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How to Completely Hide Task Bar

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Zanctillia
Posts: 3
Joined: March 15th, 2011, 4:36 am

How to Completely Hide Task Bar

Post by Zanctillia »

Hello There

I am wondering how I can completely hide my Win7 task bar, I know there are many 3rd party instalations for this, but I havn't found any that works 100%, or in the way I intended it to work.

I for now use Winstep Extreme, letting it replace my taskbar, then remove everything except the TrayIcons. Winstep has the fine effect that it can hide everything around the tray icons so that the only things that show, is the icons themselves. So, basicaly, the only thing I use Winstep for, is the tray icons, and the fact that it completely hides the taskbar, nothing shows, not even a line at the bottom of the screen. Only thing that bothers me, is that when hiding this much, Winstep has a button appearing for all the preferences.

So I was wondering if there was any way you guys knew, too hide the taskbar completely and showing only the tray icons?

Kind regards, Zanctillia :)
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Waldensamkeit
Posts: 83
Joined: March 15th, 2011, 12:39 pm
Location: Hamilton, New Jersey

Re: How to Completely Hide Task Bar

Post by Waldensamkeit »

Hello there,
This was a bit difficult for me, especially since windows 7 doesn't seem to jive with what works with previous versions. There were two things I was looking to do, completely hide the taskbar (although, at times, it is necessary to be able to bring it back) and minimize all windows to the desktop.
XP had a great function to where you could minimize windows to the desktop, thus negating the need for the taskbar.
The problem with most of the apps that would hide the taskbar, is that they hid the startmenu as well.
I found nothing that would minimize ALL windows to the desktop, so I gave up on that idea. I did find a great collection of skins and apps that would:

1. Effectively hid the taskbar, and keep it hidden even if you access the start menu and the systray. (Taskbar Eliminator also has the option to show it, but when it's hidden, it's GONE). http://www.aviassin.com/

2. Skin to show Startmenu. (This skin allows you to access the startmenu and DOES NOT reinstate the taskbar). http://browse.deviantart.com/?qh=&section=&q=8+bar#/d2lmvvt (I think this is an entire suite but you can just grab the startorb skin: "8BarStats")

3. Skin to access SysTray (Without reinstating the taskbar, all you have to do is go into your stock SysTray and set all icons and notifications to hidden, this will allow you to access the SysTray on your desktop wherever the skin happens to be.) http://browse.deviantart.com/customization/skins/sysmonitor/rainmeter/?qh=&section=&q=tray#/d34xf5b

All the skins are easily customizable
Zanctillia
Posts: 3
Joined: March 15th, 2011, 4:36 am

Re: How to Completely Hide Task Bar

Post by Zanctillia »

Hello there

Too bad I don't get a mail when someone posts in my threads, but anyways. I will try out what you have done, I also found another way to do hide it with searching around here. Only thing is, that the TrayField has rather large icons even when setting them to the smallest.

I used ObjectDock Plus. It can hide the task bar completely, and brings up a new window which you can costumize to a degree. In that window you can have TrayIcons if you'd like... There are other windows too, but I just disabled and hid them. I use rainmeter for managing. It also lets you use the startmenu, I only use the "Windows Button" now, it opens with no problem.

Kind regards, Zanctillia :)
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Waldensamkeit
Posts: 83
Joined: March 15th, 2011, 12:39 pm
Location: Hamilton, New Jersey

Re: How to Completely Hide Task Bar

Post by Waldensamkeit »

Ok, second try. As now I that after running certain programs (mainly fullscreen... vids, games, etc.) the taskbar seems to come back and I have to run the taskbar eliminator exe again to hide it. I scoured some forums/blogs whatever and found this and so far it hasnt come back for any of the reasons that caused it to return before.

Remove Taskbar

The link should take you to the right page but if not, it's page two, from a poster named "prisoner". I dl'ed his exe and (after checking through Norton and other things,) ran it, then moved it to the startup folder. Its a simple keyboard shortcut to remove the taskbar. The only problem is that it shows the start orb when you access the start menu, which isn't a problem for me since I have a start orb skin in the same location and same style so it goes unnoticed... for me.

It seems there are a lot of folks out the trying to figure a way to do this without: a- replacing the shell. b- editing the registry. c- rendering their system useless. So I would say that removing the taskbar properly isn't too far off from being realized. Even better would be if M$ wised up and gave us the option to within the OS so we wouldn't have to spend countless hours trying to do something that may, to some be extremely trivial, but to others, something that is almost required to be satisfied with a fully customized look and feel.
Zanctillia
Posts: 3
Joined: March 15th, 2011, 4:36 am

Re: How to Completely Hide Task Bar

Post by Zanctillia »

Hello Waldensamkeit. I tried the simple Task Bar iliminator too, but it didn't work well. Sometimes it brings up the taskbar when you hit the "Windows" button, and sometimes it appears again and you have to hide it again.

I now use ObjectDock Plus, it replaces the taskbar completely. On the options menu however, you can choose to hide the bar that replaced the original. You can also set up a new tab which contains ONLY the tray icons, you can place it where ever you want. Pressing the "Windows" button shows the startmenu, and it doesn't pop up the old taskbar. The only bad thing is that even the smallest icon sizes for the tray icons are too big...

You can also use Winstep Xtreme, and hide all other taskbars that comes with it. You can also release all specters of the replaced taskbar and choose to hide them individually letting the tray icons be the only ones left. The only thing bad with this, is that while releasing the taskbar Winstep creates a square button that works like a startbutton which for me is just in the way when you can only press the "Windows" button and get the menu up while not showing any taskbar. The tray icons from Winstep is in a acceptable size.

Kind regards, Zanctillia :)
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