Still no solution to this ancient problem? In Windows XP SP2 with all
installed updates Taskbar Balloon tips goes under the bar very quickly after
Explorer reset!

"Wesley Vogel" wrote:

> It seems helpful just to know that you aren't the only one with a particular
> problem. ;-)
>
> Keep having fun. :-)
>
> --
> Hope this helps. Let us know.
>
> Wes
> MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
>
> In news:2F35748B-2C7E-4CA3-A6A8-D10B92983C31@microsoft.com,
> V-ger <Vger@discussions.microsoft.com> hunted and pecked:
> > Mr. Vogel, thanks for your notes and instruction. I didn't realize that
> > it was a common issue. somehow that helps to just know. I will keep your
> > instructions handy for when it becomes so frustrating that it is worth
> > all of that. And I'll remember "balloon tips".
> >
> > Thanks again so much. Have a great year-end! V-ger
> >
> > "Wesley Vogel" wrote:
> >
> >> They're called Balloon tips.
> >>
> >> This is a well known windows problem.
> >>
> >> You can reboot or kill and restart explorer.exe. Then the problem will
> >> reappear again after a while anyway.
> >>
> >> To kill explorer and restart it.
> >>
> >> Open the Task Manager...
> >> Ctrl + Shift + Escape | Click on the Processes tab | Locate and highlight
> >> explorer.exe | Right click explorer.exe | Click End Process | Click
> >> Yes to the Task Manager Warning that pops up | Click File on the Toolbar
> >> | Click New Task (Run...) | Type in: explorer | Click OK
> >>
> >> End Process on explorer.exe will make your Desktop and all programs
> >> disappear. This can be startling. Restarting explorer will bring
> >> everything back.
> >>
> >> This can fix/restore/reinitialize/refresh a lot of things.
> >>
> >>
> >> --
> >> Hope this helps. Let us know.
> >>
> >> Wes
> >> MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
> >>
> >> In news:47E26746-D9CC-4DD7-9407-4501FA9FDD14@microsoft.com,
> >> V-ger <Vger@discussions.microsoft.com> hunted and pecked:
> >>> The smart tags (if that's the right name for the little yellow names
> >>> that pop up when you rest your mouse on an icon on the taskbar) are
> >>> often (yet inconsistently) hidden behind my taskbar. I cannot see the
> >>> date or names of the programs in my system tray or on the quick launch,
> >>> or even on the taskbar itself, etc. I tried turning off the "auto
> >>> hide" and that didn't work. I can just barely see the tops of the tags
> >>> as I move along the taskbar. Any suggestions, please? Thanks!
>
>

Just click Start, Programs, r-click on the listing and pick "Sort by
Name", the z-order is then reset for you.

Maurizio wrote:

> Still no solution to this ancient problem? In Windows XP SP2 with all
> installed updates Taskbar Balloon tips goes under the bar very quickly after
> Explorer reset!
>
> "Wesley Vogel" wrote:
>
>
>>It seems helpful just to know that you aren't the only one with a particular
>>problem. ;-)
>>
>>Keep having fun. :-)
>>
>>--
>>Hope this helps. Let us know.
>>
>>Wes
>>MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
>>
>>In news:2F35748B-2C7E-4CA3-A6A8-D10B92983C31@microsoft.com,
>>V-ger <Vger@discussions.microsoft.com> hunted and pecked:
>>
>>>Mr. Vogel, thanks for your notes and instruction. I didn't realize that
>>>it was a common issue. somehow that helps to just know. I will keep your
>>>instructions handy for when it becomes so frustrating that it is worth
>>>all of that. And I'll remember "balloon tips".
>>>
>>>Thanks again so much. Have a great year-end! V-ger
>>>
>>>"Wesley Vogel" wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>They're called Balloon tips.
>>>>
>>>>This is a well known windows problem.
>>>>
>>>>You can reboot or kill and restart explorer.exe. Then the problem will
>>>>reappear again after a while anyway.
>>>>
>>>>To kill explorer and restart it.
>>>>
>>>>Open the Task Manager...
>>>>Ctrl + Shift + Escape | Click on the Processes tab | Locate and highlight
>>>>explorer.exe | Right click explorer.exe | Click End Process | Click
>>>>Yes to the Task Manager Warning that pops up | Click File on the Toolbar
>>>>| Click New Task (Run...) | Type in: explorer | Click OK
>>>>
>>>>End Process on explorer.exe will make your Desktop and all programs
>>>>disappear. This can be startling. Restarting explorer will bring
>>>>everything back.
>>>>
>>>>This can fix/restore/reinitialize/refresh a lot of things.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>--
>>>>Hope this helps. Let us know.
>>>>
>>>>Wes
>>>>MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
>>>>
>>>>In news:47E26746-D9CC-4DD7-9407-4501FA9FDD14@microsoft.com,
>>>>V-ger <Vger@discussions.microsoft.com> hunted and pecked:
>>>>
>>>>>The smart tags (if that's the right name for the little yellow names
>>>>>that pop up when you rest your mouse on an icon on the taskbar) are
>>>>>often (yet inconsistently) hidden behind my taskbar. I cannot see the
>>>>>date or names of the programs in my system tray or on the quick launch,
>>>>>or even on the taskbar itself, etc. I tried turning off the "auto
>>>>>hide" and that didn't work. I can just barely see the tops of the tags
>>>>>as I move along the taskbar. Any suggestions, please? Thanks!
>>
>>

I've come across this a number of times in my career. I finally got ticked
off enough today to actually look around and found a patch for this.
http://neosmart.net/dl.php?id=10 will get you ToolTipFixer. It works. It's
free. It's less than 100k. It's permanent.

Microsoft's lame attempts to explain away the problem are
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/912650/en-us
&
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307499/en-us


Microsoft suggests you, ummm "FIX" this (temporarily by restarting or
logging off and back on, and turing off the FADE effect for tooltips and
menus. Other people suggest resorting "all programs". NONE of these work all
the time. Leave it up to someone else to patch a usoft bug.

"Bob I" wrote:

> Just click Start, Programs, r-click on the listing and pick "Sort by
> Name", the z-order is then reset for you.
>
> Maurizio wrote:
>
> > Still no solution to this ancient problem? In Windows XP SP2 with all
> > installed updates Taskbar Balloon tips goes under the bar very quickly after
> > Explorer reset!
> >
> > "Wesley Vogel" wrote:
> >
> >
> >>It seems helpful just to know that you aren't the only one with a particular
> >>problem. ;-)
> >>
> >>Keep having fun. :-)
> >>
> >>--
> >>Hope this helps. Let us know.
> >>
> >>Wes
> >>MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
> >>
> >>In news:2F35748B-2C7E-4CA3-A6A8-D10B92983C31@microsoft.com,
> >>V-ger <Vger@discussions.microsoft.com> hunted and pecked:
> >>
> >>>Mr. Vogel, thanks for your notes and instruction. I didn't realize that
> >>>it was a common issue. somehow that helps to just know. I will keep your
> >>>instructions handy for when it becomes so frustrating that it is worth
> >>>all of that. And I'll remember "balloon tips".
> >>>
> >>>Thanks again so much. Have a great year-end! V-ger
> >>>
> >>>"Wesley Vogel" wrote:
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>>They're called Balloon tips.
> >>>>
> >>>>This is a well known windows problem.
> >>>>
> >>>>You can reboot or kill and restart explorer.exe. Then the problem will
> >>>>reappear again after a while anyway.
> >>>>
> >>>>To kill explorer and restart it.
> >>>>
> >>>>Open the Task Manager...
> >>>>Ctrl + Shift + Escape | Click on the Processes tab | Locate and highlight
> >>>>explorer.exe | Right click explorer.exe | Click End Process | Click
> >>>>Yes to the Task Manager Warning that pops up | Click File on the Toolbar
> >>>>| Click New Task (Run...) | Type in: explorer | Click OK
> >>>>
> >>>>End Process on explorer.exe will make your Desktop and all programs
> >>>>disappear. This can be startling. Restarting explorer will bring
> >>>>everything back.
> >>>>
> >>>>This can fix/restore/reinitialize/refresh a lot of things.
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>--
> >>>>Hope this helps. Let us know.
> >>>>
> >>>>Wes
> >>>>MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
> >>>>
> >>>>In news:47E26746-D9CC-4DD7-9407-4501FA9FDD14@microsoft.com,
> >>>>V-ger <Vger@discussions.microsoft.com> hunted and pecked:
> >>>>
> >>>>>The smart tags (if that's the right name for the little yellow names
> >>>>>that pop up when you rest your mouse on an icon on the taskbar) are
> >>>>>often (yet inconsistently) hidden behind my taskbar. I cannot see the
> >>>>>date or names of the programs in my system tray or on the quick launch,
> >>>>>or even on the taskbar itself, etc. I tried turning off the "auto
> >>>>>hide" and that didn't work. I can just barely see the tops of the tags
> >>>>>as I move along the taskbar. Any suggestions, please? Thanks!
> >>
> >>
>
>

Actually it causes it own set of problems. So, it's the devil you know,
or the devil you don't.

DavidSain wrote:

> I've come across this a number of times in my career. I finally got ticked
> off enough today to actually look around and found a patch for this.
> http://neosmart.net/dl.php?id=10 will get you ToolTipFixer. It works. It's
> free. It's less than 100k. It's permanent.
>
> Microsoft's lame attempts to explain away the problem are
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/912650/en-us
> &
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307499/en-us
>
>
> Microsoft suggests you, ummm "FIX" this (temporarily by restarting or
> logging off and back on, and turing off the FADE effect for tooltips and
> menus. Other people suggest resorting "all programs". NONE of these work all
> the time. Leave it up to someone else to patch a usoft bug.
>
> "Bob I" wrote:
>
>
>>Just click Start, Programs, r-click on the listing and pick "Sort by
>>Name", the z-order is then reset for you.
>>
>>Maurizio wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Still no solution to this ancient problem? In Windows XP SP2 with all
>>>installed updates Taskbar Balloon tips goes under the bar very quickly after
>>>Explorer reset!
>>>
>>>"Wesley Vogel" wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>It seems helpful just to know that you aren't the only one with a particular
>>>>problem. ;-)
>>>>
>>>>Keep having fun. :-)
>>>>
>>>>--
>>>>Hope this helps. Let us know.
>>>>
>>>>Wes
>>>>MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
>>>>
>>>>In news:2F35748B-2C7E-4CA3-A6A8-D10B92983C31@microsoft.com,
>>>>V-ger <Vger@discussions.microsoft.com> hunted and pecked:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>Mr. Vogel, thanks for your notes and instruction. I didn't realize that
>>>>>it was a common issue. somehow that helps to just know. I will keep your
>>>>>instructions handy for when it becomes so frustrating that it is worth
>>>>>all of that. And I'll remember "balloon tips".
>>>>>
>>>>>Thanks again so much. Have a great year-end! V-ger
>>>>>
>>>>>"Wesley Vogel" wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>They're called Balloon tips.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>This is a well known windows problem.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>You can reboot or kill and restart explorer.exe. Then the problem will
>>>>>>reappear again after a while anyway.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>To kill explorer and restart it.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Open the Task Manager...
>>>>>>Ctrl + Shift + Escape | Click on the Processes tab | Locate and highlight
>>>>>>explorer.exe | Right click explorer.exe | Click End Process | Click
>>>>>>Yes to the Task Manager Warning that pops up | Click File on the Toolbar
>>>>>>| Click New Task (Run...) | Type in: explorer | Click OK
>>>>>>
>>>>>>End Process on explorer.exe will make your Desktop and all programs
>>>>>>disappear. This can be startling. Restarting explorer will bring
>>>>>>everything back.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>This can fix/restore/reinitialize/refresh a lot of things.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>--
>>>>>>Hope this helps. Let us know.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Wes
>>>>>>MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
>>>>>>
>>>>>>In news:47E26746-D9CC-4DD7-9407-4501FA9FDD14@microsoft.com,
>>>>>>V-ger <Vger@discussions.microsoft.com> hunted and pecked:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>The smart tags (if that's the right name for the little yellow names
>>>>>>>that pop up when you rest your mouse on an icon on the taskbar) are
>>>>>>>often (yet inconsistently) hidden behind my taskbar. I cannot see the
>>>>>>>date or names of the programs in my system tray or on the quick launch,
>>>>>>>or even on the taskbar itself, etc. I tried turning off the "auto
>>>>>>>hide" and that didn't work. I can just barely see the tops of the tags
>>>>>>>as I move along the taskbar. Any suggestions, please? Thanks!
>>>>
>>>>
>>

The workaround suggested in 307499 worked for me. Don't know how long it wiil
solve the problem. Fading effects "adieau!".

"DavidSain" wrote:

> I've come across this a number of times in my career. I finally got ticked
> off enough today to actually look around and found a patch for this.
> http://neosmart.net/dl.php?id=10 will get you ToolTipFixer. It works. It's
> free. It's less than 100k. It's permanent.
>
> Microsoft's lame attempts to explain away the problem are
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/912650/en-us
> &
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307499/en-us
>
>
> Microsoft suggests you, ummm "FIX" this (temporarily by restarting or
> logging off and back on, and turing off the FADE effect for tooltips and
> menus. Other people suggest resorting "all programs". NONE of these work all
> the time. Leave it up to someone else to patch a usoft bug.
>
> "Bob I" wrote:
>
> > Just click Start, Programs, r-click on the listing and pick "Sort by
> > Name", the z-order is then reset for you.
> >
> > Maurizio wrote:
> >
> > > Still no solution to this ancient problem? In Windows XP SP2 with all
> > > installed updates Taskbar Balloon tips goes under the bar very quickly after
> > > Explorer reset!
> > >
> > > "Wesley Vogel" wrote:
> > >
> > >
> > >>It seems helpful just to know that you aren't the only one with a particular
> > >>problem. ;-)
> > >>
> > >>Keep having fun. :-)
> > >>
> > >>--
> > >>Hope this helps. Let us know.
> > >>
> > >>Wes
> > >>MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
> > >>
> > >>In news:2F35748B-2C7E-4CA3-A6A8-D10B92983C31@microsoft.com,
> > >>V-ger <Vger@discussions.microsoft.com> hunted and pecked:
> > >>
> > >>>Mr. Vogel, thanks for your notes and instruction. I didn't realize that
> > >>>it was a common issue. somehow that helps to just know. I will keep your
> > >>>instructions handy for when it becomes so frustrating that it is worth
> > >>>all of that. And I'll remember "balloon tips".
> > >>>
> > >>>Thanks again so much. Have a great year-end! V-ger
> > >>>
> > >>>"Wesley Vogel" wrote:
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>>>They're called Balloon tips.
> > >>>>
> > >>>>This is a well known windows problem.
> > >>>>
> > >>>>You can reboot or kill and restart explorer.exe. Then the problem will
> > >>>>reappear again after a while anyway.
> > >>>>
> > >>>>To kill explorer and restart it.
> > >>>>
> > >>>>Open the Task Manager...
> > >>>>Ctrl + Shift + Escape | Click on the Processes tab | Locate and highlight
> > >>>>explorer.exe | Right click explorer.exe | Click End Process | Click
> > >>>>Yes to the Task Manager Warning that pops up | Click File on the Toolbar
> > >>>>| Click New Task (Run...) | Type in: explorer | Click OK
> > >>>>
> > >>>>End Process on explorer.exe will make your Desktop and all programs
> > >>>>disappear. This can be startling. Restarting explorer will bring
> > >>>>everything back.
> > >>>>
> > >>>>This can fix/restore/reinitialize/refresh a lot of things.
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>>--
> > >>>>Hope this helps. Let us know.
> > >>>>
> > >>>>Wes
> > >>>>MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
> > >>>>
> > >>>>In news:47E26746-D9CC-4DD7-9407-4501FA9FDD14@microsoft.com,
> > >>>>V-ger <Vger@discussions.microsoft.com> hunted and pecked:
> > >>>>
> > >>>>>The smart tags (if that's the right name for the little yellow names
> > >>>>>that pop up when you rest your mouse on an icon on the taskbar) are
> > >>>>>often (yet inconsistently) hidden behind my taskbar. I cannot see the
> > >>>>>date or names of the programs in my system tray or on the quick launch,
> > >>>>>or even on the taskbar itself, etc. I tried turning off the "auto
> > >>>>>hide" and that didn't work. I can just barely see the tops of the tags
> > >>>>>as I move along the taskbar. Any suggestions, please? Thanks!
> > >>
> > >>
> >
> >

Well, I found another way also. I downloaded nircmd.zip which allows a lot
of things to be done from the command prompt. This I unzipped into a common
directory. Then I created a file called tooltipfix.cmd and it's contents are

nircmd win settopmost class "tooltips_class32" 1

Or just type the above line at a command prompt with nircmd in your path.

I also created an entry in my registry
(HKLM-Software-microsoft-windows-currentbersion-run) so the cmd file is
processed with each reboot so the z-order is corrected each time. One never
knows when an update from usoft will break something like this. And now when
I reboot it really does get fixed. Just like usoft says.

I looked at ToolTipFixer some more, and it's great for those folks who
aren't savvy with computers. It uses .net and is a tsr (it's always running
in background). I suppose it checks every so often to see where the tool
tips are or checks a value when they are used and resets it if it's
incorrect. I try to eliminate as much as possible from running, so I'll do
it the manual way w/nircmd.

D

"Maurizio" wrote:

> The workaround suggested in 307499 worked for me. Don't know how long it wiil
> solve the problem. Fading effects "adieau!".
>
> "DavidSain" wrote:
>
> > I've come across this a number of times in my career. I finally got ticked
> > off enough today to actually look around and found a patch for this.
> > http://neosmart.net/dl.php?id=10 will get you ToolTipFixer. It works. It's
> > free. It's less than 100k. It's permanent.
> >
> > Microsoft's lame attempts to explain away the problem are
> > http://support.microsoft.com/kb/912650/en-us
> > &
> > http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307499/en-us
> >
> >
> > Microsoft suggests you, ummm "FIX" this (temporarily by restarting or
> > logging off and back on, and turing off the FADE effect for tooltips and
> > menus. Other people suggest resorting "all programs". NONE of these work all
> > the time. Leave it up to someone else to patch a usoft bug.
> >
> > "Bob I" wrote:
> >
> > > Just click Start, Programs, r-click on the listing and pick "Sort by
> > > Name", the z-order is then reset for you.
> > >
> > > Maurizio wrote:
> > >
> > > > Still no solution to this ancient problem? In Windows XP SP2 with all
....