Taskbar not hiding in fullscreen

When I go to fullscreen by either hitting F11 or the icon on my browser toolbar the tollbar hides but the taskbar stays visible on the screen. This happens on all webpages. I just tried it on this forum page and had the same result.
When it does get 'stuck' (on rare occasions it does hide) If I place the cursor on the taskbar and left click it once then place the cursor just above it (or anywhere on the full screen) and left click once it hides. After that it works correctly on any fullscreen application untill I close my browser. When I reopen my browser I have to do the 'fix' again.
I use Firfox 8 but I have tried my IE browser with the same results, so I don't think it's the browser.
It isn't a major imposition to do two clicks to get fullscreen to work properly but if there is a way to get it to work properly I would appreciate the help.

Thanks
Mike M

So can we assume you have Auto hide the taskbar checked?

No, I don't have it checked. I like to see the taskbar when I'm not in fullscreen mode.

Well, that may be it. You might also have to turn off Aero.

Checked the box to autohide the taskbar all the time and it works, the taskbar is always hidden. That isn't a fix however. The only time I don't want to see the taskbar is when I am in fullscreen mode. That is the way it windows should work in fullscreen mode. Hide the taskbar. You shouldn't have to check autohide. As far as Aero, it shouldn't affect fullscreen. I have used fullscreen with Aero for years, but just to check I turned it off and nothing changed. The taskbar still stuck in F/S mode.

There is a fix to do this, on the web, but, as far as it has developed, it means restarting the fix everytime you start windows. (Or you can load it with the start)

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials...le-enable.html

Peculiar that ya should post a thread like this... ever since the last round of updates I have noticed my own taskbar will randomly refuse to fade when running full-screen applications. The only way to make it vanish is to click the taskbar button for the application (which puts the program back in windowed mode) then click the full screen option again.

It's gotten a bit annoying when watching videos. Didn't have the issue at all before the updates.

Well, there is this: Windows 7 - Taskbar Always On Top - Disable or Enable.

I think That would be the same link I gave.

The linked fix doesn't work. I think windows updates over the past two years have outdated it.
It's just two clicks to get it (F/S) working so I'm not dead in the water as far as functionality, but it should work the way it's supposed to, so something is amiss somewhere.
I wonder if MS is aware of problems with this. They won't talk to me unless I pay $50 even though I just bought this computer. Since I didn't install the operating system and HP did = no support for their product.
HP tried but didn't have any solution and I really didn't expect them to.
I don't get why a company like MS would charge to support their own product. My OS is brand new software and like me the majority of the people using it get it on computers they buy at stores, with the operating system included. That means they are limiting their support to the few that upgrade their operating systems. Doesn't seem right.