explorer.exe" and click "Stop" or "End process." This will make many of the elements on your screen disappear, but your programs are still running in the background. Next, press the "Windows" button and "r" key at the same time to bring up the "Run" dialog box. Type "explorer.exe" in the text box and click "OK" to restart the taskbar and other elements controlled by Windows Explorer.
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