Task bar on LHS of screen

Hi guys
On my new Toshiba laptop, I've moved the taskbar to the left hand side, giving me a much better working area, but when I open most windows, the left side of the new window is hidden behind the taskbar. Maximising the window puts it in the correct position, but the ' restore down' button reverts to fully left, hiding the left part of that window.
Any idea on how to make all windows recognise the portion of the screen used by the taskbar?

First, is Auto-Hide the Taskbar checked in properties? If so then it is meant to use the full screen because the taskbar should go away.

If it is not checked and it still happens then ...
Most applications open where they were closed so resize the "non-maximized" window where you want it and then close the application. Reopen and see if it is where you put it.

Thanks for the answer, but Auto-hide is not checked, and the close-and-re-open doesn't make it behave correctly. And other ideas?

I cannot duplicate your problem. In fact if I force a window under a solid (non-hiding) taskbar on the left and then close it, when I reopen it the application automatically opens touching the edge of the taskbar, not underneath.

Do you use an external monitor at all? If so right-click on an empty spot on the desktop and pick "Screen Resolution". Make sure your laptop is the primary display.

Thanks again, but there is no external drive.

All the windows I open seem to have this quirk, and is not fixed by resizing to be within the edges of the viewing screen area.

Closing a maximised window and re-opening works (meaning it re-opens in the correct viewing area), but then the window stays the same size when the non-maximise button is clicked, therefore requiring manual resizing. Note that while the program is open the maximise and restore-down buttons work correctly.

This is inconvenient because the work I do requires lots of small windows strategically placed on the screen. I need to regularly maximise and restore-down during my work. It's a bit frustrating having to resize 15 or so windows whenever I restart the laptop.

BTW There is a feature that I've never seen before - a Maximised window becomes a non-maxed window by dragging the top section down, and the whole window stays the same size but moves down. Weird.

If a window is fully within the viewing area (obviously non-maxed) and is then closed-and-re-opened, it re-opens in the same fully-within area, BUT if it is close to the taskbar - within half an inch, or about 1 cm - the window opens underneath the taskbar. The taskbar is semi-transparent, so the left edge of the window is visible behind the taskbar.

I'm stumped - any more ideas?

Is this a netbook?

If you can actually move a maximized window then I suspect you have a virtual desktop. Basically some computers, usually netbooks, have a virtual desktop not a real one. The principle is simple, because the screen is so small it makes a virtual desktop which is larger but then you have to move the viewing screen around this virtual desktop in order to see all the corners.

No, just as I bought it - Toshiba P750 Q001.

so do you know how I get a 'real one' ?

If it has a virtual desktop you should be able to disable that feature but it depends how it is being done. Sometimes it is automatic and all you need to do is pick a lower resolution. For example if the screen can only handle 1600x900 (from what I researched this is likely your max) but you set the display at 2048x1152 then it may automatically virtualize to allow the extra 448x252, so you might try setting your screen resolution a bit smaller. Another possibility is to check the icons in the notification area (bottom left taskbar if your bar is on the left edge) and see if there is anything for screen resolution or something to do with the virtual.

If you can't find it, you might call Toshiba and talk to their support or email them, whatever they provide. You paid for it as part of the purchase price, may as well take advantage of it.