Windows 7 Taskbar Auto-Hide

Question

I have set the windows 7 Taskbar to auto-hide however some of the time an application will tell the Taskbar something new is going on. This causes the Taskbar to light up, and block the window underneath until l I give it attention. Is there a registry tweak to keep the Taskbar from seeking attention?

Answer 1

If you're so annoyed by the Windows 7 Taskbar, why not getting rid of it altogether? :)

Aviassin Taskbar Eliminator is a great utility which will simply and efficiently remove the taskbar from Windows XP or Vista.

With just the click of a button or a hotkey, the taskbar is disabled from any side of the screen, providing the freedom to use any dock application, increase computer security, or allow all sorts of Windows customizations. The taskbar can be toggled on and off in real-time, providing the flexibility to quickly view the taskbar to perform an action.

The application interface is simple and easy to understand, allowing it to be used by even the most novice of users. Simply press and hold Control+Alt+T to bring up the Preferences window, from which all options can be adjusted. Press and hold Alt + T to immediately show or hide the taskbar directly.

Supported Operating Systems:

Windows 98 Windows 2000 Windows XP Windows Vista Windows 7 Beta & Release Candidate

Download

Aviassin Taskbar Eliminator is freeware and portable.

when you click 'Hide Taskbar' it will disappear but the start orb remains visible, however, if you set the the taskbar to 'Auto Hide' before eliminating the taskbar, it works like a charm. the start orb will not appear if you hit the bottom of the screen, ONLY if you press the windows key.

... and then use VistaSwitcher to toggle conveniently between open applications and folders.

Answer 2

I'm not sure if you can disable the taskbar from flashing. I have read that TuneUp utilites has an option to do that.

If you want to control the number of times the taskbar flashes, then do the following:

1. Open regedit and Navigate to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\CONTROLPANEL\DESKTOP

2. In the right pane, right click on ForeGroundFlashCount

3. Click on Modify, and select Decimal.

4. Change the Value to a higher number to however many flashes you want. 1 will give you a single flash. 0 will give you indefinite flashes.
5. Restart the computer to apply the changes.

Answer 3

Head on over to Windows SevenForums for a possible workaround to this issue.

There is a tool hosted on the forum which tells the taskbar not to shrink out of view but to simply go to the back of the screen. 32-bit and 64-bit flavours are available. It is a run-on-demand program, so nothing to install. Simply log off and back on again if you don't think it's for you. No harm done.

Once it is running, other applications can be dragged over the taskbar which will then stay on top of it, regardless of whether the taskbar wants attention or not.

To immediately get the taskbar back into view, either press the Windows key or click on a part of the taskbar that isn't hidden underneath other applications.

It is far from ideal, but does appear to be one of the best fixes that other people with the exact same problem have managed to get their hands on.

Answer 4

I wrote my own application which one forcibly hides the taskbar if mouse is not hovering...

http://hotfile.com/links/115779822/57566f8/HideTaskbar.zip

VB6 runtime files may be needed. Works on XP, Vista and 7.