Comments on: Restore the Address Toolbar (Deskband) After Installing Windows XP SP3

By: Jim

Jim — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 18:38:30 +0000

As if you could live without it, which people in their right minds would want it removed, sheeple please, real estate please, if youve got half a gram of grey matter you would realise the utility is your best friend, why waste time with windows+r or the mouse movements when you can click and type and go. It’s as simple as that.

Those that request to have it removed should be REMOVED from the pc and given a pen ‘n’ paper to do their work on.

Long live the address bar!

By: kellyo

kellyo — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 05:17:19 +0000

Yahoo!..thank goodness for accidents! And thank you Alan for letting us know.

BTW…Not sure if you’ve discovered this but after creating the My Computer toolbar, if you right click it>Toolbars and uncheck “My Computer” everything but the address bar goes away. Then you can drag that onto the Task Bar and wa la! Looks just like it back in the good old days. :-)

By: Alan

Alan — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 02:04:30 +0000

OK folk, now for something to call into question the claims of MS.

While reorganising my desktop to take account of the disappearance of the Address Bar, I inadvertently dragged the “My Computer” icon to the top of the display. Guess what? A new “task bar”, for want of a better description. Not only that, but a right click opens menu options that allow for the addition of the Address Bar. Depending on your monitor size and resolution, you can either leave the address bar on the same line as the My Computer icons or drag it down to give it a complete line of its own. This Task Bar can be resized similarly to the original, but is stepless – you choose.

In light of this, and the fact that Vista still has the same options as the pre SP3 XP, is MS being entirely honest, or is it a “feature” that is now not spoken about but that we stumble upon by chance?

By: Alan

Alan — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 08:52:29 +0000

I too am one of ‘US’, and have also been using it since Win98. Now using a 17″ monitor, 1920 x 1200 @ 96 dpi. Double height task bar, Quick Launch and Address Bar share one line while open app’s have the other.
But wait. If the SP3 change in XP was “in response to an issue raised by a regulatory agency”, how is it that Vista still enjoys this feature. That’s right, Vista Ultimate with SP1 still allows the Address Bar to be added to the Task Bar.
Go figure, as the saying goes.

By: JG

JG — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 05:25:14 +0000

I would think that it would be those that are running at 640×480, that would be so uptight about “screen real estate” that they would feel so great of a loss from having a double height taskbar. I have used the address bar ever since Win98. I’ve found it a lot more convenient than opening up a ‘run’ menu from the Start menu. In addition, it allows the ‘Start’ button to be moved out of the way, so that it gives you more space for application buttons.

It also allows me to put my quicklaunch bar on another line, so that it’s not in the way of the application buttons. It makes the system tray a bit narrower too. Furthermore, I think that an address bar makes more sense than having an undocked toolbar on the desktop. That’s just my opinion. I can see how a double high taskbar can interfere with full screen paint in VGA mode, though. It’s not for everyone.

By: Zach

Zach — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 17:57:24 +0000

Many thanks. What a relief. I installed Niversoft based on your recommendation and feel restored. As “I am US” commented, 15 years using this, and then gone. Like that. Now, back. :)

By: I am US

I am US — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 20:00:38 +0000

I love the address bar and was extremely annoyed when I updated to SP3 and found it was gone. What a load of crap.

1280×1024, dual monitors and the toolbar is at 3 height so I have open programs, two quick launch tool bars and then the address bar on the bottom. And a quick glance and i can see time, day and date at all times.

Thank you for linking to these replacements, I downloaded the second one and love it.

15 years in IT and I use it EVERY day. Much quicker to click there than having to hit “Windows-R” to bring up the Run dialog.

By: Ramesh Srinivasan

Ramesh Srinivasan — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 04:44:07 +0000

Using 1280×1024 with 106 DPI – Absolutely no problems here.

By: Vader

Vader — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 03:36:38 +0000

Using 2 bars is a horrible waste of desktop real estate. Let me guess, you’re also at 640×480 and wonder why you have to scroll back and forth.

It’s all about the 1600×1200 with font so small it’ll make the normal human eyes bleed.

By: Ramesh Srinivasan

Ramesh Srinivasan — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:57:12 +0000

Well, I’m certainly one in “us”, and know many others who use this deskband. Note: Screen real estate (of the taskbar) has never been a problem for me as I set the Taskbar height to two rows.