Odd win2k problem.

[Null Actor]

On my work computer, recently it's started having this weird issue where the task bar resets. Doesn't seem to affect machine stability, but it's annoying because all my system tray icons disappear (including ICQ and soundcard tools, etc).

Anyone know what might cause this kind of behavior?

[Outlaw]

Well I don't know how hard you're working, but P2P programs do that to my pc. :D

What happens is that your current explorer crashes, but windows is 'smart' enough to notice it so it opens up a new one for you.

[Ion Silverbolt]

I get the same thing when Explorer crashes on me. All you can really do is shut down the programs in Task Manager and then reopen them so the systray icons show up again.

It's probably somekind of buggy software or background application conflicting with something. Not sure what you usually run, but I know dumb things like Zone alarm and virus scanners have a habit of crashing explorer a lot.

Anyway, I would check for anything new that you just started to run. It's probably the culprit.

[Finster]

If you have access to a computer with Windows XP on it, you can copy the msconfig.exe from Windows XP and run it on Windows 2000. (All you need is the EXE file.) Then, eliminate all the startup items and see if the problem still occurs. If it stops happening, you just have to go through all the startup items and find out which one is causing it. (I suggest taking half of them at a time and see if the problem reoccurs. Then, just keep dividing in half. Quicker than trying each individual one.)

[Null Actor]

The only new software I started running is Pheonix, but I run that at home without the problem. I also run no P2P applications or such, since this is a work machine.

I figured it was probably explorer crashing, but I just wondered if there may be a common cause. Is there a way to find out why explorer crashed? Maybe it'll give me a hint.

[DemonBob]

What patchs is it running?

[pakenney38]

Windows 2000 usually "re-runs" Explorer whenever an application has caused Explorer to stop functioning properly. That way, the system never "crashes" it just becomes a pain in the ass.